XP installs fine but can't start in normal mode after clean install

just installed XP Pro SP2 from an installation CD that I made from the i386 folder, and it can't start in normal mode for some reason. My sata is set to compatible mode, the installation got through fine, and I installed most drivers except the fingerpring drivers while in safe mode (so only one unknown device), but Windows can't start in normal mode what so ever ..

any ideas ?

 

If you're performing a clean install for Windows XP, I highly recommend my guide. It's in my signature.

 

thanks, but this is not my problem. I installed XP Pro, and it went fine. But then, it can't start in normal mode for some unknown reason. I was able to install all but one drivers while in safe mode - the last one for the fingerprint readed cant be installed while in safe mode, so that one got left to be installed. So after all, the windows cant start again ?!?!

is it possible that the Lenovo deleted some of the essential files from the i386 folder that would prevent a clean installation of XP from that folder ?? .. and why would my XP install fine then ??

 

or let me ask you this: what XP CD did you use for your installation ??

 

got it ))))))))))


just installed the OS fixxes (eight of them) from the SWTOOLS folder, and voalla

 

Why do you need this swtools folder?

Doing a clean install wipes everything out right?

 

SWTOOLS contains the default files for your system at factory settings. It has the default drivers that came with system along with the applications, OS fixes, and other software. He did his clean install from a custom CD he made in another post, not from a standard XP disc.

 

gotcha, thanks.

Trying to learn as much as possible before I attempt this.

Its perfectly fine to do a clean install from a standard xp disk correct?

 

That's how I did it. Works perfectly.

 

yes, I posted a method on here couple of days ago about how to create a bootable XP Pro CD for a clean install, because the laptops dont come with one. The bold text is what the post is called on here, so find it. However, the installation didnt work untill I installed the 8 fixxes from C:\SWTOOLS\OXFIXES . The rest of the updates I installed later C:\SWTOOLS\OXFIXES\WXPUP . Then I ran the windows update and it found another 86 or so updates from the internet

I used drivers that I downloaded from the lenovos website.

I'll update the other post. This one was just for that problem, but I found the sollution already