33 Minute XP Installation Hangup

exalted512

I'm trying to reinstall XP on my netbook as it was having a weird issue. I'm using the disc I got with it from Dell via a usb powered disc drive.

I get down to 33 minutes and it freezes...evidently, its a common problem.

This, is supposedly the fix:
* Let the XP hang up at 34 minutes remaining for the first time
* remove the CD from the CDROM and reboot
* Dont enter the CD when the installation asks for it, instead open the DOS prompt (Shift + F10)
* goto C:/Windows and type setupapi.log, hit enter
* The setupapi.log file opens in a notepad
* Scroll to the very last few lines in the file and search for the word “inf”
* You will notice that in the last few moments the installation created a file with the extension “.inf” before dying out (in my case it was the faulty modem for which XP created the file mdmcxpt.inf).
* It means that the device mentioned in the last few lines is faulty and you have to make the installation skip through it.

I'm ok up until this part

* Close the notepad and go to the folder C:/windows/inf in command prompt
* Browse through the files to find the “.inf” which was related to the faulty device.
* Straightaway delete the inf file (eg: del mdmcxpt.inf)
* now put in the XP installation CD and Continue the installation


What does it mean go to that folder? I tried typing it into dos but nothing works. The file in question is "c:\windows\inf\ksfilter.inf"

Im not very computer literate so please speak in dumb terms please!
-Cody

Jstas

use this command in the DOS prompt

cd c:\windows\inf


Then use this command to delete the file

del ksfilter.inf


That should get rid of the file.

The other option is to remove the offending hardware and reinstall. The hardware might not be at fault though. It might be a bad driver.

exalted512

thanks...i wasnt putting in the cd part.

when i typed in del ksfilter, it didnt say anything to confirm that it was deleted, is it supposed to?

-Cody

Jstas

Usually won't. Most character based interfaces were written back when computers were the domain of nerds who knew what they were doing intricately. They didn't see a need for confirmation because most times they were very careful about what they were putting in. It wasn't until the first non-engineer/computer science types got a hold of the computers when entire file systems would get deleted and destroy entire networks.

So stuff like DOS, UNIX and other flavors of similar OS'es give you more than enough rope to hang yourself with multiple times over. You gotta be very careful and deliberate and pay attention to what you are doing.

DOS is the soft, white underbelly of Windows. The ugly parts are the system internals. It gets real hairy at that point but there is a tremendous amount of power that you can harness knowing systems on that level. It's also the reason why many nerds dislike MacOS because you can't get down to that level of nitty gritty and that spooks some people.

exalted512

well, its stuck at 33 minutes again...ill try again tomorrow.
-Cody

exalted512

i was going to give up, but i tried again...same thing...so there was another file i deleted...same thing...deleted another file...this is the last time. The computer has a 1 yr hardware warranty so i wonder if dell will fix it?
-Cody

exalted512

and were back at 33 minutes...lets see if it goes away over night...probably not...but im crossing my fingers
-Cody

TouchOfEvil

good luck.

audiobliss

That sounds like quite a pain. If it still hangs up in the morning, I'd definitely be calling Dell and telling them to expect my computer.

Systems

exalted512 wrote: »

i was going to give up, but i tried again...same thing...so there was another file i deleted...same thing...deleted another file...this is the last time. The computer has a 1 yr hardware warranty so i wonder if dell will fix it?
-Cody

You shouldn't have to be jumping through so many hoops to get XP reinstalled, definately some other issues there!!

If you call Dell plan on doing some meditation beforehand:) Your going to have to jump through some hoops there too. Its a process but they will take care of you...

exalted512

Still hung up. I have some more RAM I'm going to throw in there tonite just in case and try one more time, if not, I'm calling Dell thursday morning.
-Cody

nadams

Is this a desktop? I've run into this before, and usually end up pulling (or disabling in the BIOS) every piece of hardware not necessary to the operation of the PC.

But before that... reset the BIOS to factory defaults. I've had that fix it as well.

exalted512

netbook

bigaudiofanatic

Well there are a few things you can try. The first is do a HD scan "not sure if this is a ssd or a regular hd but either way I would check it. I have done many re installs and one common problem is the install will freeze at a certain point when it encounters the damaged part of a HD after checking the hd it is usually defective and replaced and problem with install fixed.

