Can't install Windows XP

[Dreamkatcha]

Hi everyone,

Sorry that my first post is a plea for help, but I'm at my wit's end with this. I've just bought an Asus Terminator 533 barebones system and I'm trying to re-install Windows to make sure there are no conflicts with my previous drivers etc. I booted into real DOS using a floppy disk, cleared the drive (I tried formatting as well as just deleting) and then tried to install Windows XP Home with integrated SP1. It got to the stage where the computer is rebooted for the first time after all the setup files have been copied then it whinges about files which haven't been copied properly (a different set each time). It says there may be a problem with my Windows CD, but I don't see why there should be since I've used it to install Windows before.

One time it installed correctly (or so I thought), but then wouldn't boot to complete the installation - it just gave me some useless error message like "disk error" right after the POST.

I've checked both partitions of my hard drive for errors using the DOS part of Norton Disk Doctor - they both passed with a clean bill of health. I can get Windows running OK using my Ghost image which I made before swapping my motherboard and CPU etc, which is why I'm able to come here and post. The hard drive is the same one I had before and the partitions remain the same. I've not had any other problems in Windows with copying, deleting or moving files about so I can't understand what the problem could be.

Any ideas anyone?

[DoG]

Are you initiating XP setup from dos mode or from the windows cd?
I usually find it better to install XP from the cd, i use setup to delete the primary partition, create a new one and quick format it to ntfs.
Are you using the ghost image to install to the new hardware?

[JacKDynne]

Quote:

Sorry that my first post is a plea for help

No prob m8 - that's how we all started

Hmmm...try booting from the cd itself and installing from there rather than the dos floppies....Have you checked the HCL *http://www.microsoft.com/hwdq/hcl/ to make sure that your cd drive is supported?

You may also be able to install plain old dos and/or copy the cd over to your other partition and then install directly from your hard drive.

Have you checked here too? *http://www.asus.com/support/faq/faq.aspx

Hope this helps some and welcome to BetaONE

/JD

[Bads]

This can be your CD too,

I have this problem when I reinstall XP with the SP1 <_< I have to insert my first CD without SP1 and when the computer search for a file, I switch to my CD with the SP1 included

Maybe this will works for you too

Good luck and welcome

[Dreamkatcha]

Thanks very much for the welcome. I have my hard drive split into two partitions - C: is about 5 gb, just big enough for the Windows OS and my D: drive is 75 gb and contains the Windows setup files and everything else. I'm installing from the HD because I've integrated SP1 with Windows XP Home so I don't need to update it later. I booted into DOS using the BumbleB boot disk - not sure if you're familiar with that one, but it's available on an abandonware site of the same name (which has been down for ages btw). I think it uses PC DOS. I've made myself Win ME and DOS 6.22 boot disks. Maybe using those instead will make a difference.

I don't really want to have to change the file structure to NTFS because I'd be lost without my Ghost backups. I really wanted to ditch my old Ghost images and start again from scratch, but luckily I hadn't deleted them before starting the re-installation. This allowed me to get back into Windows and search for a solution. The main reason I want to start again is because I've got duplicate drivers for all sorts of things and it's causing problems i.e. I can't get my built-in sound to work etc. When I tried installing, the primary partition was totally empty - the images and everything else are on my D: drive.

Thanks for the links btw. I'll check those out in a sec. I've got Mandrake 9.0 here and I even considered installing that instead, but I know I'll regret it as I did last time I tried to jump from the MS ship.

[richardc2000]

If the above advice doesn't work - try using a Win98 bootdisk and NOT the WinMe one. You can find a 98 disk here: _http://www.bootdisk.com/

[Dreamkatcha]

OK, I'll give that a go thanks. The last time I tried to install Windows everything went fine up until the point where I had to remove the floppy and reboot. It got past the POST and then gave me a "disk error" message and wouldn't go any further than that.

I also tried to install Mandrake 9.0 - this worked up until I got the message "10 seconds to go". After that it just froze and I had to reboot.

I'm starting to think this is some stupid Asus foible. I wonder if there's anything in the BIOS I could change. I've checked the Asus FAQ but not found anything relevant.

[~*McoreD*~]

Cactus asked from you have you tried booting from the Window XP SP1 CD? BTW, is your CD bootable? How old is your BIOS, because you are unlucky if it hasn't got Boot Sequence supporting your CDROM.
Try to quote one of our suggestions and share your experience on what happened to those suggestions.

Wishing you good luck and welcoming you to BetaONE,
Cul8r,
Yours,
McoreD

[Dreamkatcha]

Oh, sorry about that. I've just tried booting from the original CD and that makes no difference whatsoever.

I'm already using the latest BIOS available (1008) and the mobo I'm using is the one included in this system - http://www.asus.com/products/desktop...3/overview.htm

I've got a Celeron 2.2 GHz CPU and 333 speed ram. Don't know if knowing those specs will help at all, but there you go.

I'm making myself a Win 98 boot disk now and will try that in a minute. The DOS 6.22 boot disk can't even locate my hard drive so that's a non-starter. The Ultimate Bootdisk won't even boot for some reason - fairly crucial feature I would have thought for a boot disk!

I also tried opening the case and using different IDE cables. Before the CD drive and hard drive were sharing IDE0 using a two way cable. I've since changed this arrangement so that they each have their own channel and that didn't help either.

[richardc2000]

I have just reread your first post. Having been able to use the CD before doesn't necessarily mean it will work as well on a different CDROM or CDRW. You might want to burn another copy of your XP but at a slower rate e.g. 4X