pci.sys error on XP Pro install

Cranbo,

If you receive this message on a clean boot, or when booting from an XP CD, it can mean you have damaged or incompatible hardware. Did you receive a STOP bug check number?   PCI.SYS is the system driver for Peripheral Component Interconnect devices: i.e. PCI bus cards and memory.  If pci.sys does not wait 10-milliseconds after a device is powered on you can get the BSOD or the hang that occurs when you resume from standby.  It can also occur if a card or system was designed for a specific operating system.  A PCI card, such as a modem, that works fine in Windows XP MCE, simply may not be compatible with Win2K or XP Pro. 

Basic troubleshooting would be to unplug all peripheral devices except keyboard, monitor and mouse.  Disconnect all USB devices; i.e, printers, cameras, external drives.  Completely power off system.  Disconnect power cord. Press power button.  Wait 30 seconds.  Reconnect power cord and power up the system. Additional troubleshooting advice from Microsoft at this link : http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330181.

Tony

Tony,

Thanks for your reply.

My computer is brand new from Dell, so I doubt it is any kind of hardware problem.

Part of my problems have been solved for me by this article:

http://www.techspot.com/vb/archive/index/t-16553.html

I believe the PCI.sys error is being caused by the PCI-Express card that I have (Radeon X300). Apparently PCI-Express is only supported in SP2 or later.

By creating a slipstreamed XP SP2 CD, the CD now boots through to the "Welcome to Windows Setup" menu. However, when I hit "Enter" to install Windows, I get a message that the hard drive cannot be found & then am prompted to F3/reboot.

Any further assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks,
cranbo

OK, good news. Looks like I may have sorted the rest of my issue out.

I made a couple of BIOS changes, and now the XP Pro install is running (as we speak).

1. I changed the "SATA Operation" setting from "RAID Autodetect/AHCI" (which is the default) to "Combination"

2. Under "Video" settings, I changed from "PEG" (PCI-Express) to "PCI".

Once I finish the install, I will change "PCI" back to "PEG" and see if it works. Likewise I will also try to change from "Combination" back to "RAID Autodetect/AHCI" for the drive settings once XP Pro with SP2 install has been completed.

Thanks,
cranbo

Cranbo,

Yes.  I believe you've got the pci.sys problem figured out.  And welcome to the club on the Raid Autodetect/ATA setting.  One system it's set one way.  On another identical (except for Hard Drive manufacturer) Dell, it's set the other way.  On one you might need the F6 driver disk when installing a new drive or operating system, on the other you don't.   Many, many threads on that issue around the Forum.  Let us know when you get it up and running.  And write down how you did it.  You'll pat yourself on the back one day for doing that.

Well,

In the end, the solution was:

1. Create an XP SP2 slipstream CD to boot from, using these instructions:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

2. In BIOS, Change SATA Config to "Combination"

3. In BIOS, Change Video display from "PEG" to "PCI"

4. Boot XP Pro + SP2 slipstream CD, and install Windows XP Pro

5. After XP install finishes, change BIOS Video display settings back to "PEG"

6. Install chipset and other drivers from Dell support web site (for an XPS 400, in my case)

This worked like a charm for me. FYI, my system is an XPS 400, Pentium D 2.8, 1 GB RAM, 80GB SATA drive, Radeon X300 128MB PCI-Express video card.

--cranbo

Message Edited by cranbo on 01-23-2006 05:13 PM

Cranbo,

Thanks for your step by step XP Pro SP2 installation on XPS400.  Now have your post in my How To folder. Helps everyone when we know exact procedure someone uses to do a clean install on a specific Dell system such as the XPS 400.  Thanks.

Tony