Can't install XP, any help?

[HollyThirtyFive]

A couple of days ago my boyfriends computer got a virus. Normally it is easily fixed with the Dell factory restore but this didn't work.

He spoke to Dell on the phone in India and they resent him all the XP start up disks. They then called him up again today to try and help him but then said they would call him back tomorrow. He put the first disk OS to install.

Everything was installing as normal until the last step where the BSOD came up with this message:

"A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

check for viruses on your computer.Remove any newly installed hard drives or
hard drive controllers.Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly
conigured and terminated. Run CHKDSK/F to check for hard drive corruption,
and then restart your computer.

Technical information:
*** stop: 0x0000007B (0xF9E49528,oxC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000)"

I tried going into safe mode but this message popped up again. I read somewhere else that formatting the hard drive would help but how can I do that when I have no access to any desktop? How do I run the CHKDSK/F?

ahhh

Any help appreciated! I google search for help and I couldnt see anything to help really.

xxx

[Dr. Z]

linux livecd and run fsck on the drive?

Thats what I would be doing anyways The ubuntu livecd is as good as any for the task

[HollyThirtyFive]

I'm using windows XP though, not linux? Whats a ubuntu livecd?

I can't run in safe mode at all. I am at a loss

[HollyThirtyFive]

Update : Neil just said the guy at Dell told him the virus removed some of the usb/cd/keyboard drivers so much so that they could no longer be restored.

I don't know if that pieve of info helps at all?

[Burble]

Originally Posted by HollyThirtyFive

Update : Neil just said the guy at Dell told him the virus removed some of the usb/cd/keyboard drivers so much so that they could no longer be restored.

That's Dell tech support talking crap. The restore CD basically puts the machine back to the state it would have been in out of the box. If you're getting blue screens of death during the restore process then it points to a hardware problem, the hard drive by the sounds of things.

Is there any unusual clicking coming from the PC?

[Mark]

Depends whether it's a Restore or a Recovery (as in Windows Recovery). The latter might suffer that problem, but the former shouldn't. Unfortunately a Restore will also most likely wipe the disk clean.

Having said that, a consistent theme with this error code is a disk access problem - either the disk drivers or the disk itself.

PS - as an aside, you don't need a LiveCD to do a chkdsk - you can do it from the Windows Recovery console apparently (though I've not verified this). This can be accessed from a Windows XP install CD, but probably not from a Restore CD.

[Burble]

It'll most likely be a restore cd, I'm yet to see a Dell system come with a Windows recovery cd, but then I do only deal with the enterprise kit these days.

[Admiral Huddy]

Just place any XP install disk and boot from that..

When prompted, seect the repair option. This will take you to the repair console. You should be able to run your CHKDSK from there.

This should help you:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/

[Burble]

Dell don't give out a Windows XP disc though Huddster - it's a recovery cd which just shoves an image back on the HD.

[Admiral Huddy]

As i said, any XP disk will do. If she can get one.