XP setup keeps hanging

[Hammer]

I've been having problems with XP SP2 hanging and being a general pain so I decided to re-install it over the top of the existing installation in the hope of fixing things without losing all my documents etc. Now windows setup itself keeps hanging at the same point (while installing devices) and I can't stop it. Safe mode doesn't work, last known good configuration doesn't work, it insists on going straight to windows setup when I switch on. Has anyone come across this before?

Also, I stupidly didn't back up any files before trying this. Would I be able to install Windows 98 or 2000 just to get my USB external hard drive working so I can backup before completely wiping and starting again, or are there any other ways to do this? I've got the Ultimate Boot Disc but haven't really had a good look round it and don't know if it's got USB support anywhere.

Thanks guys

[fo3nix]

Use a liveCD like Knoppix (for example), to boot your computer on, and then that should be able to read your internal drive and let you copy your stuff onto your external drive. Note that you'll need to make sure that your external drive is formatted as FAT32.

http://www.knoppix.org/

[Hammer]

I'll try that, thanks.

I've done loads of googling and apparently it's to do with windows not liking the on-board soundcard. I need to disable it, install windows, then re-enable it. That's according to the Dell support website. All sounds good apart from the fact that my BIOS doesn't have an option for the sound even though Dell support insist that it has. Argh!!!!!!

Would flashing the bios change the options within?

[fo3nix]

It might, if the later version of the BIOS that you flash it with has that option. However, flashing your BIOS can be a bit dangerous if anything goes wrong.

[Hammer]

I've already got the latest version but could go back to an earlier version. Clutching at straws really...

Dell also recommends recommends clearing the NVRAM but I can't see how to do this from the bios either.