XP doesn't want to complete install

[S|ntax]

I am upgrading this laptop from home to pro. I get to the end of the installation when it is saving setting/cleaning files and it restarts. Seems like the same place everytime but I can't be sure. I can not format the hard drive due to data that can't be lost. Any ideas on how I can get this installation to complete?

 

[Oldie]

Step 1. Backup

Then you probably have a bad file somewhere. You can boot from the cd and go into the recovery console and run chkdsk, then try it again. Or, you could boot from the disk, and choose to install windows, and just opt to repair the current installation. The repair install does the same thing upgrading does. GL.

 

[S|ntax]

i have already been thru the recovery consoloe. chkdsk, reapiring boot mbr, all that good stuff. no good.

this install after deleting the current windows installation, so any bad files should be gone. i just put in some other memory and tweaked the bios abit hopefully it will help.

 

[Ranma_Sao]

Oh well, you could have shift-f10 and looked at the setuplogs.txt to figure out what setup was hanging on before blowing it away.

 

[S|ntax]

i didn't mean i formatted the drive i just deleted the windows install that wouldn't boot. thanks for the shift-f10 thing though i hadn't read that before. it was most likely ram since it went thru on the next try. thanks though.