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Clean Install of XP Hangs at welcome screen. ?

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MrStohler

MrStohler

Technical User
Feb 1, 2003
38
US
I'm attempting to install XP SP2 on an older laptop (it is slightly better than the min sys rqmts for XP: Dell P3 500MHz, 128Mb ram). I understand W98SE would perform better but this will be use for internet 98% of the time and I need to really restrict what other users could do.

After the files have been installed on the PC and it attemps to boot from the HD for the first time (and every time after that) the system hangs up at the blue welcom screen (the black Win XP screen shows up OK). It's a hard hang, I need to remove the battery to stop it.

Any suggestions to get XP to work?
Thanks
 
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Did the install finish 100%?

What does the blue screen say?

Can you get in in safe mode? If so, is there a dump file you can get off and analyse on another pC?
 
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1. Notebook entered hibernate mode:
When you restart Windows XP and the Welcome screen is displayed, your computer may stop responding: neither the keyboard nor the mouse work. When you restart your computer again using the F8 key, you may receive the following error message:

System restart has been paused:

Continue with system restart.
Delete restoration data and proceed to system boot menu.

This problem can occur when your computer enters into the Hibernate mode and accesses a corrupted memory snapshot.

To resolve this problem, select the "Delete restoration data and proceed to system boot menu" option which enables the computer to perform a normal restart, instead of performing the restoration process while the computer is in Hibernate mode.

2. Peripheral at fault (usually PCMCIA card)
Disconnect all peripheral devices except the mouse, keyboard, and monitor. If the computer originally came with a USB keyboard and mouse, then leave these connected. If a USB keyboard or mouse was recently added, then replace them with the original PS/2 keyboard or mouse for testing purposes.
Restart the computer.
If the computer no longer freezes or stops responding when Windows starts, isolate the device that is causing the problem by reconnecting one device at a time and restarting the computer. Continue doing this with each peripheral device until the device that is causing the issues is found.
To work around this issue, wait until Windows starts before plugging in the pheripheral device that is causing the issue.

3. Bad MBR on hard disk

4. Issue can be temporary

5. Media Issue
 
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128mb of RAM is a bit small for XP, perhaps double that, or even more would help.

Will it Start and run correctly in Safe Mode. Can you check out how it runs if you login as any other user in Normal Mode?

If it is a profile problem then this may help.
811151 - How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile


To get further information about the error look in your Event viewer.

Look in the System or Application folder. You can get to the Event Viewer via right click My Computer icon and select Manage.

Any errors logged in the Event Viewer can be expanded by double clicking on the error line.

Take any event error I.D. number and search for it on these sites.



If any errors occurred after installing a device driver or application, try using Safe Mode and removing the driver or program.

To check your RAM.


To check your Hard Drive.

The drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software to check your drive for problems.

You can also load the Recovery Console and run ChkDsk /r to check for problems.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)

To check your drivers.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP


To check conflicting software.

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP




Removing adware & spyware
faq608-4650

Will check your computer for spyware and adware.



See if you have any services that are flagging as "Starting" but not actually running.


Some general things to try.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with Windows.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try another user in case your profile is corrupt.

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

If they don't work you could try repairing windows itself by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)
 
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WOW
Thanks for all the feedback!!

To clarify a few items:
The system will not start in safe mode
It hangs at the blue "welcome" screen (not BSOD)
No user profiles are set, never got that far w/ install
From W98 boot disk at A: , did "Format C:" then reinstall of XP...same result

If I have to use W98, any suggestions to restrict users ability to make modifications?

Thanks
 
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You didn't by any chance change your boot order to be CD-ROM then HDD did you? It has to be that way to get the setup CD to boot if you already have an O/S installed. But after windows does the first part of the install you need to change it back to HDD then CD-ROM.

I doubt that's the problem though, seems like you have some hardware issue.

There's not much security available in 98 - about all you can do is set up different hardware profiles. Not much use.

It may (just) be worth installing a basic 98 system (you'll have to reformat the HDD) & then putting in the XP setup disk and getting it to check your system for suitability for XP (I forget the exact option - but it's obvious if you start the install from an O/S rather than booting the CD.
 
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As a last resort did you check for any Bios updates?

There are useful check lists in these articles.

HOW TO: Prepare to Upgrade Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition to Windows XP(Q316639)

310064 - HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade


How to Configure Internet Explorer 5.x to Block Access to All But Approved Internet Sites


Internet Explorer Restrictions

The mentioned idea to try installing 98 clean and then seeing if XP goes in is a good one to try.
 
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