My PC is going crazy!

S

Sorcerxo

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Messages
98
Yesterday, I got fed up with my PC acting up so I re-partitioned it. Cool. A fresh start. Not really.

I tried a new filing system but that messed everything up... so I re-partitioned again today. Bleh, now I have more problems then I did. When I go to install something, either from CD or download, about 10 times during the install I get this error message:

CRC error: the file <...> doesn't match the file in the setup's .cab file. The medium from which you are running the setup may be corrupted; contact your software vendor.

And I get three choices: Abort, Retry, and Ignore. Ignore skips the file but then the program never starts up; abort shuts down the installation process completely and retry never works... I just get the same error. I've tried installing Half-Life 2 from disc and get this problem and tried Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 and have the same problems. I downloaded 3 programs off the internet trying to get the programs back from re-partitioning and they get the same errors.

And then I somehow have a USB problem. Whenever I plop in a USB, it doesn't reconize it and doesn't run it/install it/install drivers. When I manually download drivers and install them, I either get the error message above or the USB still doesn't work. USB's I've tried: MP3 Player, webcam.

Also my ping has also been messing up since re-partitioning. I used to get 35-50 ping from anywhere (3MB Cable) but now can't get below 120.

I may be over-reacting and there may be an easy fix (that's where you guys come in) but I always get worried that something might be broken/chipped/burnt inside my PC.

Well, from eyeing these problems, do you have any tips/suggestions/ideas about them?

(P.S. I built this PC, good for about a year now... it's been fully functional, so support is outta the question.)

Thanks SO much in advance.
 
Well... nothing wrong really. Just my files were really messy and instead of moving files, which would totally mess up the programs, I thought I'd just start over.

If you asking before I partitioned the first time, that's the answer.
 
Sorcerxo said:
I've tried installing Half-Life 2 from disc and get this problem and tried Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 and have the same problems. I downloaded 3 programs off the internet trying to get the programs back from re-partitioning and they get the same errors.
Click to expand...

I've also tried Max Payne 2... same problems.

What would cause this? What would cause the other problems I've listed?
 
Hello,
Just a few ideas to get the ball rolling--

1) For the USB Issue is windows updated with all of the latest service packs and driver and security updates?? Also go into the device manager and see if there are any question marks or exclamation points next to any of the items.

2) For the installation issue it is possible that you have somehow acquired a virus in the short time since your clean install. When a virus attaches itself to an exe or other file it willcorrupt it and render it unusable hence you may be getting a message symptomatic of thsi happening

3) Specifically what files can it not open?? If it is the same one every time throughout all installations then you may have a corrupted OS file necessary to run any of the setups.
 
Well when you say re-partioned do you mean you DELETE the old one, and then delete the whole File Format then start over? I know sometimes Windows will let me delete an installed Partion, but the HD itself still has the NTFS allocation table I first addressed to it. I think I usually have to hit C and then L again to make it delete everything. I suppose if that doesnt make sense it usually ends up for me as such:

Physcial C: ---- 80GB
Partion 1 NTFS -- 50GB
Partion 2 BLANK (Went to linux after install) -- 30GB

I can then delete both but it will still have
Physical C -- 80GB
Partion 1 -- 80GB

I then have to navigate to Physical C and then do the key commands there to reset it to

Physical C -- 80GB
No Partion

So my question was do you just get it to Stage II up there when it allocated everything to Partion 1 and then you Format?
During format do you do quick or full?

If so, and are willing do a Low-Level Format of the HD.
If windows still boinks during the install its most likely CD (Micro-scratch) related.
 
Yea, with the terms you are using and what not, you are making no sense. Repartition? what?

Do you mean Format?
If so their is a big difference...

what exactly are you trying to say?
 
SiliconValleyUSA:

I haven't downloaded the latest windows service packs. I will.

Scanned with Virus Protector: none detected.

It will open the Setup's to my installation discs but won't follow through as in: it goes to a certain point (variable; it just depends on where it feels like stopping but for the sake of it, let's say quarter-way), I get the error I said before:
CRC error: the file <...> doesn't match the file in the setup's .cab file. The medium from which you are running the setup may be corrupted; contact your software vendor. This happens 5 to 6 times an installation. When the error comes up:

And I get three choices: Abort, Retry, and Ignore. Ignore skips the file but then the program never starts up; abort shuts down the installation process completely and retry never works... I just get the same error.
Click to expand...



abudhu:

Yes, I mean totally delete the partition and install a fresh copy of Windows onto a new partition.Sorry for not clairifing.

