This is the first time Ive ever formatted a computer so im a bit unsure as to what im doing!

Well, it was all going smoothly at first. I set the partition on the hard drive, and everything that followed that went okay, except for when it got round to actually installing windows. Then my computer just froze [as it does every now and then! i think it has some dodgy hardware]

so i've tried repairing the installation, once that had finished, the xp introduction thingy appeared. I entered the usernames for who would be using it [as ive done many times], but then, instead of going through all of the other screens that i expected [such as internet connectivity etc...] it just went straight to the login screen. When i click on a user it asks me for the passwords [which i didnt even set!], and wont let me in without them.

Could this be because of a dodgy install? I think ill try re-installing it from scratch again, instead of reparing it. I just hope it doesnt freeze up!

What did you use to format the hard drive?
Full format or quick format?
Did you use fdisk?
Did you fdisk the MBR?

Since it is your first time I doubt you did. It could also be a harware issue.

I will check back later and in the morning.

From what your saying happened, you could have a broken/scratched disk, did you just buy it?

If you get mill of the run freezes for no reason, then your looking at a hardware problem.

Ahhhh looks like its probably a hardware issue. Ive had my laptop for about 3 and 1/2 years and havent changed any of the hardware.

Although it doesnt freeze ALL the time, so I'll give another shot at re-installing it.

Also, i never used quick format, I used the full one. I dont know about fdisk though?

One more thing, the last time I tried to boot from the disk, it didnt even give me the option to install from windows, it just asked something about which hardware profile I wanted to use??

Ive managed to get it intalled now [I tried a quick format and didnt have the freezing problem].

But now the problem is that when i want to move a window around the screen, its goes REALLY slow! which is wierd as everything else generally seems a lot faster than it used to.

also, when I press the wireless button to enable my laptops wireless features, nothing happens.

I was hoping that after enabling them, they would just ask me what network i want to connect to and then tell me to enter the password?

You need to install the drivers for your laptop elements.

Either they are available on the cd that was delivered with the laptop, or you will need to go on the constructor web site, and look for them to download.

The window moves are slow, because windows uses an generic vga driver.

Ahhh I seeeeee! that would explain why I can use sound and my video's are really slow.

I have a cd with drivers on, although I cant really figure out how to install all of them? I tried updating my audio codecs whilst the disk was in there but it said it couldnt find any better drivers than what was already installed.

Ive managed to get everything sorted now!

although the freezing problem seems even worse. Ive noticed that it only really seems to happen when im using media player [everything seems to freeze pretty much as soon as i open it now].

But when Im not using it, everything seems fine [up to now!]. Im downloading SP2 and will probably use the new media player, hopefully that should work!

laptop freezez can almost always be traced to overheating, especially on older models. I would ssume so because opening media player is more strenuous to the cpu. But because its media player could also indicate a driver software problem.

Ive noticed that it now has froze a few times before even opening media player, which has left me more confused!

Overheating wouldnt surprise me, as ive already had to stop gaming on it about 2 years ago because of all the slowdown I would get [was told it was down to overheating].

although since it freezes a lot more often that it used to im thinking it might be somthing to do with the drivers, but im having trouble getting hold of new ones, aswell as finding out the brand of some of my hardware!

Ive used the automatic updates feature and have downloaded loads of them, and am now gettin SP2, so hopefully that should sort it!

Ive used the automatic updates feature and have downloaded loads of them, and am now gettin SP2, so hopefully that should sort it!

When I recently reloaded Xp sp2 from CD there were 82 updates after that.

Some of them will not install without a reboot (not mentioned). I suggest you keep going back to update until you are absolutely sure that there are no more.

I think I spent about 4 hours on a broad-band connection doing this. I can't image doing it on dial-up.