Windows XP Does Not Respond at 'Setup Is Starting Windows' Message

Question

I want to install Windows XP Professional with SP2 on the following computer Dell Dimension E521 BIOS Version 1.1.11 AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (2.0 GHz) Processor 1 GB of RAM Seagate Barracude 7200.9 Serial ATA 160 GB Hard Drive CDRW/DVD-ROM Combo Optical Drive Internal Floppy Disk Drive ATI Radeon X1300 Pro Video Card with 256 MB of memory The computer boots from the WinXP CD and starts to copy the files from the CD to the hard drive. But the installation always hangs (freezes, does not respond) at the point where the 'Setup is Starting Windows' message. I found this article from microsoft regarding this issue. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310760 I know that the CD media is not the problem, so I looked through the microsoft article and there are four possible reasons listed. Reasons 2 and 3 do not apply to my situation. For reason 4, I tried each one of the Hardware Abstraction Layers on the CD and each time I still get hung at 'Setup is Starting Windows'. So I then looked toward possible reason number 1. The latest SATA driver for the E521 on Dell's website, file R164974, doesn't have the required txtsetup.oem file. So after looking for a while on the internet, I found file R133282, which does have the required txtsetup.oem. This file has 2 different drivers. I have used the F6 key to load each of these drivers by itself as well as loading both of the drivers. All of this is to no avail. I always get stuck at the same place. Does anyone out there have the answer to this problem so that I can install Windows XP Pro with SP2 on my Dell Dimension E521 desktop computer?

mombodog · Answer

Enter the bios (sata operation section) and turn Raid OFF.  Unplug all external hardware except for the kbrd and mouse.   See if XP will install now. Message Edited by mombodog on 09-09-2007 07:55 PM

mombodog · Answer

Try moving that optical drive to another sata port.

Danielnyc68 · Answer

I already used DBAN and nuked the whole hard drive. I still have the same problem. I consider myself fairly tech savvy but I've been working on this problem on and off for about a week and it still has me stumped.

Danielnyc68 · Answer

All the BIOS settings are on their default choice. I did verify that Drives, SATA Operation is set to 'RAID Off'. The only things connected to the computer are the USB mouse, USB keyboard, LCD monitor and the A/C power cord.

Danielnyc68 · Answer

Yes, Vista was installed on the hard drive.

mombodog · Answer

Was Vista installed on this hard drive?

mombodog · Answer

You may need to delete the Vista partition first before setup will run.   I use this program for that, download it and make the CD or floppy diskette , boot from it and run the nuke program for 5 minutes ( no need to nuke the entire drive), press and hold the power button to shut the PC down after 5 minutes. Try the XP install now.   http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Danielnyc68 · Answer

I removed the connector labeled P9 and attached the connector labeled P8. I was fully expecting this to provide absolutely no help whatsoever. But to my surprise, amazement and joy, the computer continued past the 'Setup is starting Windows' message and I was able to partition the hard drive. Windows is formatting the first partition as I write this message. Mombodog, YOU ARE THE BEST! I'm glad it's working so far! Any idea why this solutions works? Can I switch the cable back after I install Windows XP Pro with SP2?

mombodog · Answer

P8 and P9, those are power connectors, dont know how this would change anything, my suggestion was to move the data cable to another port on the motherboard, Oh well problem solved.

Darryl_Gittins · Answer

I have a similar problem. My hard disk failed in my Dimension 4700, and I'm trying to put in a 500 GB WD replacement, but the Windows Setup hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.

Here's the history:

I formatted the drive using Partition Magic into two 250 GB NTFS partitions.
Tired running the Dell Windows XP SP2 installation disk, but the Windows Setup hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.
I then booted from the Dell "Drivers and Utilities" CD which had a utility to create a SATA Mass storage driver on a floppy. I created the floppy
I booted the computer and hit F6 to specify the SATA driver, and I then saw option for using either SATA AHCI or SATA RAID.
Tried using SATA AHCI but got the BSOD 0x0000007b.
Tried using SATA RAID but got the 0x0000007b again.
I went into the BIOS and changed the "SATA Operation" mode in to "Combination" (it was previously set on "Normal").
I rebooted, hit F6, and then tried loading the SATA AHCI and SATA RAID drivers, but but got the BSOD 0x0000007b again for both.
I tried again to run the Windows XP setup, and again it hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.
I tried using a different Windows XP OEM install disk, and the same thing happens.
Loaded new BIOS. (Went from A03 to A10).
Moved the new drive to a different SATA port.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Darryl_Gittins · Answer

I have a similar problem. My hard disk failed in my Dimension 4700, and I'm trying to put in a 500 GB WD replacement, but the Windows Setup hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.

