I just tested the cd on my son's computer and it ran fine and without any hesitation.
I went all the way to where it asked for the product key, then cancelled before installing. I haven't started taking things off my computer yet, but as soon as I do I'll let you know what's happening there.

So it seems the CD is good:
The BIOS is refreshed:
The hard drive is new:

We're looking at Graphics Card; RAM; CPU; PSU; or Motherboard.

I would go back to the original RAM first & remove the Graphics Card.

First of all I took out the 2 sticks of ram I had added and then tried to boot up with no results. So I changed out the graphics card and still no results.The computer is back down to the original ram and original graphics card and still freezing.
What else can it be??

Where is it freezing?

Are you now using on-board Graphics?

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...=us&rule=17218

I put the original graphics card back in (16 MB Nvidia TNT2).
Most of the time it freezes during the 1st blue windows setup screen - while Setup is loading files (it doesn't get far).
Other times I only get a black screen with tiny flashing line (no man's land).

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00007413

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...ory&rule=17218

Are you using the old hard drive?

My next step would be to try the recovery ME on the old drive:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00007691

Sorry if this is too tedious but I can only think of taking these little steps.

No, my computer does not have onboard graphics. It came factory with the AGP graphics card and upgradeable AGP slot.
I do not have the old hd back in yet, but I did try the ME recovery disk before I changed the hd and it didn't work.
I'll try it again with all the original stuff back in place. We'll see if that works I guess.
Also, when my computer first starting freezing with windows ME, it would not restore. The restore disk only worked a few times, then it couldn't restore to any earlier dates or factory restore.

I now have the old hd back in. I booted from the Compaq recovery disk, at the recovery menu screen, I chose option 4 (factory restore), then the DVD drive opened and it said to remove all disks and the computer would be restarted. The screen went black - the monitor shut off and the computer stayed on.
I have two drives (DVD & CD-RW) and I have gotten the same response from both....

Have you read thru this link:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...cname=bph06788

& all the subsquent issues?


» Compaq Presario 5WV294 Desktop PC
» Solve a problem
» Software & Driver downloads
» Setup and install
» How to use
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Just another outside idea is to try to boot with the 6 floppy XP disks:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

Wouldn't hurt to retry the BIOS floppy as well.

The idea being to have the system as minimal as possible & verifying that each part works.
This is not easy without another machine to test on.
Sorry that I can't be more specific

I have read through all of those and so far nothing has worked. I called a different computer place today and they said they could run a diagnostic check on it, so I guess I'll take it there tomorrow. I hate giving up, but this has been so frustrating and I'll need my computer very soon. I will let ya know what they said.
Thanks so much for trying to help!