windows xp pro updates make machine hang

[tabbycat1947]

Hi My son has done a full format of his machine (4 times actually ) even the mbr this works until he starts downloading updates then he gets so far and the machine hangs on one of the restarts unfortuanately he doesnt write down which updates are happening he always installs a virus checker before he starts downloading the updates. I built the machine at the end of 2003 and I seem to remember that there was a virus at that time that was very hard to get rid of and microsoft posted a solution on their site but I cannot remember what it was called. Has anyone any ideas. All help will be really appreciated

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Not a lot of information to go on there Tabby and unless the virus has wrecked the hard drive physically then we need more info.

 

Have you got a full version of XP Pro that you are trying to reinstall?

[Dalo Harkin]

2003 - 99% sure it will be the ALEXA virus - usually installed with cracked versions of XP, and written into nearly everything in 2003.

If the OS is not installing - it's the disk or the HDD as Wolfey has said.

[tabbycat1947]

Is it a virus or the microstar motherboard

 

Hi sorry im not sure what information to give you. It is a genine full holographic XP Pro which I bought when I built the pc. I did get the blaster virus back then but I got rid of it I was actually wondering if it could be that because everytime he reinstalls it comes up with different error messages only once has he managed to get through an installation with out any error messages and then it went pear shaped when he was downloading updates. It went to the start in safe mode then it wouldnt even do that.

 

This morning he reset the Bios formatted the mbr then the hdd. Then he tried installing again and it got most of the way through but then it asked him for the sp1 disk. This is really strange because how does it know there is one because as it is genuine disk it was issued before any service packs. As he didnt have sp1 he cancelled that and then it finished (so called) but it wasnt right because the desk top didnt have any background and the internet explorer icon wasnt even there although there was the words where the icon should have been.

 

Another strange thing is the guy he bought it from only had a Linux drive on it and Wayne installed that drive also it killed the IDE drive. Do you have to do anything special to format a linux drive?

 

I am trying to help him on the end of a phone and he doesnt have my patience

 

Thank you for your time

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Tell your son to join FPCH Tabby as we are getting second hand information here.

This is not your fault but you speak of things which are not logical and are probably written via his comments, here is one;

 

This morning he reset the Bios formatted the mbr then the hdd

 

One does not format the MBR (Master Boot Record) but rather, repair it.

 

Obtain this software and run it on the hard drive then reinstall XP, if it still presents problems then the disk is not a full XP version.

 

Active@ Kill Disk Hard Drive Eraser. Low Level Format.

[tabbycat1947]

Legal xp pro

 

Sorry I meant to say fixed mbr then formatted hdd. Each time he reinstalls he gets different error messages. I KNOW it is a full version of XP Pro because I BOUGHT it in PC World. Unless you are saying that they sell illegal copies. How can my son join when he hsnt got a working pc. I object to your inference that he is using an illegal copy you may be used to dishonest people but I am not one of them. I also happen to be a pensioner with more than a fair knowledge of Pc's and wouldnt have asked for help unless I was really stumped. Does this Active Kill get rid of virus's

Edited September 6, 2008 by tabbycat1947

[RandyL]

Hi tabby;

I think you misunderstood Wolfey. He was refering to the fact that it might be a recovery CD rather then a full version. Windows can be reinstalled with a recovery CD but it lacks certain repair options like the Recovery Console.

 

Sorry about the misunderstanding.

[tabbycat1947]

Thank you

 

If I misunderstood then I am sorry.

I have better things to think of today my other sons baby was born today best news ive had for a while.

 

Thankyou

[RandyL]

Congratulations tabby. That is good news. :)

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Killdisk will completely and utterly wipe everything on the drive by overwriting it Tabby.

 

How big is the hard drive that he's trying to install XP to?