Unable to install Xp

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 03:48 PM

Trying to reinstall xp on my friends system. System had two partitions c and d of 30 & 45 GB (approx) resp (C drive for xp and d drive for data). I deleted & reformatted c: to reinstall xp. As you know there are two steps for installation. First setup copy all the files to partition and then system reboot into hard disk and complete the installation process. Problem is with second step.After setup copies all the files system reboots and then prompt to press any key to boot from cd. After five dots ( . . . . .) all i see is cursor blinking, nothing else and system halts afterward. Tried many time but same thing again and again .It seems as sytem is not able to find any bootable device other than cd. I checked the boot sequence, it is cdrom followed by HDD0.

Installed Ubuntu , worked fine without any problem. So there s nothing wrong with HDD.

Guys please help me solve it.

06-01-2008, 05:13 PM

Change boot order of the devices after the first part of XP installation. Arrange hard drive to boot first.

nvidia · 06-01-2008, 05:15 PM

Did you try to install from some other disc?
There might be a problem with your cd...

Batistabomb · 06-01-2008, 05:28 PM

instead of waiting to see those dots appearing, at the time of reboot , remove CD and change your 1st boot device to HDD and try, then if installation continues insert your CD back again,i suspect this may be CD issue

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 05:31 PM

Tried everything except new cd

Batistabomb · 06-01-2008, 05:36 PM

cad crazy no doubt, problem is CD, so let's check a new CD, if not this may be a some display hardware (may be graphics devices) problem

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 05:43 PM

May be , will have to arrange another cd.

I'm now 900 post old

Batistabomb · 06-01-2008, 05:46 PM

post some thing special for your 1000th post dear

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 10:36 PM

Ok tried another cd but still the same problem. Anyone plz help

Hackattack · 06-01-2008, 10:49 PM

Press any key to boot.....

Did you press any key ?

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 10:50 PM

That ll make it boot from cd again

Hackattack · 06-01-2008, 10:59 PM

didn't read ur post correctly !

Ok change the boot order to 1-hdd , 2-cd and see if it boots from hdd.

Eh. that has already been suggested

Aaha most prolly your MBR is corrupted (guessing cos u installed linux )

casanova · 06-01-2008, 11:10 PM

Faced this problem a hell no of times. Wait for around 10-15 mins, it should continue. But first try a different cd.

infra_red_dude · 06-01-2008, 11:10 PM

This most likely seems a hardware problem to me! Strip the PC to bare minimum devices, format and then install again.

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casanova

Faced this problem a hell no of times. Wait for around 10-15 mins, it should continue. But first try a different cd.

Already tried.

Quote:

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

This most likely seems a hardware problem to me! Strip the PC to bare minimum devices, format and then install again.

Nothig extra attached to it. Only usb hub and one cd writer(apart from dvd writer)

Hackattack · 06-01-2008, 11:24 PM

Try clearing the MBR with [fdisk /mbr] command.

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 11:35 PM

But i have formatted the partition. Now is this going to benefit me.

Faun · 06-01-2008, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CadCrazy

But i have formatted the partition. Now is this going to benefit me.

format the whole drive and install at someone else computer, see if it works

CadCrazy · 06-01-2008, 11:53 PM

But there s odd 44 gb stuff on other partition. So can't format the whole HDD.

Hackattack · 07-01-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CadCrazy

But i have formatted the partition. Now is this going to benefit me.

No, mbr stays there even if u format the whole hdd.

.
So get a bootable disc and try to fix or clear the mbr with the command.

ax3 · 07-01-2008, 12:53 PM

copy his data on ur hdd ....... & then full format it & c ..........

its boring bt try kaarle ........

Batistabomb · 07-01-2008, 12:59 PM

Ok leave that blinking cursor for 15 min, the installation may progress back, most probably these errors comes in case of RAID's,if you're not using RAID, just disable it in the BIOS. It takes up an IRQ and delays your boot-up time.

That being said, make sure that under "IDE Configuration" in the first screen of the BIOS to have these as the options:

Onboard IDE Operate Mode > Enhanced

Enhanced Mode Support On > PATA

Also, go through the BIOS and make sure that "IDE Bus Master" is ENABLED.

CadCrazy · 08-01-2008, 01:38 PM

Done everything as suggested by you.Still the same prob.
Tried fixmbr and fixboot command. Again same thing.
One strange thing i noticed is that setup is treating the backup drive as c: drive after i deleted the windows partition ,created new one. Also when i used fixboot command it prompted "The target partition is c: drive .Are you sure you want to write a new boot sector to c drive " but the current windows partition is now d:
Yeh kya ho raha hai.

icehot · 08-01-2008, 03:56 PM

1.Completely format the hard disk using paragon or powerquest partition manager
2.Is the hard disk old
3. BIOS setting may be changed to load optimal values
4.Try FAT formatting if u had selected NTFS
5.Try knoppix bootable cd which will install an instant operating system, (to ensure there is no hardware problem)
6.Take another xp installation cd from your friend and try

saqib_khan · 08-01-2008, 04:20 PM

I have 1 suggestion

Format ur hardisk using FAT32 and then install xp

don't quickformat it. Understood

Hackattack · 08-01-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CadCrazy

Done everything as suggested by you.Still the same prob.
Tried fixmbr and fixboot command. Again same thing.
One strange thing i noticed is that setup is treating the backup drive as c: drive after i deleted the windows partition ,created new one. Also when i used fixboot command it prompted "The target partition is c: drive .Are you sure you want to write a new boot sector to c drive " but the current windows partition is now d:
Yeh kya ho raha hai.

I say first back up your 40gigs of data to a different hdd, then safely play around, plug ur friends hdd to ur pc, forget other tools and use windows built in 'Disk Manager' to format and partition his drive safely. You can safely use NTFS no probs.

P.S. You can find disk manager under administrative tools>computer management>disk manager.

another P.S. Few days ago I lost some 16gigs of data, including my o so important passwords which was in a file.

.

slugger · 10-01-2008, 12:54 AM

go 2 BIOS and change the setting to Fail-safe dafaults den proceed wid d install

[i suggest dat u do dis b4 u begin a frersh install]

often found dat on a few comp d installation stops after d install RAID software message if i dont do d above thing

OFFTOPIC
btw wat is dat dotted rectangle dat is seen above the Quick Reply portion