Re-Install XP: Can't do it but can run XP using another hdd

[TomBilliodeaux]

I don't know what XP did to this system or hdd, but I cannot install any o/s to it.

It is a fairly new 30gb Maxtor that has been low level formatted and checks good using the Maxtor Utilities.

I have wiped my bios and reflashed it.

Turned off Virus protection in bios.

Using one stick of memory that runs XP well.

Unplugged everything except cdrom, hdd, bothl on Primary Channel.

Hdd partitioned as

C: primary, fat32

D: logical fat32

Cannot install to either logical or primary.

I have swapped memory locations on mobo with no results.

Swapped memory with another system running xp, no results.

I have taken this hdd over to another computer that is running xp with an identical Maxtor hdd and swapped hdd. It did not install on that machine either. Errors when transfering files and crashed.

I had great difficulty installing W98. Could not install W2k.

W98 could not setup itself without many errors and crashes.

It is still not fully installed and functionable.

Because of the W98 problem, I hesitate to condemn the hdd only.

I can use this 30gb, ata 100 hdd as a slave to a 10gb, ata 33 hdd with Wxp installed.

this puter will boot up normally and recognize all partitions and function well.

Next step is to find another hdd and attempt to install XP on this computer and the other one to see if this is possible.

Note that the first install was with the Corporate version that previously installed and is running on the 10gb hdd.

The re-install was attempted with my registered Ms XP pro cd as well as the corporate edition cd.

My questions are:

1. Why is it that this computer can no longer install a MS o/s product (w98, W2k, Wxp)?

2. Is this hdd bad even though functional in every other area of data transfer?

[Drewdatrip]

I would pop in a Win98 start up disk and make the disk one partition, from there you can use the Xp cd to turn it into Ntfs.

You said you had another Hd...i would use that one to install 98 on.....that would probly help performance issuses and what not.....but make sure to install 98 first and make sure its on the primary C drive...from there u can install Xp to the secondary disk you were having problems with....

goodluck..

:beer

-Drew

[xper]

I would pop in a Win98 start up disk and make the disk one partition, from there you can use the Xp cd to turn it into Ntfs. [/quote:509376d270]

In the command prompt window, type: convert c: or d: /fs:ntfs

later

[TomBilliodeaux]

Thanks but that was what I was trying to do with the 98 install that did not install.

But you may be inferring to a bad hdd as the reason it did not install.

At this point I have replaced the mobo with an Abit Se6 (that previously would not post due to this original problem that began with XP crashing).

I just got it to post by reverting allowing all to sit for a few days (really only needed a few hours to cool down) and I changed the bios setting to revert to default (no oc).

This booted it up.

I am getting the feeling this is a cpu problem.

This mobo is booting fine and running the 10gb with xp installed on it fine.

But so was the Gigabyte mobo.

I will try installing using this mobo and no oc'ing. The gigabyte was locked in on 933/133 setting for the p700 processor and I could not get it to boot up without oc'ing for some reason.

This Abit board tried to do the same thing at first attempt to boot.

Will post my results but at this point it seems NOT to be the hdd.

[TomBilliodeaux]

When I installed the Abit mobo and the cpu did not revert to the default, something had happened to it so as to make it faulty.

It was set at 933/133 which is oc from 700/100.

For some reason bios was written by XP so as to set it and not allow bios to change it.

Only after I changed the dip swithes from soft to manual was I able to reset the cpu and then contol it again by bios software.

XP did this somehow that I cannot explain.

Its errors were in fact real and caused it to not transfer files correctly concerning the IDE channel.

It was causing files to be not recognized randomly.

I believe this is purposely installed by MS because of so many people experienced similar problems. It goes well with MS's attempt to control install ability when one changes hardware.

I own registered products and admire MS for a fabulous work with XP.

I can't immagine being able to produce such a software that will install on EVERYONES systems with all their different variety of hardware and do so well.

But please acknowledge these problems and tell us or warn what will happen as these problems occur.

So beware of reinstalls if you change hardware around like i do.

:hohum :spaced FINALLY INSTALLED.

tombilliodeaux@hotmail.com

EDIT: looking over my noted, I remember an incident that may hold MS xp blameless: I installed a usb cdrw that was faulty.

The drive smoked and crashed the computer! Literlally burned up.

It was shortly after that incident that problems began with the ide reading/writing.

(isn't it human to blame others).

While the problems were not immediatly noticeable, they became only evident when installing an o/s for some reason I can't explain.