What I do is delete it once and then install Windows on a new partition. When I delete it, it doesn't show up in the "partitions" list. ...I guess I'm really not understanding what you're asking. And what's a low-level partition. And I've tried it the FAST format and the slow format.

USMC2Hard4U:

I mean format, yes, sorry.
 
Ah.
Also, Wooosh! I thought the error was coming up during the Windows Install.
Hm, thats a nifty error. Have you check Microsofts Knowledge Database? I think I had that problem at one point, solved it with a re-format, but that doesn't seem to be working for you. And sorry for confusing you, you can skip my questions. But to quickly clarify, when formating the partion there is an option for QUICK or Normal Formatting. And a Low-Level Format rewrites the 0's and 1's to every sector on the Drive making it brand spanking new like the day you got it.

So like I was saying if you haven't installed too much, I'd say do that LLF. But before you do, perhaps running Prime86, MemTest, as well as doing a lengthy cleaning via, Spyware/AdAware/Virus Scan should help. Never hurt to run them again as well.

---
Did a Google search. What I find very odd now, is that everyone seems to point this kind of error to a corrupted install CD/Download. Which I find odd in this case as it happens for all your software. There is like a 1/1000000000 chance your suddenly ruined all your CD's and every file you D/L is corrupt. The problem must lie elsewhere.

Update to SP2 like was mentioned, then do all those test again. *Rubs Chin* Interesting.
 
Ah, thanks very much for your rapid reply!

I've tried the fast format and the slow one (codenamed: low-level, right?) and both don't solve anything. What's LLF mean (feels the noob halo slowly hovering over my head)? I'll download SP2 right now and then I'll try to install something.
 
LLF -- Low Level Format = I was Lazy to write it out again...

LLF =! To the Slow Format on Windows Install. The software usually comes from the HD manfuacturers website. They usually come on a bootable floopy and have lots of diagnostic tools.
 
Hehe, it's late... and can't think.

Actually I build this (might make this problem more complicated) computer and have a Windows Install disc.
 
OMFG!

I tried to install SP2 and that error I said doesn't come up... all it is is an error that says:

The file is corrupt.

I love it. I have a problem but cannot fix it. This is mind-boggling.
 
What HD do you have? Go to the manufactures website and get that diagnostic floopy. Run the test and if errors let it do its thing. Sounds like a Bad install of Windows compounded with 10+ formats of the drive.
 
Western Digital.

I went to the website, downloaded the Diag and ran it. Passed. No errors.

There's an option on this program to write zero's (completely erase evetything). Should I try that next time I want to repartition/format/whatever you guys call it?
 
The writing 0's/1's is what I've been taking about. LLF.

Anywho, well its not your HD. Must have been your initial Windows Install. Something may have gone wrong sometime during then. That or it got a virus that you just haven't found.

:(
 
I'm going to try the write zero's thing right now.

Cross your fingers.

EDIT: It will not let me.

"The selected drive is your Windows system drive and my not be erased!"
 
you care to try something rediculous? reformat your HDD and install Linux on it. You have been through all these and got to this point so i figured ....the latest red hat (gui) should do just fine. during the install, the os will check the system for you and see what comes up...and try out the OS and see if there is any difference...
 
Sorcerxo said:
"The selected drive is your Windows system drive and my not be erased!"
Click to expand...

Woah, woah, woah. Wait that shouldn't happen AT all. Please describe all the steps you took to get there. I can tell you when I did a LLF on my Old WD it HAD windows on it and it didn't complain about anything like that. Please tell me that you didn't run the software in the OS (as in the GUI verision). It has to be the Caldera-DOS Bootable Floopy one.
 
Okay... I didn't put a Floppy drive on my machine. so what do you want me to do?

How about this: I download the program and copy it to a CD and run it from a CD. This is what I'm using: this. I'll copt that to a CD and run it from the CD. Possible?
 
