No O/S will install

[Lejirl]

I am sorry was racking my brain the best way to title this, but it does seem to be a hardware issue.

What is happening is about a month ago my system started spitting up errors with a game I play. I tried a fresh install and said the disk was corrupt, so I did a direct D/L from game site with the exact same error. Windows started to blue screen with different stop errors, some were ram issues or uninstall any new hardware. I did a HDD scan disk and the drive came up clean.

I ended up putting in another HDD (IDE) and reinstalled windows, I started getting errors that it could not fine a certain file, so then I tried my Daughters windows and a friend of mines Windows (all XP) and one version of Vista. All these O/S's would say that a file could not be found and to check HDD or ram. I also tried Ubuntu 8.04 with an error to check the disk or new hardware installed.

My next step was to try another Drive I have (external hp dvd/cd rom) and still had the same issue. Then I tried and was able to succesfullly install Ubunto 6.01 with no issues, went back to my other o/s's and same errors.

I am hoping it is not my motherboard or cpu but may have to except this fate. I am hoping someone may have an idea what could be causing this. I have spent quite some time online looking for any issues that others may have had with no success.

My board is a A8N asus (sli)
CPU +3400
2 gigs corsair ram
HDD are maxtor (ide)

 

[office politics]

if you could post the exact error, it would be very helpful.

when do these errors appear? during setup?

if not, check event viewer for clues. right click my computer, click manage, expand event viewer, click system log

 

[Lejirl]

First thank you for the replay.

The errors happen during O/S install (all 3 XP, Vista and Ubtuntu 8.04). I donot have the blue screen errors as they would close to soon. But I do know that the O/S would say could not find a certain file, I do have that written down and will grab when I get home from work. All 3 versions of Windows give a error for a different file it could not load. I am still mystified as to why the ubuntu 6.01 would install fine but the other o/s's would not.

I would check viewer on the other HDD but I was doing spring cleaning and a box of odds and ends went with the garbage and sadly that drive was sitting beside the box and my wife thought it fell out and put back in the box, so I will not be able to check the viewer as it now e waste.

 

[office politics]

it could be the cdrom drive that is faulty.

you could swap the cdrom drive with a known good or install from different media.

 

[Lejirl]

it could be the cdrom drive that is faulty.

you could swap the cdrom drive with a known good or install from different media.

I have tried a external HP dvd/cdrom that I keep on my desk, it also gave the same error that it could not find the file.

 

[office politics]

next, i would check the memory

Memtest86.com - Memory Diagnostic

 

[Lejirl]

I have tried:
Different HDD
Different Ram
3 versions of XP, 1 of vista and 1 of Ubuntu 8.04.
Tried an external dvd/cdrom drive.

The only thing I have not been able to try is another cpu or motherboard

Also I was able to install Ubuntu 6.01 with no issues.

 

[KSoD]

Hello,

This is certainly a very tough one. But i would have to say that it sounds like a issue with the CPU and possibly the L2 cache on the chip itself.

The reason is you mention that every OS you install gives you the same error. That a file is missing and cant be copied. Now these files are copied from the Disc to the RAM then to the chip then finally to the drive.

At least from my understanding. Which is what allows the system to allow for such quick processing.

So from the sounds of it to me this could be a CPU problem that might be able to be fixed with a CPU replacement. If it still happens then it would most definitely be a mobo problem.

 

[Lejirl]

Thanks Mak
I have a friend who suspected the same thing, I will prob have to try and pick one up and give it a try. What you say does makes sense, I just wanted to hope for something else. At least I can justify to the wife to spend money

 

[KSoD]

Yes sadly it does sound like a CPU error. I know the feeling about getting the Wife's permission as well.

This is just my understanding of how the install process works. I could be off and it doesnt use the L2 Cache on the CPU. It could just use the RAM and then write it to the drive. If so you could run MemTest86. Test out your RAM and see if that is what is causing this issue as well.

Either way from the sounds of it there is a issue with the file being taken from the CD/DVD and writing it to the drive. So either the RAM or the CPU is at fault.