Resolved Windows XP Recovery Freezes

My emachines computer from Best Buy with Windows Vista XP was continually crashing. So, I went through the recovery process using the 3 Recovery CDs supplied by emachines for an exact image of the original installation. It looks like the Symantec Ghost program is being used to copy the 3 parts of the complete image file from the 3 CDs to the hard drive. This copy process works fine.

Here's the problem. It occurs when Windows Setup begins asking questions. The first screen or two asking for such things as time zone work fine. When coming to the screen that asks for a Computer Name and User Name there is a problem. Pressing Skip or Next on this screen causes the computer to activate the A: Drive, after which the system freezes.

After the failure noted above I formatted the hard drive for this Windows XP machine using my Windows Vista program from a different computer I own because I did not actually receive a Windows XP CD with the XP machine (only the 3 Recovery CDs were received). Afterwards, I tried the recovery process on the XP machine with the 3 Recovery CDs several more times, but Windows XP Setup continued to fail at the same point every time.

Any suggestions?

 

Welcome to WindowsBBS.
Why not try entering a User Name and Computer Name and see what happens?
Are you using Windows XP SP??? or Windows Vista SP?
Cheers Neil.

 

Thanks for the replies so far. In response I'll say that I've already tried all possible combinations of entries that the screens have given me. And, disconnecting the A: Drive? Well, that's an interesting thought, but I don't believe it will resolve the problem. I suspected a possible read error from the Hard Drive because I formatted it (as NTFS) with Windows Vista instead of with a Windows XP CD (which I don't have) because of possible incompatibilities with XP versus Vista formatting. If this were the case the A: Drive access by the OS could mean the is stuck and looking for help at the most basic level. I suspect that an XP bootable floppy disk with some basic XP Recovery Tools may be what is needed, but does such a thing exist?

 

PeteC,

Spot on PeteC! I was getting ready to give up, but this solved the problem!

Thanks,
Hornman