clean install hangs copying files

I have looked through many dozens of threads in this newsgroup, but haven't seen anyone address the issue I am encountering during install. With a dvd made by Microsoft (not downloaded) I am attempting a clean install on a newly reformatted hard drive on a laptop. The hardware checked out as compatible prior to reformatting. I have 40gigs in the only partition on the drive. At random percentages (from as little as 7% to as much as 73%) the coping stops and the install stops. Is this a defective dvd from Microsoft or is there something else I am missing?