Problems when using dell restore cd

[madmark]

Trying to use a dell xp home sp2 cd to restore a customers system and everything works fine till after it installs the networking components. After that it tries to install cmprops.dll and it says it cant find it in the d/i386 folder. When i go to search my system it no longer shows my optical drive (D)at all. So i tell it to cancel that file and then it tried to load iexplore.exe and has the same issue. Tell it to cancel and the rest of the installation goes through. When it reboots after finishing i have a weird looking desktop and ie wont open of course.Tried using a different disk ..same problem. Tried using a dell vista disk just to see if it would work (was very frustrated at this point had no intentions of leaving vista on there) and it worked just fine no issues at all. Has any one seen this before?
I tried searching the forums but either this is new or i didnt phrase anyone of my searches correctly.
Thanks in advance

 

[geekhelp4u]

Can you use a USB drive on the system?

If so - copy the content of the i386 folder on the XP install disk (use one from a SP3 disk if you have one) to the usb drive - then copy the i386 folder from the USB drive to the root of the C:\ on the system (thus - you now have a folder called C:\i386\ with the contents in this folder)

next, change the following registry key so that XP thinks that the install files are on the c:\ drive

Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Value Name: SourcePath

Value Data: C:\

 

[coreyspeed]

sounds like it could be installing the wrong driver for you cd drive if it is dropping out half way though the install, try using another cd drive

 

[madmark]

I will try the usb thing tonight

As far as trying another drive i dont think that is the problem as my dell vista rewstore disk worked just fine .... except i cant leave vista on there of course

Thanks for the suggestions so far

 

[studiot]

This may sound odd but has the memory been updated?

I have found exactly his behaviour when restoring OEM XP pcs that have had RAM added to 2G+.

The solution is simple; pull one or more of the sticks to keep the RAM to 1G or less, do the install and add the RAM back after.

 

[DanB]

dell thing

I recall this happening to me. The suggestion about it changing the driver is probably correct;

This worked for me on two occasions with a dell losing the cd during the install..
http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-61628-my-cd-drive-wont-work

Good Luck