Another is are you using the OEM disk or one coming form another computer? Sometimes dell computers can be a PITA in which and how you install OS on them.

John30_30

Jstas wrote: »

So stuff like DOS, UNIX and other flavors of similar OS'es give you more than enough rope to hang yourself with multiple times over. You gotta be very careful and deliberate and pay attention to what you are doing.

DOS is the soft, white underbelly of Windows. The ugly parts are the system internals. It gets real hairy at that point but there is a tremendous amount of power that you can harness knowing systems on that level. It's also the reason why many nerds dislike MacOS because you can't get down to that level of nitty gritty and that spooks some people.

Actually, that's not true about Mac OS, bro, because you can open a Terminal in it and get right into your unix. What sucks is they kinda hid the terminal away to keep mac fanbois from playing around and easily wrecking their OS. But it's easy enough for a geek to find.

Cody, from what I can telll, ksfilter.inf is for a webcam. You mention also mdmcxpt.inf. Which one is it?

If you're deleting ksfilter and it's mdmcxpt.inf that's hanging the install??????

Jstas

John30_30 wrote: »

Actually, that's not true about Mac OS, bro, because you can open a Terminal in it and get right into your unix. What sucks is they kinda hid the terminal away to keep mac fanbois from playing around and easily wrecking their OS. But it's easy enough for a geek to find.

Cody, from what I can telll, ksfilter.inf is for a webcam. You mention also mdmcxpt.inf. Which one is it?

If you're deleting ksfilter and it's mdmcxpt.inf that's hanging the install??????

Actually, no. It's not the same as being able to boot in to DOS or straight in to a UNIX prompt. Aside from the fact that it's just a portal and not a true command line, MacOS is locked down. You can't destroy MacOS from the command prompt. You also cannot tweak it or modify it from the command prompt because you don't have the permission levels needed. Without the ability to do any system level stuff there is really no point to the MacOS command prompt since everything you can do there can be done in the GUI as well. It's very limited in it's usefulness and is just a white elephant. The only purpose it serves is to give those "geeks" you speak of a command line prompt to navigate the operating system. Big whoop. It supports scripting languages but you can't do anything more than parsing files and copying and moving and such. The only useful thing it does as far as I could tell is allow you to run disk utilities. It's based on a BASH shell which is a very powerful shell being able to integrate scripting and regular expression on the command line. But all the capability in the world is useless without the power to use it. But this thread isn't about MacOS so if you or anyone else wants to "discuss further", take it to PMs.

As far as the files, the mdmcxpt.inf is not his problem, it was part of an example he gave to illustrate his problem.

nadams

Just for S&G's, I'd reset the BIOS to factory defaults. I've had it work on laptops before...

bigaudiofanatic

Jstas wrote: »

Actually, no. It's not the same as being able to boot in to DOS or straight in to a UNIX prompt. Aside from the fact that it's just a portal and not a true command line, MacOS is locked down. You can't destroy MacOS from the command prompt. You also cannot tweak it or modify it from the command prompt because you don't have the permission levels needed. Without the ability to do any system level stuff there is really no point to the MacOS command prompt since everything you can do there can be done in the GUI as well. It's very limited in it's usefulness and is just a white elephant. The only purpose it serves is to give those "geeks" you speak of a command line prompt to navigate the operating system. Big whoop. It supports scripting languages but you can't do anything more than parsing files and copying and moving and such. The only useful thing it does as far as I could tell is allow you to run disk utilities. It's based on a BASH shell which is a very powerful shell being able to integrate scripting and regular expression on the command line. But all the capability in the world is useless without the power to use it. But this thread isn't about MacOS so if you or anyone else wants to "discuss further", take it to PMs.

As far as the files, the mdmcxpt.inf is not his problem, it was part of an example he gave to illustrate his problem.

Totally agree with you man. I am in a linux class right now, I trued some of the commands on my mac and some will not work because of the OS being locked. You can not crash it from terminal. Which is a good thing for people that do not know what they are doing.

