No drives found aborting installation xp

[secretending]

Here is a real fun problem:

My computer was having issues booting into WinXP. It would reboot while on the load screen. Since I had no net connection for about a year at home, I just let it be.

Moved into a new place, have the net now, but my laptop is having some issues. Figured I'd try and get the desktop up and running again so I can get the laptop in before the warranty is over.

Booted up the desktop, still did the same thing. Figured OK, lets try some things. A friend gave me a copy of Win7, which I figured would be good since I can replace the constantly crashing OS. When it was in the load screen, I tried to put it into the partition that XP was in, but there wasn't enough room, so I used the Win7 CD to format the partition, then left as it was installing as I had some things to do.

Came home the next day, desktop was off, thought OK, no problem. Booted it, expected Win7 to load, but instead it was giving me a "NTLDR is missing" error.

Also after trying some solutions that are similar to my problem, nothing has improved after messing around with the BIOS and much more.

I just booted it up, and it is telling me this:

For Realtek RTL8111B/8111C Gigabit Ethernet Controller v2.09 (071017)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM.

Then I get the NTLDR message.

If I set the BIOS to boot from my CD ROM, it loads the WinXP CD, but for some reason can't detect any hard drives to install the program on. The options I get are a couple of format ones, partition ones, install, and exit. I don't want to partition the drive since there is a lot of things I still want on it. I did TRY pushing the buttons, but it just tells me there is nothing there and returns me to the WinXP choice screen again. Attempting to install gives me an error (suddenly forgot what it was) and leaves me at A:\, tells me to remove the CD, and reboot the computer. If I DIR the drive, it shows me the files on the CD ROM (I can hear it spin up), but I can't access any of the hard drive letters.

While in the BIOS, it does list my two drives, so its aware that they are there. I can snap some pictures later with my phone for some visuals of whats going on later.

I'll be back later tonight, debating on buying a full copy of Win7 and a new hard drive, but I'm a little afraid that it might be wasted money if the motherboard refuses to read the drive properly as it is now.

Yea, big long story, sorry everyone, figure details are everything.

Cheers.

 

[davel_68]

Here is a real fun problem:

My computer was having issues booting into WinXP. It would reboot while on the load screen. Since I had no net connection for about a year at home, I just let it be.

Moved into a new place, have the net now, but my laptop is having some issues. Figured I'd try and get the desktop up and running again so I can get the laptop in before the warranty is over.

Booted up the desktop, still did the same thing. Figured OK, lets try some things. A friend gave me a copy of Win7, which I figured would be good since I can replace the constantly crashing OS. When it was in the load screen, I tried to put it into the partition that XP was in, but there wasn't enough room, so I used the Win7 CD to format the partition, then left as it was installing as I had some things to do.

Came home the next day, desktop was off, thought OK, no problem. Booted it, expected Win7 to load, but instead it was giving me a "NTLDR is missing" error.

The NTLDR is missing error comes from an NTFS partition trying to run the OS boot code. When booting from a drive, the first piece of code it looks at is the Master Boot record, finds the disk partitions from that, and then executes the code at the start of the partition. On an NTFS partition (XP, and I assume Win7, both use NTFS) this means find the code NTLDR.

Also after trying some solutions that are similar to my problem, nothing has improved after messing around with the BIOS and much more.

I just booted it up, and it is telling me this:

For Realtek RTL8111B/8111C Gigabit Ethernet Controller v2.09 (071017)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM.

Probably something come loose in the move. Do you have any idea what the cable will be associated with this? Try looking for your model of motherboard...

Then I get the NTLDR message.

This would suggest that, at the very least, it is executing the code at the start of your disk partition, so the disk itself is working to some extent.

If I set the BIOS to boot from my CD ROM, it loads the WinXP CD, but for some reason can't detect any hard drives to install the program on. The options I get are a couple of format ones, partition ones, install, and exit. I don't want to partition the drive since there is a lot of things I still want on it. I did TRY pushing the buttons, but it just tells me there is nothing there and returns me to the WinXP choice screen again. Attempting to install gives me an error (suddenly forgot what it was) and leaves me at A:\, tells me to remove the CD, and reboot the computer. If I DIR the drive, it shows me the files on the CD ROM (I can hear it spin up), but I can't access any of the hard drive letters.

I would think that the error is pretty crucial to working out what is wrong here. I am not sure what you mean by "it can't detect any hard drives", but then you are saying that you can format ones, and have an install option...

Without knowing more details, it is a bit hard to see what is going on. Your best bet is to get to the bottom of why XP is not installing - try googling the error text - and see if you can get any further with this.