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Pentium
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Last Login: Today @ 21:50:35
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| When installing, you get errors... Could it possibly be an optical drive fault? It might be able to read parts of the disc, but not others (for some reason). They also have cache, so that could maybe explain the page error? 
--------------------Signature. Containing odd Canadian music since 2009 (Updated 7th January)--------------------
If I'm not posting, I'm questing 
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386
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I'm not sure that the 'can't install from CD' is hardware. He says he is a 'newbie' so it depends when/how it failed. Compaq often supply both 'System Restore' AND 'XP Setup' disks, I'm not entirely certain which one he is using. Maybe he interrupted an install part through and now needs to do a hard drive format to get rid of all the crud. Hard to tell from the post. I'd recommend that he try using the 'System Restore' disk first as that is fairly straightforward; it does all the formatting and installs all the correct drivers (albeit old ones). I'd only reformat the hard drive again and use the XP disk if I didn't have the Restore Disk. First step now is to get a working system!
Unfortunately Marten you are quite correct to point out that anything with ram/cache is a potential cause of page faults (Including the hard drive). It is one of those areas where you have to go through methodically, and how you do it depends on your stache of spare parts. Moderately straightforward on a desktop, but Its all a lot harder and more daunting for a newbie on a laptop.
IMO (once his system is up), I'd start with pulling MB Ram sticks one at a time and replacing in sequence as that is cost free until you find you need new RAM. While replacing the CD/DVD is not difficult, from his post he may need hand-holding. It is not exactly low cost especially if you find the cd/dvd doesn't make any difference! I'd suggest 'mirror' tells us the make of Compaq so that he can be given easy instructions to do the RAM sticks first (if he wants that level of help).
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186
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Last Login: 07/12/2008 18:59:19
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| Ithink i might of cured it.I have both disks, XP and drivers/programmes. When trying to install i could never get the format to complete using the "FULL/LONG OPTION". It would freeze before 100%.So i had to use the "QUICK OPTION". Yesterday was the first time it fully formated in long option and it loaded XP.I have just donloaded all the MS updates etc and installed the supplied drivers.No freezes/locks or error messages as yet. Thanks for all the help.
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Octo-core Atom @ 233GHz (ES)
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That doesn't sound very good at all to me. Sounds like a fundamental hardware error somewhere along the line.
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386
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| Could be the hard drive is giving some warning signs. A bad page file will give page faults (as will many other things). Now that you have an operating system,it might be advisable to make sure you run a drive test such as this, as well of course as a memory test (Microsoft have one somewhere but I've lost the link).
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