Strange problem installing XP Pro

[Dweezel]

I've never experienced a problem like this before when installing Windows on any machine and having searched this forum extensively I'm guessing that not many of you guys have either. Here's the problem:

A friend of mine needed a computer as his had died, and was given a second hand one by a friend of his. This computer had been a server in it's previous life, and has Red Hat Linux installed on it.

No problem I thought. Just get Windows XP, format the drive and Bob's your uncle, but unfortunately I'm having problems. I turn the computer on, press f8 to go into setup, select the cd drive as the boot device, and let the windows files start loading up from the disc. This takes place without incident, but when I get to the first options screen on the XP install, namely the one which says:

To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

The keyboard stops working. By stops working I mean it apparently looses power. it's the type of keyboard that plugs into the circular keyboard socket on the computer that has pins in it, not a USB one.

If, for instance, I have num lock turned on, the green num lock light on the keyboard is initially on when I turn the computer on. It's still on when I press f8 and select the cd drive as the boot device, and remains on when the windows files are starting to install. Just as it gets to the first option screen above though, the green light goes out and the keyboard becomes unresponsive.

Any ideas?

TIA.

[-pops-]

I suggest you either replace the hard drive (use it later as a slave drive after reformatting from within Windows) or do a low level format on the current drive to remove all trace of previous data and then install Windows.

It may be wise, also, to short out or discharge the BIOS to get back to its default settings just in case any previous O/S has made any alterations.