Haha. I love how that link you sent me said "Data Lifegaurd Tools for Windows". *Scrolls eyes upwards on the list* Finds: "Data Lifeguard Tools for DOS (CD)"

You probablly want that one. The reason its not going to do a LLF is because you have the partiton active and in use silly!

In short, get the one right above the one you linked me to :)
 
Um... Okay. I wrote it to a CD and put the CD in. It's a .iso which windows doesn't understand. So I restart the machine with the CD in and when it says Boot from CD press a Key ... a press a key but i doesn't work... what do you want me to do with it?
 
Alright, I am going to laugh when this turns out to not even be your problem. But whatever.

.ISO is just an image. You have to either MOUNT it and burn it, or get a proper burning application. Nero will burn .ISO's You simply make an ISO CD and then drag it on. After which you can check the CD and it will have "extracted" all the files within the ISO and made it like a normal CD.
Another thing you can do, is go get Daemon Tools which will Mount the ISO image as a Virtual Drive. You can then do a CD-CD copy via (Source: Virtual CD -- Destination: Real CD)

Then it will work :)
 
The computer starts up and the get the option to boot from CD, it won't. I get this "If your computer isn't starting properly ... select a profile."

Is there anyway to boot into MS-DOS from XP... might work that way. The thing I downloaded (the one you told me to get) only works in DOS, btw.

If booting into DOS isnt possible, I'm gonna go get a 40lbs. Sledgehammer...
 
Sorry for the double post.

I don't think that may be the problem. Microsoft doesn't have anything in their Online Trouble Shooting about that. I called Microsoft (not a 800 number so it's long distance; you'd think a 40+ billion dollar company can afford a few phones, wouldn't ya?) but they couldn't help me without a $250 charge (ZOMG!). I called Compaq support on this issue. My mother has a Compaq computer and bought support for 4 years so I was thinking they could help me with this since Windows XP is Windows XP. They had nothing on file. It seems like I have an unknown issue here and I feel helpless.

:(
 
Oh noez! Triple post.

After more research on teh Interweb (like my 1337?), several sources say that this problem is due to the disk drive so I called my hard drive manufacturer. A replacement hard-drive is on it's way. If this problem isn't caused by the hard-drive, well, at least I get a new hard-drive.
 
Have you tried the basics:

Bios defaults
Memtest
New ide cables??
Check cpu heatsink and see if fan spins properly and is dust free

Its a great idea to zero fill your hard disk and start fresh, get ultimate boot cd, it has all the tools you need.

good luck

0ldmX
 
Sorcerxo said:
CRC error: the file <...> doesn't match the file in the setup's .cab file. The medium from which you are running the setup may be corrupted; contact your software vendor.
Click to expand...

I don't know if anyone has reccomended this but I had the same problem at work and I had to copy the files from the cd to a folder on my c drive. An iso wouldn't work for me.
 
Logikality said:
I don't know if anyone has reccomended this but I had the same problem at work and I had to copy the files from the cd to a folder on my c drive. An iso wouldn't work for me.
Click to expand...

yeah but considering he has this problem for everything, that seems a waste of time. Plus it could lead to future problem if you don't figure it out now.

--
Back on Topic: It wouldn't even let you boot of the CD? Are you sure you burnt it right? Check the CD to make sure its full of FILES and just not a .iso file. Also have you changed your BIOS to have the CD boot first? Id assume you did.
 
Yeah, I have it set on boot from CD first.

I have also tried to copy all files to a folder and the ninstall it from there but that didn't work either. They are files... MS-DOS Batch files to be exact, not just one .ISO file.
 
Hm, so it won't let a bootable CD even boot.

Seems to me like your whole system is f*ed.

Perhaps you should go get a Floppy Drive and try it. :-\
I'm getting angered by this problem :) Just because its my nature. When you try so many things and it just keeps crapping out, its gets annoying. But then it makes you just want to try harder, which is what we are doing. Hehe
 
Find a floppy and a win98 boot disk.........run fdisk and delete all the partitions......then try a clean install....you'll probably be pleasanty surprised...had two dells this week with similiar issues....even when I deleted the partition during XP install......deleted with fdisk......and viola...problem went away.
 
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