Need Help with Windows Setup Error code 7

M

Minotaur15

New Member
Hello all,

I am here to seek some assistance with resolving an issue with the installation of Windows XP on my "new" computer. The patient is a Dell Dimension 4400 with a new Western Digital 500GB PATA HD, 1GB of new Crucial SD DDR RAM. I have already created a 135 GB primary partition on the new hard drive (through my existing 'puter) due to the early XP version HD size limitation I read about from another source. When windows setup is loading, it stops shortly after beginning with Error code 7 and the notification that ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded and setup cannot continue.

In researching this code on the net, it seems to be based on hardware compatibility issues and or hardware based problems. I did my best to ensure proper hardware was purchased. Some sources have suggested a faulty HD or faulty RAM, however being that both are new and of good quality, I am having a difficult time finding this as the problem.

I have also attempted to use my existing 10GB Seagate HD from my old PC in the attempt to update the BIOS on the Dell, with no success and the exact same error being reported. I have attempted all combinations of boot preference in the BIOS that I can think of with both hard drives to no avail.

I appreciate it if someone can volunteer the solution or point me in the right direction! TIA,

Dan
 
I'm leaning toward a faulty memory stick. Do you have 1 or 2 sticks of memory installed? If you have 2, then remove one and try reinstalling. If it still does it, remove the other one and put the first one back in.

Or you can download memtest and burn the iso image to cd and then boot to it and it will start running the memory test.
 
John,

Thanks for the reply. I just tested both sticks of new 512 crucial individually, as well as the original 128 stick I was given with the 'puter. Same thing on all three.
 
Anyone else with some suggestions on what I can try until I can pickup some CD's to flash a bios update and test the memory?
 
remove everything but what is absolutely needed to install windows. like modems, net cards, and anything else. then if windows installs start putting stuff back in and checking it out. when i first started building i was told to do that with hardware issues.

also make sure your disk is good and clean. sometimes small scratches will throw it off.
 
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Blazin,

Thanks for the response it led me in the right direction. I did two things and successfully got XP loaded. First, I removed the ethernet card. And then I noticed that there was only one other thing that was unnecessarily hooked up - and older CD ROM drive that I had the IDE cable plugged into, but left un-powered (I didn't have a long enough 4-pin wire). I do not know how an un-powered drive would have an affect on anything, but after taking care of those two items, I had success.

Now, I get to get a new ethernet card as I have loaded in Windows 7 and the one I had has no support to have it work on the new OS. At least there was none that I could find. It is a CNet PRO200WL PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter. Browsing through CNet it looks like it only is supported for XP and down. Anyone know different before I buy a new card?
 
Nevermind the last! I winged it with updated drivers that did not specify compatability with higher than XP and they worked. Typing this one on Windows 7 on the 'new' puter. Thanks for getting me straightened out guys!
 
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