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Solve : Trouble reformatting computer.?

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Boy, I'm just chock full of little problems today. Heh. My sister has a Dell Dimension 2400 with Windows XP Home Edition SP1a that she doesn't use anymore. Hoping to use it to test a few things, I dragged it out of its hiding place and set it up in my room. I don't know what in the world happened to it, but it looks like someone (her ex-boyfriend according to her) tried to reformat it and never finished the process. So, I tried completing it and I now see why this was left undone...

It just flat-out does not work. It starts off with "Setup is being restarted..." and then it goes to the INSTALLING Windows XP screen. It asks me to insert the OS CD, and when I do, it continues the installation process. But every single time, just as it's about to finish, it goes to a blue screen with the following...

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

BAD_POOL_CALLER

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 to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any Windows Updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, PRESS F8 to select Advanced Startup Otions, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x000000C2 (0x00000007, 0x00000CD4, 0x00340045, 0xE203970C)

Beginning dump of PHYSICAL memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.

I tried disabling the BIOS memory options, but I either don't know what I'm doing or they're not available, because I can't find those. And I think the system files must have already been deleted because I can't run in Safe Mode. I just get a window saying that Setup can't run in Safe Mode and that it will be restarted. Any suggestions? I would really appreciate some input.

EDIT: I tried using OS CD's from a couple of different computers just to see if anything happens, but it doesn't make any difference. The computer simply ignores them and goes to the same installation screen.It looks like Windows is installing a bad device driver:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314492

The knowledge base article recommends doing a memory dump and using Dumpchk.exe:

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To resolve a Stop 0xC2 error message, use the Kernel Debugging tool, and create a user dump file.

For ADDITIONAL information about how to create a kernel user dump file, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

254649 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254649/) Overview of memory dump file options for Windows 2000, for Windows XP, and for Windows Server 2003

315263 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263/) Reading the small memory dump files that Windows can create for debugging

315271 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315271/) How to use Dumpchk.exe to check a Memory dump file
For more information about how to use Windows Debugging Tools to debug device drivers and to read dump files, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx)

Thanks for the links. I read everything, but it wasn't very helpful. Not that it's a bad idea or anything...I'm just still not really sure how to go about doing this whole thing. I've never done a memory dump, so maybe that's why I'm so in the dark. From what I gather, I would need access to Startup And Recovery, correct? If so, that'd be out of the question since nothing on the computer was accessible.

However, I seem to have somehow managed to reformat the computer. I hit F12 to open the Boot Device Menu and then inserted the OS CD and selected IDE CD-ROM Device. This then allowed me to delete the current OS (only partially installed), format the petition, and install Windows XP. So yay, I was finally able to get this thing working. I'm having a couple of small problems, though. I think I should be able to handle everything, but one thing I'm not sure about is the display.

The resolution is currently stuck at 640x800, and I want to set it at 800x600 or 1024x768, but the computer won't let me. There isn't even an option. I didn't use this computer much before it was reformatted, but I know that it had a higher resolution. If I go into the Advanced Settings and mess around with the Adapter modes, I can set it to a higher resolution, but it greatly sacrifices the color quality (it will only run at 4 or 8 bits). Is there anything I can do? Is it possible that it's just because of the monitor? I only have the PC unit, so I'm using the monitor from an old eMachines W2247.Quote
Is it possible that it's just because of the monitor? I only have the PC unit, so I'm using the monitor from an old eMachines W2247.

Scratch that. I just found the Dell monitor and that hasn't helped anything.

I guess it's time to start looking for video drivers...

EDIT: Lucky me, I just found the ResourceCD with all of the required drivers. That FIXED my problem. Now I just need to install a few programs and figure out how to get the windows to stop opening maximized and I'll be set.Way to go, CBM! 8-) Yeah, i thought it was a bad driver.

Take it easy.


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