I recently updated my system with a new motherboard/CPU. I have a non oem purchased copy of xp pro. I recently tried to install xp on a new drive. The istallation went well except it would only boot into safe mode. If I try to do windows normally. It turns off my monitor and locks up. I have not been able to load the driver disk that came with my motherboard in safe mode. it gives me a error. Could someone tell me specific things to try. I am lost. I have it configured with two things. Another hard drive with cd/writer. Both orginal to the system. I also turned off the hard drive and reinstalled. No change I have tried repair and a delete partition with a fresh install twice. I even zeroed out the drive. Now I do a format thru xp pro rather then formating with Western digital software. Would that make any difference? It has not asked me to reactivate windows. Just the key code. Now my understanding that a non oem copy the rules of oem machines do not apply. Any help would be appreciated. Thank You

I assume you mean a full retail version of XP. (or upgrade) In either case you did not get a good install. Start at safe mode and see event viewer for clues as to what is causing it. Most times drivers or services. Might have to correct a driver or find out why the service is failing. Set bios to fail safe or default if needed and you understand bios settings. Might be that some device is reported wrong or timing too fast. "Best Practices", Event viewer, host file, perfmon, antivirus, anti-spyware, Live CD's, backups, are in my top 10

Make sure memory is in the correct slots on motherboard, I have had this cause issues as well. Seems that the driver issue would be more relevant though, if it runs in safe mode. Be Good, Robert core2duo e8400@3.99w/Big Typhoon biostar tpower i45 w/chipset cooler 2X2GB mushkin ddr2 1066 WDC 74GB Raptor Enermax 485W PS 8800gts

if you're overclocked, undo it for the time being. as said above, the main suspect would be a driver or a device conflict. check your hd jumpers. and your dvd rom jumpers. and .. try not using the slave option at all, make hd be primary master, and dvd rom secondary master. it's all i can think of until you come back with more to say. oh, just for kicks, if you have a spare psu laying around, try it. when windows boots into normal mode, it activates devices, and if psu has developed a slight failing voltage, that can cause your hangs too. are they hangs, or reboots? again, if they're hangs, undo overclock or slow down your bios chipset settings. try ram at 2.5 or 3, see cache speed to normal or 'fast' but not 'fastest' if you even have that option. your topic states "CPU/Ram: 1 gig" you should have stated the cpu. if it's an amd running on some socket A ECS board, make sure your ram runs at the same freq as your cpu. (e.g. for a 333 fsb athlon, turn your ddr400 ram down to 333mhz IF you can thru bios) and look around your mobo for anything swollen. I always say it's best to doublecheck.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I did get the h.d up and windows xp pro is running. I thought I posted exactly what I did here back weeks ago. I was not able to find it.

windows alway goes to safe mode what is problem? windows working properly