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I'm busy installing XP on an HP Pavilion dv9205us, but it has been busy on the Installing Windows step, with 39 minutes remaining, for about an hour, if not more. Changes in the HDD light indicate activity, but what activity could take so long? This is with 2GB ram on a newly formatted 100GB HDD.

Update: It's time for a TV break, so I'm going with @Molly's suggestion below.

Update: So, just wanting to see the install underway before TV, my last one was greeted with a fatal error: "One of the components that Windows needs to continue setup cannot be installed. Error performing inpage operation. etc"

The End: I replaced the master (only) hard drive and everything since the install, including the install, has been mega-fast. Faster than this machine has ever been before.

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Does it say anything above the white/green progress bar, bottom-left? – Kez Sep 10 at 18:38
That isn't on yet, just the 'scrolling lights' at the bottom right, which keep stopping then moving etc. – ProfKaos Sep 10 at 18:39

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"" I'm busy installing XP on an HP Pavilion dv9205us, but it has been busy on 
the Installing Windows step, with 39 minutes remaining, for about an hour, 
if not more. ""

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load the BIOS factory defaults (or Fail Safe) and start again.

i don't think it is related to the controller settings (AHCI) because you would not have gotten that far, however, if possible set it to IDE.

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My BIOS has eerily few settings. Just about the whole lot are date, boot order, and boot enablings. – ProfKaos Sep 10 at 18:41
that's HP/Compaq for ya. other than that, open the memory hatch and re-seat the RAM module ... another shot in the dark. – Molly7244 Sep 10 at 18:57
After restoring defaults I now have disk and DVD activity, one better than last time :-) – ProfKaos Sep 10 at 19:02
i'll keep my fingers crossed :) – Molly7244 Sep 10 at 19:23
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That's not unusual at all. There is a ton of stuff going on. Whenever I get to that step I just walk away and come back. If you've got disk activity you're good. Just let it wait.

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there's 'a ton of stuff going on' at that point alright, but even an old Pentium III wouldn't take 1 hour at this stage. :) – Molly7244 Sep 10 at 18:35
Yeah @Molly, but that HDD is doing something. Right? – ProfKaos Sep 10 at 18:42
sure, but after an hour or more i don't think it's going anywhere. – Molly7244 Sep 10 at 18:50
Oh yes, I've had it last more than an hour. – squillman Sep 10 at 19:15
I just replaced the hard drive and that phase took about 5 minutes. It's really moving now. – ProfKaos Sep 10 at 19:46
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My friend had a problem similar to yours on another HP (I don't know the model) and the install process took at least 2 hours on the second pass. The first install, I had stopped after it set for an hour, but the second time, I let it run.

Perhaps just let it go and do it's thing before making any changes.

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