Welcome to Just Ask Matt! Today, Rick writes:

Help me, Matt! It is day twelve and I still don’t understand why Windows XP will not install on this computer. I have run diagnostics on all of the hardware, tried a different hard drive, and even successfully installed multiple Linux distros onto this computer!

So why is it that the Linux installs, but not the XP? Does it just not like Windows? This is a computer being built for my client, so I can’t just install Linux for them being that it is too much for a newbie. I am lost. I totally zeroed out all of the hard drives that I tried to use with the install, but nothing is working. What am I missing?

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Rick. After going over what you wrote, I think I might have the solution. As rare as this is, I suspect that it could be a bad copy of Windows that you are trying to install. Assuming it is a legal copy, it may be bad from the factory. I know, I know, this is pretty rare. But speaking for myself, I have had it happen three times since XP was first released, so that is something to consider. As a matter of fact, if you happen to have another legal copy of the OS laying around (techs often do), you might try that instead. Chances are, that will take care of the problem. Good luck!

Do you have an IT-related question? Perhaps you are just burnt out on writing on the walls with crayons? Whatever the comments may be, drop me a line, and you too can “Just Ask Matt!”