Arrrgh!! Win XP Pro Install issue: Hangs

[TapTap]

Hello all. I need a hand here because I have never seen this happen. My in-laws p/c stopped working. I said I would take a look at it. I am not an expert, I have only put together 3 boxes. It would reboot, if it didnt just stop at boot screen altogether. He admitted to me that he gets tons of spam and pop-ups, and gets hangs all the time using XP Pro. It wouldnt even turn over for me once. He told me to just re-format. His specs:
Abit-K7a (I think)
AMD 1400-socket A-100fsb
Micron 2x256mb pc133
Maxtor 30GB
Gainward GF3 64MB
Antec 300w
XP Pro oem with COA
**Windows XP will load all the way-no issues with loading files**
**I removed all the non-essential components
It stop or hang at the screen that says (only 28 more minutes...) I have left alone for a couple hours and it stays hung.
Temp is 41C
Installed last bios released for this model
I tried swapping ram with stuff I know works.
Swap with Enermax psu I know works.
Swap with GFMX card that works.
3 diff HD cables (I know 1 has worked)
Diff CDrom. DVDrom.
Borrowed a workin MB with same Via chipset.
I Ran these tests:
Memtest-all passed.
Maxtor Diag tools-all passed.
Wrote (0's) zeros to the HD using tools.
It still hangs, in almost same spot, between 28 mins and 33 mins remaining on the clock.
Help meeeeeeeee......

 

[osage]

try a diff HDD.
try to boot it with Knoppix. if it won't load and run with that it is for sure a hardware problem.

 

[TapTap]

Thanks for the link. Which one do I do? I cant read German.....

Also, forgot to mention I have a WD 40Gb that I tried and damned if it didnt do the same exact thing in the same exact spot.
I am at a loss...I have had this thing in pieces for 10 days or so.

 

[osage]

LOL...my German is a little rusty as well.

upper lft side of the page..click the little flag 1/2 American 1/2 English to get the page in a language you can read.

 

[talyn00]

I thought it was http://www.knoppix.net/

 

[TapTap]

Saw the flag icon (Duh, Homer slap of forehead)-
Tried to download last night-but power is still a little frazzled down here after the hurricane. I woke up to the error message saying download had been cancelled. I will try to install later...