xp repair installation stuck at 'installing devices' 36mins

I need some urgent help from you all. Facing huge problem. I was running Windows XP on my desktop computer since past 1.5 years. Somehow it git effected with critical viruses. Tried cleaning up with Avast and few online scanners but still wasn't successful. Finally i decided to format the hard drive partition and do a clean install.

Well formatted the partiton, start Windows XP setup, went fine until loading the files, created partition and started installation. Now it is stuck at the point 'Installing Windows - Installing devices' with the time set at 36 mins remaining. First it got stuck at this stage over an hour. So i rebooted the system and again it got stuck. So far i might have rebooted and restarted the setup more than 5 times, but yet the same result.

I even tried disconnecting every removable hardware from the system and left just keyboard, mouse and monitor but it still not able to pass that screen. Any idea?

Did you formatted the entire drive or just a Partition? Are you sure atleast you formatted the partition? Because to me it seems like the virus is still there and is creating the problem. Instead of formatting i will suggest you to better delete the partition and then create new one and then start the installation. Make sure you wipe off all the Bad files/Injections left by the virus.

I think i did the same thing but the problem persists. Can i ask what you do you mean by clean installation, Sorry if it sounds dumb but i guess i did a clean install itself. And every time I boot up with or without the xp cd in, it automatically tries to continue with the repair install.

Also no matter if i insert the CD or not, when i boot the system it wont ask me for installing windows but get directly to that point where it says installing devices. What can i do to fix it?

Thanks again.

Hello Ruthe,

Here is what you need to do. First of all go to your Hard Drive's manufacture website and download the Diagnostic utility to see if the HDD faulty or not. If you find any problem with your HDD then there is no other choice rather than buying a new a hard drive. And if it is fine then read this great steps by Michael Stevens here: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

I have been through this problem. In my case it was Dell computer with Windows XP. I am not sure whether it will work for you but still let me tell you that situation. You may need to make some adjustments for your computer. In my case when i had BSOD and it started rebooting, I pressed F12 at the splash screen(you may need a different combination). I then choose boot from CD. Then it took me to the start of the reinstallation/repair screen. I choose the reinstallation.

From what I have read since trying the repair, most of the time the repair doesn't work. A total waste of time. From what I have figured out, this happens due to a driver problem. See if you get some help from this post.