Gateway XP Home clean install freezes

This Computer: Gateway 2.8 GHz Celeron; 256MB PC2700; Windows XP Home SP1; Integrated video;
BIOS version SR84511A.15A.0014.P02

I’m fixing a computer for someone who was the victim of 22 infections. When I first got the computer I could startup windows in normal mode but I didn't have access to the network card and it was running extremely slow. I copied all of her important files to my thumb drive. So do to the fact that I couldn't download the updates for AVG directly I slaved it in another computer and ran an updated AVG scan on the drive. AVG found 22 infections including a variety of viruses and trojans. It could only heal/delete 17 of them. After this I decided I needed to do a clean install. I put the hard drive back in its original computer and turned it on but during the normal boot up it froze on the Windows XP Home startup screen with the green progress bar. The bar made a few rotations and then froze. I figured it had something to do with the infections and at this point it didn't matter because I already had her important files. But out of curiosity I tried safe mode and it worked, so did safe mode with command prompt, but not safe mode with networking. (when using safe mode it gave me the options to select Administrator or Owner as the user name.)
So then I used the Windows XP Home cd to delete all the partitions, reformat the drive and then reinstall windows. It finished all the things it does on its own and got to the first part where you interact with the setup ( I Gave the time zone , put her name in)
then it continued until it had to reboot. Then it went to the startup screen with the green progress bar and it froze again after a few rotations. But once again it also worked in Safe mode and Safe mode with command prompt.
(I never made it to the point where you enter the serial number and setup networking configurations.)
Some solutions I tried

1. I tried using the restore cds to do the installation.
2. I even put a brand new hard drive in and tried a clean install with the restore cds and I was completely MINDBOGGLED to find the exact same problem. Startup screen froze at the green progress bar after a few rotations. But Safe mode and Safe mode with command prompt worked. Safe mode after this clean install also offered me Administrator and Owner as selections for user names.
3. I then removed all expansion cards (the only one was a modem)
4. I tried changing the IDE cable
5. I checked the ACPI settings in the BIOS but they are forced to be enabled and you can only modify them. So this was ruled out as the problem.
6. Took the CMOS battery out to reset the CMOS settings to defaults.

I’m absolutely stuck.

 

is there a bootlog.txt file anywhere? read it. it's either in root or \windows for the most part.

may wanna also run disk diags from the maker. for eg - if it's a western digital drive, get their diags and run em.

and just curiosity here - any USB devs hooked up? if so, don't ... least thru the initial install

 

When you do a Restore with the Disk/Disks The PC should only have the original equipment pluged in. Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor. No printers or any USB devices. Just like it came out of the box. Have you tried it that way on the original HD. That is also where your Restore files are stored from Gateway on the "D" partition of the HD. You can find out how to do this from Gateway by finding your PC model # there.
I don't beleive that you will have to put the Serial Number in with the restore disc. I have done 2 Dells with the restore disk and it didn't ask me. Gateway may be different.

 

Out of curiosity, is the NIC an onboard one? If so, try disabling it in the bios and then see if it will boot to windows normally.

 

My thoughts exactly. maybe it has gone south.

 

Thanks for all your responses.

1. I ran a Seagate diagnostic program and everything passed. This is the only problem it said.

Partition 1 (NTFS (40GB) ) Result: Passed with inconsistencies
Some files and/or folders were found with inconsistent write or change times. The write or change time in the index does not match the write or change time stored in the file record. This is normal and not considered a corruption

2. I tried disabling the LAN in the BIOS---I thought this was a very good suggestion but it didn’t work either.

3. When I ran the diags it said that the Partition 1 was the only partition if noticed and if there was a "D" partition with the restore files I must have deleted it when reformatting. And the restore disks apparently didn’t make a new one.

4. The first time I did the clean install and every time after that I had no peripheral devices hooked up (usb, etc.) 5.After I started troubleshooting I removed all the expansion cards (one modem)

5.I booted up into the safe mode with command prompt and checked for a bootlog.txt file and found a ntbtlog.txt file and the text file contained a list of all the drivers that were loaded and that weren’t loaded.
The comp doesn’t have a floppy drive and I going right now to get an extra one to throw in it because I don’t fell like taking one out of my other comp and want to have an extra for things like this anyway. I’m getting one so I can boot to the command prompt without going through safe mode.

Keep in mind when suggesting me to use disk diags and things of that sort that I have tried using a brand new hard drive.

 

How about onboard sound? If it's got it, try disabling it. Any USB devices attached when this is happening. If so, unplug them too. If the video is onboard do you have an extra video card you could try? I could be wrong but, with the new hard drive in the mix and the fact that it would boot to safemode with either hard drive, it would appear it's probably having trouble with some type of hardware.

 

I tryed disabling the sound card and the usb controller. I also just tryed putting in a new pci video card. The video was intergrated and there was no AGP slot. This still did not work.

 

How about checking RAM ?

 

I tryed switching the RAM out also

 

Found Solution

After switching out and disabling all hardware I had a hunch it might be the motherboard. I switched it with a similar motherboard and everything was fine.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Thanks for all your replys.