Is your install CD in good physical condition? It sounds like it couldn't read a file.

Originally Posted by waylandbill

Is your install CD in good physical condition? It sounds like it couldn't read a file.

It appears to be fine. I can't see anything wrong with it.

It cannot read loads of files.

Just to clarify:

You are booting your XP CD?

You are instructing it to setup XP?

If so: can you point out exactly in the process where these errors occur?

Here is a good guide to installing XP with screenshots on the lefthand menu.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Originally Posted by jephree

Just to clarify:

You are booting your XP CD?

You are instructing it to setup XP?

If so: can you point out exactly in the process where these errors occur?

Here is a good guide to installing XP with screenshots on the lefthand menu.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

I have been trying to boot from xp cd.

I've downloaded the boot disk from your link but am now getting message:

load needed DLLs for kernel

Does this shed any light?

Right now this is what happens when I try to boot from XP Home disc:-

I click: System Recovery – quick format

I get a couple of “are you sure?” messages and after clicking “yes” I get the box saying that it’s formatting.

Then the disk is ejected and a message says:

“Please insert your update CD now” It then says that if you do not have one click cancel to complete basic windows installation. As I don’t have another disk, I click cancel. I then get a message saying “please insert System Recovery disk #1”. So I put the disk back in. The System Recovery box comes up and the files start to transfer.

I then get a message saying “problem in extraction process. File …….” This box repeatedly comes up and I have to keep pressing OK. It’s not always the same files that do not work each time I try to load the disk. With me continuing to press OK, it usually gets to 69% and then the pc restarts and I have to start the whole process again.

I’m still hopeful that I’ll be able to solve this problem. I really don’t like giving up.

You should be able to reinstall XP. It is just a matter of clarifying your situation.

If you had a full version XP CD then it should do everything automatically including formating.

It sounds like you have an OEM XP with an XP Recovery Disk supplied by the computer manufacturer.

If this is so what is the exact make & model of the computer?

Every manufacturer will have different ways of restoring XP.

Things before anyone try to format their hard-drive :

-You should backup your data using a free software of if you have another payed software - i recommend Dmailer Back-up Software because you will be able to save it online
-You need a bootable disk for windows xp preferabilly so you can run the setup and format it from there / in other way you should need bootable disket bust i think nowadays no many computers have this feature.
-Lot of confidence and time (~2 hours long if you have all drivers next to your hand)

Regards

It sounds like your CD isn't a valid copy of XP. Was it a burned copy? I've installed XP too many times to count, and I've had this problem a few times. ANd the issue was the fact that when it was copied from the original source, some files had been corrupted onto the new disc. This could be an issue with the way it was formatted (the CD) or the method in which it was copied in. If it is a copy of XP, I would recommend trying another XP disc. Thats the only thing I can think of that would cause the problem you are having. As far as formatting your drive, you can try products like MagicPartition.