I/O errors while installing win XP \ VOGONS

I/O errors while installing win XP

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First post, by kotel

Posted on 2024-03-09, 18:12

kotel Offline

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I recently finished rebuilding my DELL Optiplex GX280 SFF. At first everything went smoothly until it finished copying files in dos mode. Now its giving me critical errors both on XP home SP3 and pro SP2. Installing form IDE optical drive to SATA HDD. I have replaced the ram, tuned off lan, audio, tried different optical drives and IDE cables, changed SATA operation from normal to combination, set minimum memory size for GPU. Any ideas?

"All my efforts were in vain...
Let that be my disappointment."
-Kotel

Reply 1 of 3, by Cosmic

Posted on 2024-03-09, 18:18

Cosmic Offline

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Does the BIOS have a legacy or IDE mode for the SATA ports? That would be the ideal setting for initial setup.

Is it known good/checksummed XP install media? If they're burned and not official discs, did you verify the burn?

Any other details from the critical errors, maybe a screenshot/photo? Sometimes it gives more details about what exactly failed (driver, DLL, etc).

Switching the RAM is a good idea, but running MemTest86+ to verify would be even better.

Reply 2 of 3, by douglar

Posted on 2024-03-10, 21:54

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Cosmic wrote on 2024-03-09, 18:18:

Switching the RAM is a good idea, but running MemTest86+ to verify would be even better.

Agreed. That error suggests to me that the disk controller is having trouble doing UDMA.

I bet if you run memtest86+ overnight, I suspect that it will find an issue before if finishes 10 passes.

Once you can confirm that it is memory, try a single stick of memory or try looser memory timings.

Reply 3 of 3, by kotel

Posted on 2024-09-15, 06:16

kotel Offline

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Sorry for reviving this thread (and not responding for a loong time).

Cosmic wrote on 2024-03-09, 18:18:
Does the BIOS have a legacy or IDE mode for the SATA ports? That would be the ideal setting for initial setup. […]
Show full quote

Does the BIOS have a legacy or IDE mode for the SATA ports? That would be the ideal setting for initial setup.

Is it known good/checksummed XP install media? If they're burned and not official discs, did you verify the burn?

Any other details from the critical errors, maybe a screenshot/photo? Sometimes it gives more details about what exactly failed (driver, DLL, etc).

Switching the RAM is a good idea, but running MemTest86+ to verify would be even better.

Combination I believe stands for IDE mode, so yes.

Yes, I have tried both burned and original disks of XP home sp3 and pro sp2.

As I remember it was complaining that it couldn't copy important dll's.

RAM was tested in the DELL memory diagnosis.

Ultimately I gave up and installed 2k on this machine. Although recently I got an similar problem with an GX270. Installer complained that it couldn't find files on CD-ROM drive and xp always was giving me errors in files (and hanging up) wile running CHKDSK and other hang ups and DVD drive once disappeared. . Ultimately I decided to switch the RAM to know good one and then disable DMA in BIOS. The latter solved the issue once while only doing xp instead of a triple boot.

"All my efforts were in vain...
Let that be my disappointment."
-Kotel

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