Jstas

nadams wrote: »

Is this a desktop? I've run into this before, and usually end up pulling (or disabling in the BIOS) every piece of hardware not necessary to the operation of the PC.

But before that... reset the BIOS to factory defaults. I've had that fix it as well.

nadams wrote: »

Just for S&G's, I'd reset the BIOS to factory defaults. I've had it work on laptops before...

Gonna post it a few more times just to make sure?

John30_30

Jstas wrote: »

As far as the files, the mdmcxpt.inf is not his problem, it was part of an example he gave to illustrate his problem.

Okay, whatever the file- it sounds like maybe Windows is recreating it after he deletes it, you think?
What do you think about just going in and editing it, and commenting out the actual lines instead of deleting it?

Jstas

I think he has broken hardware. It's probably going to have to go back to Dell unfortunately.

John30_30

Jstas wrote: »

I think he has broken hardware. It's probably going to have to go back to Dell unfortunately.

I don't think so. He probably needs a more recent install disc with patches from dell.

nadams

Jstas wrote: »

Gonna post it a few more times just to make sure?

Don't get your panties in a wad... I was just restating it since he didn't do it the first time.

Jstas

It's a laptop. Hardware doesn't typically change. The disk he has should have all off the original drivers on it that made the system work properly when he got it.

His problem is indicative of a hardware failure or a driver failure. But it doesn't make sense that a driver worked last week but does not work now. Unless something changed, like broken hardware. It's not necessarily a bad webcam. Like what was already said, the issue could be with the hard drive having bad blocks or a bad sector. A disk scan will show that and at least mark the block(s) bad. But a bad block would be the reason the install keeps failing of different INF files and why it fails at the same point each time. If it tries to write to the bad block, it will get disk errors and won't continue past the bad block because the file will get corrupted. Especially if it covers multiple blocks.

bigaudiofanatic

^^ As I said probably a bad HD.

audiobliss

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

^^ As I said probably a bad HD.

Ya wanna mention it a few more times??
/Jstas impression

Just picking, John!!

Jstas

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

^^ As I said probably a bad HD.

A couple bad blocks does not mean the hard drive is bad.

I have a hard drive running at home that has an entire sector bad on it. It's been running with a bad sector for 6 years now. I just make sure nothing vital goes on the drive and anything I want to keep gets backed up regularly.

John30_30

Jstas wrote: »

It's a laptop. Hardware doesn't typically change. The disk he has should have all off the original drivers on it that made the system work properly when he got it.

His problem is indicative of a hardware failure or a driver failure. But it doesn't make sense that a driver worked last week but does not work now. Unless something changed, like broken hardware. It's not necessarily a bad webcam. Like what was already said, the issue could be with the hard drive having bad blocks or a bad sector. A disk scan will show that and at least mark the block(s) bad. But a bad block would be the reason the install keeps failing of different INF files and why it fails at the same point each time. If it tries to write to the bad block, it will get disk errors and won't continue past the bad block because the file will get corrupted. Especially if it covers multiple blocks.

Yup, very true, if he's got a disc drive; I suppose SS drives develop corrupt sectors too eventually. He never mentioned.

Personally, I've run into weak Dell OEM and migration disks in the past so it's a sore spot for me. I'm not a big fan of their programmers or their followup support when a migration fails. Had that happen at an oilfield supply co. a few years ago because the engineer's old laptop had a German keyboard and the migration disc failed on the umlauts and special characters. Made me look like the **** because Dell couldn't anticipate their clients being international and their support were all clueless.
The onsite regular tech is all smirking at me because he'd already weighed in with his opinion about Dell support, and he ended up doing the migration manually.

exalted512

Its a sshd. The first post I made, the inf file was an example. The one after that was mine. Then I would retry and it would stop again and I would delete the next file...I stopped after 4. I put new ram I had laying around...same problem. Going to try and reset the BIOS when I get home.
- Cody

exalted512

Its a sshd. The first post I made, the inf file was an example. The one after that was mine. Then I would retry and it would stop again and I would delete the next file...I stopped after 4. I put new ram I had laying around...same problem. Going to try and reset the BIOS when I get home.
- Cody

nguyendot

Whats your service tag? I'll take a look.