Problem PC. Hel please!!

[neilpeart]

Greetings, I was wondering if you could help me with a very old computer

I have:
Motherboard: MSI MS-6378X-L
CPU: Atlhon XP 1800+ 1.53GHZ
Ram: 256 MB DIMM PC133
Power Supply (Generic) 650W
40 GB Hardrive

I have formatted my computer like three times now but whenever I am installing Windows XP Professional SP3 (I have tested in other computers this Windows and it works well) I get this error: "The file mqoa.tlb was not copied correctly. The file Setup placed in your hard drive is not a valid Windows", I press "Enter" to continue the installation but then I get more errors like
mqoa20.tlb. Then I manage to install Windows but then the computer hangs every 10 minutes, I reset but I keep getting erros.

My power supply works fine, it's new. I have tested the memory in another pc and it works as well. The hard drive is working fine also. Could be the CPU or the motherboard? Please help me.

 

[trents]

Download and install Memtest86+ onto a CD. I know you said you put the memory in another computer and it worked fine but you could have a bad memory controller on the motherboard. Memtest86+ will give your memory subsystem a good workout. It installs to create a self-booting cd. Put it in the CD drive and restart the computer. Make sure it is set in bios to boot to the CD drive. Let the program grind away overnight.

 

[QuietIce]

After Windows installation do you install chipset and video drivers ...?

 

[neilpeart]

Yes, I installed everything but my pc hangs, and sometimes it boots itself.

 

[Trap05]

On hardware that old it could be anything from hard drive, ram, bad caps, bad optical drive, to cpu or power supply. Running memtest is a good place to start

 

[QuietIce]

You can get diagnostic programs from almost every HDD manufacturer out there. That's the next thing I'd check ...

 

[neilpeart]

Thank you so much for your replies. I am goint to try Memtest86+.

 

[DocClock aka MadClocker]

If you get a file copy error, it could be the CD drive..if you have two on that machine, you might try the other drive.

Another way to install the OS is to copy the entire i386 folder from the XP cd to the C: drive and run setup from there...If I remember, the syntax is "i386.exe" without the quotes.
Win2k had an option to copy all the installation files from the cd to the hdd and install from there. Can't remember if XP has the same option though.
If you have a spare hdd lying around, you might try that also.
I love seeing old junk revived.
Good Luck,
Doc

 

[neilpeart]

OK guys, I fixed the problem. It was the motherboard, I changed it and, voila, it worked everything correctly. Thank you so much for your help