xp install problem

I recieved a computer from a friend. I tried to reinstall windows xp and everytime after it gets to the point where i enter the product key the computer locks up. what do i do to get around this?

the computer is a compaq
pentium 4 2.20ghz
256 mb ram

 

Could be bad RAM! Also could be a dodgy copy of Windows! Check both...

 

Yes, could be.
But if you one the good one, buy XP Genuine or contact microsoft
here.

 

thanks for the help but i was wondering how do you check RAM to see if it is bad?

 

pull out all but one stick and see if you still have the problem.

 

I've installed windows xp on 256mb before, it's probably the bare minimum. Usually with bad memory you get the blue screen with errors on it during installation. It might be your installation cd is dirty or scratched. If you have another spare cd-rom drive , try using that to install windows (some cd-rom drives have more power to read scratched cd's better). I've had a similar problem before where I couldn't get windows to install, I fixed it by using a different cd-rom drive. It might work for you.

 

thanks i'll try that to.

 

sorry to take so long to respond. finally got windows to install, but every so often anywhere from 2-30 minutes of running the computer just freezes. Finally got some more 512mb more ram and it still freezes. what do i do?

 

Did you completely replace the RAM or are you still running the old stuff too?

Definitely sounds like a RAM issue.

Probably wouldn't hurt to try a different copy of XP too though...

 

still running the old ram too. I'll try removing the old one.