XP Reinstall Gone Awry - \i386\ntkrnlmp.exe Error

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deacon
  • Start date Start date
D

Deacon

I tried to reinstall XP on my Inspiron 8600 and all I succeeded in doing was
nuking my computer.

I'm currently at the point where I insert the XP disc and it goes to windows
setup, but then immediately shows a blue screen with the phrase "File
\i386\ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. The Error Code is 7. Setup cannot
continue. Press any key to exit." From there the comp just reboots and the
cycle continues.

So, the old install is gone and I continually get this error message when I
get to Windows Setup and try to reinstall. The computer was working fine
prior to trying to reinstall.

Other info: The initial reinstall stalled when some files couldn't be
loaded. I've updated the bios and flashed it. I also reformatted the HD in
NTFS and I'm using a SP2 XP disc. Neither of these worked for me:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318729
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812580

Any help you can provide to get me out of this purgatory of errors and
rebooting would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
See this article: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318729

--
Regards

Ron Badour
MS MVP 1997 - 2007


"Deacon" <Deacon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:307FB72C-E32D-4A54-A6BE-2D4074930D26@microsoft.com...
>I tried to reinstall XP on my Inspiron 8600 and all I succeeded in doing
>was
> nuking my computer.
>
> I'm currently at the point where I insert the XP disc and it goes to
> windows
> setup, but then immediately shows a blue screen with the phrase "File
> \i386\ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. The Error Code is 7. Setup cannot
> continue. Press any key to exit." From there the comp just reboots and the
> cycle continues.
>
> So, the old install is gone and I continually get this error message when
> I
> get to Windows Setup and try to reinstall. The computer was working fine
> prior to trying to reinstall.
>
> Other info: The initial reinstall stalled when some files couldn't be
> loaded. I've updated the bios and flashed it. I also reformatted the HD
> in
> NTFS and I'm using a SP2 XP disc. Neither of these worked for me:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318729
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812580
>
> Any help you can provide to get me out of this purgatory of errors and
> rebooting would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks for your reply. I updated the bios with the most recent offering from
Dell and the RAM was working prior to my decision to reinstall and seems fine
when I run the diagnostic tool, so I don't think it's that.

I'm in a rough spot now, where I can't get XP to boot or install. It just
gives me that same error over and over when I try to boot from the CD. Is
there anything else you can think of trying? Or anyway to wipe the slate and
start from scratch? I'm really at a loss right now.

Thanks again for your help.



"Ron Badour" wrote:

> See this article: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318729
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Ron Badour
> MS MVP 1997 - 2007
>
>
> "Deacon" <Deacon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:307FB72C-E32D-4A54-A6BE-2D4074930D26@microsoft.com...
> >I tried to reinstall XP on my Inspiron 8600 and all I succeeded in doing
> >was
> > nuking my computer.
> >
> > I'm currently at the point where I insert the XP disc and it goes to
> > windows
> > setup, but then immediately shows a blue screen with the phrase "File
> > \i386\ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. The Error Code is 7. Setup cannot
> > continue. Press any key to exit." From there the comp just reboots and the
> > cycle continues.
> >
> > So, the old install is gone and I continually get this error message when
> > I
> > get to Windows Setup and try to reinstall. The computer was working fine
> > prior to trying to reinstall.
> >
> > Other info: The initial reinstall stalled when some files couldn't be
> > loaded. I've updated the bios and flashed it. I also reformatted the HD
> > in
> > NTFS and I'm using a SP2 XP disc. Neither of these worked for me:
> >
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318729
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812580
> >
> > Any help you can provide to get me out of this purgatory of errors and
> > rebooting would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>
>
>
 
I believe that ram might be used differently when doing an installation and
that you just might have faulty ram. If you have two sticks of 128 mb or
greater, pull out one stick and try the installation. If no luck, try it
using only the other stick. That 318729 article is **very** definite--the
error message is the result of one of two things: BIOS or ram.

I worked on a W98 machine a few years ago that the owner complained about a
couple of odd things happening and when I could not fix them, I decided to
format and reinstall. The system kept giving me errors that I had not seen
before and setup would not complete. It turned out that one of the sticks
was bad and as soon as I removed it, setup worked just fine.
--
Regards

