xp install problem

[uscs]

I have a computer that I am trying to install xp pro on. It says that it is checking the hardware components and takes about five minutes to do that. Then it formats the hard drive and installs everything and then it reboots. When it comes back on it checks the hardware again and asks if I want to install windows on the partitioned space. When I choose it it says that windows is already installed on this drive. I really need some help on this one. My specs are:
amd 1800+
gigabyte ga-7vrx
512 pc2100 ram
ati radeon 8500
ibm 80gb 120gxp
lite-on cd burner

 

[thefaresteast]

clear the all partitions using the win98 fdisk and don't create any partition. boot win XP pro in cd to install the xp os.

 

[thefaresteast]

it's good that you physically clear your CMOS and before installing the win xp pro

 

[uscs]

how do i boot win xp from the cd? I installed it on a similar computer and didn't have any problems. They've never had another os on them before.

 

[jlanka]

set the first boot device to CDROM in the BIOS

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[xyz]

All what is happening around is;
You install XP, computer coppies the setup file to your hard disk and asks for a reboot. At this stage, you are not changing the boot order so your computer again boots from the Windows XP CD and setup starts running again, it detects the Windows setup files on your hard drive and throughs a message like "Windows is already installed".

All what you are required to do is to change the boot order to your hard drive,(after the setup has coppied the files to the hard drive), this time you wouldn't get any message like "Window is already installed". Computer will boot from the hard drive and will install all the hardware thus completing the Windows installation.

<font color=blue>Mubashar</font color=blue>
____________________________________________________________

<b><font color=red><i>"All delays are dangerous in war."</b></font color=red></i>

 

[mendalh]

I'm having the same exact problem as uscs, was their ever a solution found to this problem?

 

[Zoron]

Even when booting from the WinXP CD, this message will be displayed:

Press any key to boot from CD...

Now, if you hit a key on the keyboard at anytime during this message or just prior to this message, it will boot from the CD. The ONLY time the XP setup loads up without prompting you first is when it detects no bootable partition(s). So either your partition isn't being detected as bootable or you are pressing a key on the keyboard at the wrong time. The simplest way to find out is to remove the CD from the drive and see if it will boot from the HD. If it does, then you simply re-insert the CD and you'll be good to go.



<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[mendalh]

I've taken all the disks out of all the drives, and try too boot and it keeps searching for a bootable drive. I've used a win 98 start up disk get to the dos screens, and try to do a fdisk, just says something like "error reading fixed drive" so I'm thinking my HD is fried but when I do a scandisk and a chkdsk on it everything seems fine. I'm so confussed.

 

[Zoron]

Double-check all connections and jumper settings on the drive. Make sure it's being correctly detected by your BIOS. If it's a Western Digital drive... make sure if you don't have a slave device that it's set to single drive. (WD is the ONLY company that does this and it's annoying... there are two settings for Master... and that's single drive or Master with Slave present). If you do have a WD hard drive and the jumper isn't set properly, you'll get some funky errors when trying to boot or setting up your OS. BIOS will usually detect the drive just fine... but it won't work until the jumper is set properly.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[peartree]

Yes, your problem is that the drive MAY be fine, but something ate the boot sector of your drive. I would suggest that you do a 'format /mbr' from a bootable floppy. That ought to fix it.



<font color=green>****</font color=green> Never Assume <font color=red>ANYTHING</font color=red> <font color=green>****</font color=green>