XP Install can't copy Shell32.dll

[MountainNetworks]

Here's the deal

PIII with 128MB Ram.

I'm trying to install XP Pro on this machine.

Boot from CD...
Start the setup...
setup is copying files....
"The file shell32.dll was not copied correctly"

I've tried 3 different XP CDs.
I've changed the CD Drive
I've even changed the hard drive to one I know works!

If I just escape through the whole thing, and skip all the files it won't install, then it will finish and boot, but it won't activate. It crashes on MSOOB.EXE with a "send error report" prompt.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. This user gave me a perfectly functional machine with windows 98se, and I'm supposed to have it upgraded to XP Pro, put on the network, with all his files transfered back by monday.

 

[bcastner]

The user failed to give you a valid CD of XP.
If this is a new install of XP retail Upgrade, please call the Microsoft site.
You are attempting an upgrade from 98 to XP with an invalid PID.

 

[linney]

Check your RAM, 98 is not as fault critical as XP

http://www.memtest86.com/

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

321641 - How to Troubleshoot Issues with Reading CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD Discs

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321641&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316639 - HOW TO: Prepare to Upgrade Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition to Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316639&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[jess55]

I have had this problem also, was from a bad disk I guess.
I just called up MS and they fixed me up with a new one, worked just fine.

 

[MountainNetworks]

Thank you for replying to my post and offering your advice...


Bcastner & Jess:

This is not an upgrade. It is a fresh install. The drive which had the windows 98 installation has been reformatted. The XP Install CD is good as I've used without incident on countless other workstations. To further rule out the CD, I have used other known good install CDs and get the same error.

linney:

I changed the RAM with a new 128 MB Stick of PC100 memory, and I swapped out the CD Rom Drive and the hard drive.

Everone:

Now we have a machine with a new CD Rom Drive, a new (or rather different) hard drive, and a new stick of RAM. When booting from CD and doing the XP install, it still bombs out on copying shell32.dll.

I've tried hitting ESC for each subsequent file copy error just to see what would happen. XP does install and will, in fact, boot. After the initial install, I apply the XP Svcpk by copying the file to the hard drive first, then running the upgrade. During upgrade it prompts me to "retry" about 4 times on 4 different files. Each time I hit the "retry" button, the file seems to copy on the second attempt.

After XP is installed and updated it errors out on MSOOB.EXE and MSHTML.DLL preventing me from activating my copy of XP.

Look like the only thing left to replace is the motherboard and that ain't gonna happen, which means I'll be reinstalling 98 and telling the user "no can do"

 

[MountainNetworks]

and for the conclusion...in case anyone is following this thread....

As it turns out, the reason this system wouldn't install is because the motherboard won't play nice with ACPI. But wait, there's more!

The motherboard is an old SiS 5595 with the 530 Chipset. I've been all through it...there is no updated BIOS.

So that's it folks. I've reinstalled windows 98 and all the third party drivers from the motherboard...se la vie...

 

[linney]

Thank you for your feedback. The only belated thought I have on the matter was, what would happen if you were to setup XP with a Standard HAL instead of ACPI?

299340 - How to Force a Hardware Abstraction Layer During an Upgrade or New Installation of Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299340&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

"After you press F5, you will see the following list of computer types (listed in bold). A brief description of each HAL is included below as a reference.
ACPI Multiprocessor PC: Use for a multiple-processor ACPI computer
ACPI Uniprocessor PC: Use for a ACPI multiple-processor board but with a single processor installed
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC: Use for a single processor motherboard with single processor.
Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor or 100% Compatible: Use for a Compaq Systempro computer.
MPS Uniprocessor PC: Use on non-ACPI computers dual processor motherboard with a single processor installed
MPS Multiprocessor PC: Non-ACPI computers with a dual processor running
Standard PC: Any Standard PC, non-ACPI, or non-MPS. Could be a 386, 486, Pentium, Pentium II, or Pentium III
Standard PC with C-Step i486"