Ron Badour
MS MVP 1997 - 2007


"Deacon" <Deacon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CD36626B-6589-4F1E-9E5C-980745205D0B@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for your reply. I updated the bios with the most recent offering
> from
> Dell and the RAM was working prior to my decision to reinstall and seems
> fine
> when I run the diagnostic tool, so I don't think it's that.
>
> I'm in a rough spot now, where I can't get XP to boot or install. It just
> gives me that same error over and over when I try to boot from the CD. Is
> there anything else you can think of trying? Or anyway to wipe the slate
> and
> start from scratch? I'm really at a loss right now.
>
> Thanks again for your help.
>
>
>
> "Ron Badour" wrote:
>
>> See this article: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318729
>>
>> --
>> Regards
>>
>> Ron Badour
>> MS MVP 1997 - 2007
>>
>>
>> "Deacon" <Deacon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:307FB72C-E32D-4A54-A6BE-2D4074930D26@microsoft.com...
>> >I tried to reinstall XP on my Inspiron 8600 and all I succeeded in doing
>> >was
>> > nuking my computer.
>> >
>> > I'm currently at the point where I insert the XP disc and it goes to
>> > windows
>> > setup, but then immediately shows a blue screen with the phrase "File
>> > \i386\ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. The Error Code is 7. Setup
>> > cannot
>> > continue. Press any key to exit." From there the comp just reboots and
>> > the
>> > cycle continues.
>> >
>> > So, the old install is gone and I continually get this error message
>> > when
>> > I
>> > get to Windows Setup and try to reinstall. The computer was working
>> > fine
>> > prior to trying to reinstall.
>> >
>> > Other info: The initial reinstall stalled when some files couldn't be
>> > loaded. I've updated the bios and flashed it. I also reformatted the
>> > HD
>> > in
>> > NTFS and I'm using a SP2 XP disc. Neither of these worked for me:
>> >
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318729
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812580
>> >
>> > Any help you can provide to get me out of this purgatory of errors and
>> > rebooting would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>>
>>
>>
 
Just to follow up:

After checking the BIOS, RAM, and hard drive it turned out to be a faulty
optical drive. I hooked up an external CD-ROM drive and the installation was
able to finish.

Thanks for your help in trying to figure out the problem.




"Ron Badour" wrote:

> I believe that ram might be used differently when doing an installation and
> that you just might have faulty ram. If you have two sticks of 128 mb or
> greater, pull out one stick and try the installation. If no luck, try it
> using only the other stick. That 318729 article is **very** definite--the
> error message is the result of one of two things: BIOS or ram.
>
> I worked on a W98 machine a few years ago that the owner complained about a
> couple of odd things happening and when I could not fix them, I decided to
> format and reinstall. The system kept giving me errors that I had not seen
> before and setup would not complete. It turned out that one of the sticks
> was bad and as soon as I removed it, setup worked just fine.
> --
> Regards
>
> Ron Badour
> MS MVP 1997 - 2007
>
>
> "Deacon" <Deacon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CD36626B-6589-4F1E-9E5C-980745205D0B@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks for your reply. I updated the bios with the most recent offering
> > from
> > Dell and the RAM was working prior to my decision to reinstall and seems
> > fine
> > when I run the diagnostic tool, so I don't think it's that.
> >
> > I'm in a rough spot now, where I can't get XP to boot or install. It just
> > gives me that same error over and over when I try to boot from the CD. Is
> > there anything else you can think of trying? Or anyway to wipe the slate
> > and
> > start from scratch? I'm really at a loss right now.
> >
> > Thanks again for your help.
> >
> >
> >
> > "Ron Badour" wrote:
> >
> >> See this article: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318729
> >>
> >> --
> >> Regards
> >>
> >> Ron Badour
> >> MS MVP 1997 - 2007
> >>
> >>
> >> "Deacon" <Deacon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:307FB72C-E32D-4A54-A6BE-2D4074930D26@microsoft.com...
> >> >I tried to reinstall XP on my Inspiron 8600 and all I succeeded in doing
> >> >was
> >> > nuking my computer.
> >> >
> >> > I'm currently at the point where I insert the XP disc and it goes to
> >> > windows
> >> > setup, but then immediately shows a blue screen with the phrase "File
> >> > \i386\ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. The Error Code is 7. Setup
> >> > cannot
> >> > continue. Press any key to exit." From there the comp just reboots and
> >> > the
> >> > cycle continues.
> >> >
> >> > So, the old install is gone and I continually get this error message
> >> > when
> >> > I
> >> > get to Windows Setup and try to reinstall. The computer was working
> >> > fine
> >> > prior to trying to reinstall.
> >> >
> >> > Other info: The initial reinstall stalled when some files couldn't be
> >> > loaded. I've updated the bios and flashed it. I also reformatted the
> >> > HD
> >> > in
> >> > NTFS and I'm using a SP2 XP disc. Neither of these worked for me:
> >> >
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318729
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812580
> >> >
> >> > Any help you can provide to get me out of this purgatory of errors and
> >> > rebooting would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>
 
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