Major STOP errors, can't reinstall Windows, please help.

[putty]

A few days ago my desktop started going through a reboot loop, couldn't even get to Safe Mode. I removed both hard drives and plugged them into my laptop (which itself is overheating but that's another thread) via USB. The drive with Windows (XP Pro) gave me a message saying that it's corrupt and unrecoverable. The data drive was fine. I figured ok, bad HD and took the opportunity to upgrade both.

I installed both new HD's and tried installing Windows. When it got to the point of asking which drive to install to (it found none) I started to get STOP errors with a message about setupdd.sys address f77ef9a8 base at f77c8000, datestamp 41107c8f. I read on the MS site that this is likely bad RAM so out I went to get new RAM. I installed it..... only to get the same error message.

What's next? I appreciate any help.

[bla!!]

Check your install CD to make sure it's not dirty or scratched.

[selftaught]

sounds like a bad motherboard to me.[just talking from experience, i`ve had two computers do almost the same and mb both times] but alas i`m no expert, so don`t believe everything you read!

[putty]

Originally Posted by bla!!

Check your install CD to make sure it's not dirty or scratched.

Nope, not scratched.

Someone else suggested a bad motherboard too. I have no clue how to reinstall a CPU so I'm getting the feeling it's time to look at a barebones. What did you do, selftaught?