QUESTION: Windows XP will not install even with new hardware!

Hi Brad, I have a problem and have not yet been able to solve it.  In fact, I have already given up a month ago, but now I see your Q&A thing here and I am hoping you can assist me.

   I CAN NOT INSTALL WINDOWS! ANY VERSION OR ANY CD!

I have disconnected my soundcard, modem, ethernet card and even my video card (just using the onboard VGA).  then I tried to install windows xp home from the original disk, i could not install it.  I get the error at 29% completion "the file" whatever "was not copied correctly" then it lets me hit escape to skip the file or enter to retry.  Naturally I assumed that my disk was bad, I borrowed my neighbor’s disk and had the same problem, so I purchased a new Windows XP Home from Wal-Mart and brought it home gleefully expecting to be back up and running an hour later…. 29% = same problem.  so I called Best Buy and they assured me that it was my DRIVE that was bad, that made sense to me so I ran to BB and purchased and new DVD/CD drive.  brought it home and i still had the same error at the exact same spot, windows could not copy the following file to the darn hard disk drive.  as usual if i click escape to skip that file and the remaining 30 some files once the install is done i get a blue screen with white letters telling me to kill microsofts butt.

sorry.

So then I call Com-USA and they tell me that it is my motherboard, then they sell me a new motherboard for $150, they "suggest" to me that I purchase a new CPU as that has probably failed as well, but I decline.

They did convince me to get a brand new hard drive though, 320 Giggerbites!

Brad, I am so upset just writing about this again.  after all that, it did not work.  there is no change at all!  new windows CD, new hard drive, new dvd/cd drive, new motherboard! all that new hardware that I do not need.  okay.  last thing. I tried to bring the board and drive back to compusa and the windows disk and other stuff, no one would accept them back. so i thought heck George, I am in it this far, why stop now, so i went to COMPUSA again and bought the CPU they originally suggested and guess what happened this time when i tried to install windows?  the exact same thing.  please please please tell me what my problem is!

RESPONSE:

Hello George, sounds like a VERY frustrating situation you have there.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you are going to have to make ANOTHER purchase : )

From the symptoms you describe to me, my first suggestion would be to change the IDE cables (or SATA? you did not mention the type of system) BUT I assume that when you purchased the new drive, it would have come with shiny new cables and you would have used them, I assume.

My next suggestion, would be THE MEMORY.  If you have two or more memory modules, (sticks) remove one, try to install, if that doesn’t work, replace the other with the one you just removed and attempt to reinstall again.  I belive, based on the symptoms you described that you will find the install will run SMOOTHLY now.  if you have only one memory module in your system, you will have to purchase another and replace it.  frankly George, it should never have been suggested to you to exchange all that other jazz.  In my opinion, you have spent more for parts then it would have cost for a new computer AND you now have almost enough parts to make a new computer.  pick up a nice CASE / power supply from www.TigerDirect.com , throw in all the extra parts you just bought and you will have a new computer for the kids. : )

Here is a nice memory checker from Microsoft: http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

If you need to buy memory, this site will tell you what you need and how much $$ www.crucial.com

Please let me know how things go!

UPDATE FROM GEORGE 2 DAYS LATER:

Brad Brad Brad!  Your the man!  I had 2 512MEGABITE chips in my motherboard, I removed 1 of them and tried to install win xp and IT WORKED!!!!! no error! thank you thank you thank you!

PROBLEM: Windows will not install properly, even with different disks and different hardware.

SOLUTION: replace memory modules.

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