Unable to finish installation of XP

[king21092]

Please read the whole post, it may help you come to a conclusion as to what could help, thnx!
All rules apply!

Ok, I installed windows XP pro, anyway after the install, I noticed that it couldn't update since the key had stopped being used, I don't remember what it said, something about the product key I used had been discontinued. So i decided to use a legit key instead, cost $$$ : (, anyway so I went to install it over again, this is w/o reformatting, so I didn't lose data, even tho I had nothing important. When it got to the steps after the step where it restarts the computer and starts up again to continue the install, it got to the point where my video card hadn't passed windows logo testing. It had a "yes" or "no" at the bottom of the box to confirm that I wanted to stop or continue the installation because of that. I had noticed that I didn't have a mouse or keyboard plugged up. I plugged them up(usb wireless mouse and usb wired keyboard) and obviously it didn't detect them, so I did a hard reboot hoping it would detect them from the start... It didn't, then i looked and noticed I'm using my logitech g11 keyboard, which comes with software that probably wouldn't work during the installation and I also switched it with a wired NORMAL old usb ball mouse from my wireless mouse. I then hard rebooted again. This time the same process occurred, blue screen saying "setup is restarting...." then it goes to a "blank," black, screen. The screen then stays that way continually, Ive waited up to 10 minutes to no avail. I've tried about everything my friends and I know. Any help would be appreciated.

I found this thread about the same "blank" screen after the windows logo and progress indicator, which is EXACTLY what mine does.

"All,

I have a sticky one here. A customer cannot boot to Windows XP Desktop. His systems starts and we get the Windows logo withj progress indicator. Then the screen goes blank while the harddrive continues to be active. Then it all stops and sits.

Here's what I've tried so far. When into Recovery Console and ran CHKDSK /R. I reported that it found and corrected one or more errors. Still had same problem booting. The tried a Windows XP Repair. But on restart, the same problem happened (only booted so far and hung, repair never started.) Then checked the harddrive using a diagnostic utility, both the quick and extended tests passed. Then swapped RAM with new memory and still had same booting problem. Tried CHKDSK and Windows Repair again, still had same botting problem.

Any suggestions on what to try next?

-- Andy"

I am unable to boot from the HDD since its under a reinstallation and I'm not sure if its even booting from the disk. It says press a button to boot from cd/dvd i press a button, different ones to check, and they all do the same thing. It always loads after he 5th ( . ) on what it says is, if I'm correct, "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD....." Five periods thats right, it loads after the 5th period shows up everytime. If I press a button or not, and thats with ONLY the cd/dvd set from boot sequence, the HDD is taken off the boot sequence so it will boot only from the disk. When I don't press a key it still boots and as far as my knowledge goes, its NOT supposed to boot if I don't press a button, but it does. The CD/DVD is the only thing on the boot sequence so I can't understand why it's booting even when I don't press anything.

[gerbil]

This bit concerns the last section you wrote above....
Right after you select/create a partition and are given the option to format it [you did not cos you wanted to install over the top of the old installation -fine] Setup copies installation files to your hd and then restarts. DO NOT press any key to boot from the cd - here you want the system to boot FROM THE HD. And then you see the five blocks flicker as the system sorts itself out. Configures. Yeah, that's it.
Even with the BIOS set to boot from cd first it should boot from the hd.... if it does not then remove the cd and restart. When Setup requires the cd it will ask for it.
If you have passed this stage and the reboot occurs you should soon see the logo screen. If it stalls here just force a restart [booting from the hd].
As far as keyboards and mouses go Setup can use its own drivers to cope with them during installation - BIOS detects the hardware and Setup can access that information; afterward you may load any special drivers you have which will provide you with advanced features very likely missing from the Setup basic drivers.

[king21092]

Ok, I'm glad you mentioned about it asking to reformat after it boots from the disk. I remember reading on the selection I made, now that you mentioned it, that it was for "advanced users." Now that I'm on the subject, I do remember formatting the drive, I think.

Knowing that I tried to format the disk, would that change any options I have to clean install?

[gerbil]

My personal opinion is that it is not a lot of trouble to reinstall any third party applications into your old partition/folder structures. One can blitz an evening doing it, or just do each as you need them. But none of my applications are in the System partition with windows, no data files either, and so my file structures remain intact. I keep all the installer files [esp downloaded ones, updated as required] in a separate directory.
But I sense that you have only the one partition on your hd. A format [quick or full] deletes and rebuilds the MFT [master file table] and writes a new MBR. That is good, cos leaving either of those on a partition can give rise to confusion if ever you try to recover lost files.
An installation over the old [ie no formatting of the partition] means you get to reinstall your applications but keep your data files.
Doing a complete, clean reinstallation with format means that your data files also will be overwritten. If you are not concerned about data files [and you cannot be if you formatted..] I would format again and start over with booting from the cd. No sense starting off a relationship with Windows where the installation was at all doubtful.
Start over. This is probably a good guide. http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm
An aside: note the comment beside figure 2 pertaining to ACPI recognition - if proper detection of that capability fails and you don't get the power schemes that your motherboard provides for then reinstalling is the only way to fix that lil problem.
"you mentioned about it asking to reformat after it boots from the disk"... no, I don't think I did. Format choice comes before the reboot.
"Knowing that I tried to format the disk, would that change any options I have to clean install?" ... it does mean that apart from reinstalling all applications, any old data files are gone.
If a clean installation failed twice I would run RAM and hd checks.