Hard Drive Problem/Windows ?

[Mikey1]

I figured out what was wrong and i got my new build started up with no problems.......I have 3 hard drives in my new build.......a 160( that has windows and lots of programs from my old computer )...........a 40 ( that has music from my old computer)...........a 40 ( that has videos from my old computer ).............i put in the windows Cd to tried to install it on my 160 ( which already has old windows and programs from my old computer ) over all my old stuff so that i would have a fresh hard drive with only windows......but it said that it incontered a problem..........should i use a fresh hard drive that has nothing on it??? could i just put my 160 in a friends computer as the slave and reformat it then install windows on it???

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

You don't need to put it as a slave HD to reformat it. I've installed OS's over a single HD several times. I find it easiest to disconnect the other drives when installing a OS to make sure it goes to the HD you want. One time I meant to install Vista on one HD but I had the wrong first boot and formatted my other HD on accident and erased everything. That sucked.

But anyway disconnect the other drivers pop in the XP cd. Hit any key at prompt then go through the install process. When you get to the format part go ahead and delete the partition and format the drive. Note if your not slipstreaming XP SP2 into the disc your only going to get 137gb then you'll have to partition the rest of the 160gig drive. If your not slipstreaming the disc i'd suggest making the main partition 100gigs that way you have 60 gigs to partition. Granted that would end up looking like this after its formatted roughly 87-93gigs and 47-53gigs.

 

[Mikey1]

I did that and tried installing on my 160 over my existing windows and programs.........it started installing after loading all that stuff windows needs to do before installation and it said that " windows has encountered a problem and needs to shut down.....if this is ur first time blah blah blah......check for viruses and disconnect any new hardware blah blah blah " so idk..........this is a friends windows disc....and im gonna use my old code......maybe thats the problem??

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

Figured I better put up some links if you want to stream sp2 into XP.

Here's a download for it. http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/Autostreamer.shtml

Here is instructions on how to use it.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

All you need is a Cd burner and a program that can burn .iso image files. Nero6 works great.

One other possibility is the drive is dead. I had that problem once. I re install windows every 3 months or so to clean it up. I went to install and it locked up about halfway through and couldn't load some .dll files. Problem wasn't the disc problem was the drive was going bad.

 

[Mikey1]

hmmm well idk id rather not buy a new hard drive.......i know none of these 3 are dead cause they were workin a few days ago..........is there any way to reformat besides through windows like through the bios??

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

hmmm well idk id rather not buy a new hard drive.......i know none of these 3 are dead cause they were workin a few days ago..........is there any way to reformat besides through windows like through the bios??

What exactly do you mean through windows? You start your computer and start the install before windows loads. And you have to go through the install process if you want a OS on the drive. Yes you can format the drive as a slave on another computer or on yours if you have another OS you can boot from on a different HD. It could be many alot of different things causing the problem thats just the one that comes to mind.

You do realize what a format is right? You will erase the HD and start from scratch. Which means I hope you have a OS on one of them otherwise if you can't get it to install XP then you won't be using the computer until you figure out what the problem is.

Were exactly is it hanging up? Does it go through the intial install then hang up were you enter in your computer name etc. Any CD scratchs?

 

[Mikey1]

Yes I want to completly erase all my programs and old windows off my 160 and put on a fresh windows........windows starts at a blue screen and at the bottom it says windows is loading all this stuff then after 5 min it says windows will start installation and then it messes up. What u mean by OS?

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

OS=Operating System IE=Windows XP.

So after it installs all the files to 100% on the first blue screen when it restarts to finalize the install it hangs up?

What are the computer specs?

Its possible if your trying to install a sata drive it may need a 3rd party driver at the f6 prompt.

 

[Mikey1]

no im not using a SATA all IDE..........the specs are

Intel Pentium D 2.8ghz
Abit IB-9 Socket 775 Mobo
1.5 gb of DDR2
160gb HD/40gb HD/40gb HD
XFX 8500 GT 512 MB
Creative Sound Card

no it doesnt get to the actually install.......it just loads all this stuff windows needs to load before the install starts

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

So it hangs up in the blue screen after loading some of the windows files? If so it probally is your harddrive. If your XP cd isn't all scratched up that is. I'd try installing XP on one of the 40gig drives. If it goes through you know somethings up with the 160gig. Say it goes through on the second drive download a harddrive diagonostic tool and set your 160 as a slave and run diagnostics on it.