Here's the history:

I formatted the drive using Partition Magic into two 250 GB NTFS partitions.
Tired running the Dell Windows XP SP2 installation disk, but the Windows Setup hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.
I then booted from the Dell "Drivers and Utilities" CD which had a utility to create a SATA Mass storage driver on a floppy. I created the floppy
I booted the computer and hit F6 to specify the SATA driver, and I then saw option for using either SATA AHCI or SATA RAID.
Tried using SATA AHCI but got the BSOD 0x0000007b.
Tried using SATA RAID but got the 0x0000007b again.
I went into the BIOS and changed the "SATA Operation" mode in to "Combination" (it was previously set on "Normal").
I rebooted, hit F6, and then tried loading the SATA AHCI and SATA RAID drivers, but but got the BSOD 0x0000007b again for both.
I tried again to run the Windows XP setup, and again it hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.
I tried using a different Windows XP OEM install disk, and the same thing happens.
Loaded new BIOS. (Went from A03 to A10).
Moved the new drive to a different SATA port.

Still no joy. :(

Thanks for any suggestions!

jackshack · Answer

The Dell support page for the Dimension 4700 lists no SATA drivers for this machine. The earliest Dells to use SATA drives did not require the AHCI drivers since the BIOS performed a translation from IDE drivers to the SATA devices. If you're trying to use the SATA drivers for the ICH6 family, it isn't going to work since the BIOS is already translating and won't let the SATA drivers communicate with the chip.

If I were you, I would try using your partitioning program to zero out the disk to see if you could get setup to load. Some of these programs put stuff in the Master Boot Record that Windows setup does not like. If you can zero the disk, use Windows setup to create your first partition and then Disk Management to create the second partition after Windows is loaded. If you can't zero things out with your partition manager, try finding a copy of FDISK, either the version that was supplied with Windows Me, or one of the live boot editions of Linux, re-write the MBR, and try to execute Windows setup again.

Darryl_Gittins · Answer

Jack, you're my hero for the day!! I'd already removed everything including Video, Modem, and firewire cards, but on your advice, I also removed the DVD drive and the computer booted!

BIG FAT WOOT!!

:emotion-2:

Thank you so much for your help with this!!!

Darryl

jackshack · Answer

The computer appears to be having trouble finding a suitable driver for a device. Have you made any changes to the computer about the time the problem developed? Even if you haven't, I would suggest disconnecting your peripherals, except for keyboard, mouse, and monitor, and if that doesn't help, remove/replace any add-on PCI cards, memory modules, and drives. Also I would try booting with the PCI cards removed. If you are using a video card, remove and replace that as well.

If none of this has helped, try resetting the CMOS memory using either the reset jumper on the main board, or by removing the battery (power plug disconnected, of course). While the battery is out (and power disconnected), be sure to press the power button and hold it in for about fifteen seconds to discharge all electrical storage elements. Put the battery back, making sure to replace it in the seam orientation as it was when removed, reconnect keyboard, mouse, monitor, and power, and try again.

Darryl_Gittins · Answer

Thanks very much, Jack. I really appreciate the reply! I know now that I can rule out the search for Mass Storage drivers.

Here's what I've done since:

I tried using fdisk /mbr and there was no change in the behavior. Setup hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.
I then used fdisk to remove any partitions, and then formatted the drive but there was still no change in the behavior.
Then I tried using EaseUs Disc Copy to copy the failing hard disk to the new hard disk, and after about 4 hours, the copy completed. Now the status is that Windows XP starts loading, and then hangs on the MS splash screen.
I rebooted and tried safe mode, and it hung for a long time on the Drivers\Mup.sys, but then the blue Windows XP screen appears, but it hangs on that screen, and Windows XP never finishes loading.
Then I tried running setup again, but I'm back to the same behavior. Setup hangs on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.

It's so frustrating. I've been at this for three days now.

Any further suggestions would sure be appreciated.

Windows General

Windows XP Does Not Respond at "Setup Is Starting Windows" Message

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