Windows XP Pro Installation Problem
 

I'm trying to install Windows XP Pro from a legitimate upgrade CD onto a new home built computer. When I get to the part where it formats the partition, I get an error message stating that setup cannot format the drive and it may be damaged. It also states something about checking that SATA and RAID devices are terminated properly, but this is a PATA drive. The drive is brand new, and in fact I get the same message on a drive that works fine in another machine. Does anyone here have any idea how I can fix this error and get XP Pro installed?

It could have something to do with the ATA controller needing a more recent driver than what is found on the base WinXP Pro CD.

Try looking on the computer manufacturer's support website for mass storage controller drivers (or something of that sort). You'll probably have to put it on a floppy disk and then hit F6 after the blue screen comes up for Windows Setup.

Agree with Phlflyer, it sounds like you need the driver for the drive controller.

Looking at my motherboard manufacturer's website (ABIT-USA) I see they have a RAID driver and a SATA driver for my motherboard (AN8 32X). Since my drives are just a standard UATA and not SATA, which of these drivers would I need?

Doesn't make sense given its a PATA drive it shouldn't be looking for a SATA driver. Which abit motherboard?

Do you have a 3.5 inch floppy with the drivers? If so press F6 when it is starting the install process. You'll be prompted to insert the floppy. If you don't have a 3.5 inch floppy and it requires these drivers you're probably SOL until you get one...:mad: :mad: Microsoft still has no install from CD option for XP...

Reset your bios settings to default.

Is it possible you hooked the ATA drive up to one of the RAID ports? That might be why it's having difficulty accessing it properly.

Raid
 

Its possible, but I think highly unlikely given the different pin out. Its possible its a bad motherboard...I've only had 1 in about 40 plus machines.

Phil

My guess is a bad board or a bad IDE cable. If it's a driver issue, XP normally won't see any drives at all. In your case, it's seeing the drive but can't format it. You should also verify that the BIOS sees the drive correctly.

I have tried two different Ultra-ATA cables. I'll try the other IDE slot to see if I get better results. Failing that I'll RMA the mobo and see if that's the culprit.

RAID ports shouldn't have different pinouts.

The two ports on the mobo that I'm using (for three drives: 2 HD and 1 CD-R) are labelled IDE1 and IDE2. Could one of these be a RAID port? I have set the HD's as Master and Slave on IDE1. The CD-R works fine on IDE2.

Unplug the second drive, leaving just the HD on IDE1 and the CDROM on IDE2.

Ok well thanks for the help. I instructed the BIOS to "Load Failsafe Defaults". Now Windows copies the installation files to my HD, but the system won't boot from the HD to complete the install. It boots from CD even when I deselect teh option to boot from CD, and when I remove the CD it claims there is a bad boot device. Any ideas what's going on or what I can do here?

This is a "feature" of the Windows Upgrade CD installation process to ensure that you don't use the Upgrade CD to install Win on a computer that does not have an older version on it. MS wants you to buy the non-upgrade for more money in that situation. Here is the Upgrade install process, per MS:

Install Windows XP to a new hard disk
To install Windows XP to a new hard disk, you must start your computer by using one of the following media:
• Microsoft Windows 98/Windows Millennium startup disk
• Windows XP boot disks
• Windows XP CD-ROM
For additional information about how to obtain the Windows XP Setup boot disks, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
310994 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/ ) How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks

Note If you want to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM, your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive must be configured to do this. For information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, see the documentation that is included with your computer or contact the computer manufacturer.

To install Windows XP to a new hard disk:

1. Read the End-User License Agreement, and then press F8.

Note If your Windows XP CD-ROM is an upgrade, you are prompted to insert a CD-ROM of a previous operating system to verify upgrade compliance. Remove the Windows XP CD-ROM, and then insert the CD-ROM from your previous operating system into the CD-ROM drive. You can use the CD-ROM to upgrade from the following versions of Windows:
Windows 98
Windows 98 Second Edition
Windows Millennium Edition
Windows NT 4.0
Windows 2000 Professional

2. When you are prompted for the Windows XP CD-ROM, remove your previous operating system CD-ROM, and then insert your Windows XP CD-ROM.
3. To install Windows XP by starting the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM, insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
4. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.
5. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.
7. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Windows XP Setup.

Right, but then it would be bugging him for the original media. Instead, he's getting disk errors.

Is your boot order set to boot from the PATA hard drive before the SATA drives?

If that's not it, just for kicks, try disabling the SATA stuff in the bios. I think it's a drive ordering thing and there's a workaround for it, so if it works, we'll find the workaround so you don't have to disable them. I remember reading this somewhere.

The other (better) alternative is to dump the PATA drive and just get a SATA drive. Most likely you won't need any drivers to make the install work. The BIOS is pretty good about handling the SATA drives these days. The last computer I built installed XP just fine from the CD onto a SATA hard drive install without needing to add drivers during the windows install. I added them later, of course, but you don't need them for the install anymore. The motherboard manual should tell you that, and that's a better configuration anyway. The IDE ports are really only there for your optical drives. (Not that it shouldn't work the way you're doing it, but the SATA hard drive configuration is better.) You'll probably still be able to use the PATA drive if you get the SATA install working. Decent SATA drives are so cheap, there's really no reason to put your boot and swap on the old slower PATA drive anymore anyway.

I'm still curious how you're managing to get the upgrade CD to work on a new build.

-David

I just searched around in the Abit support forum for socket 939 motherboards and didn't find anything obvious, so I'm not sure why it isn't working properly. I guess it couldn't hurt to check the boot order, disable the sata controller temporarily or try a sata drive.

-David

I've been through the install process many times before. The only difference between using an "Upgrade" CD and a "Full" CD for a clean install is that in the "Upgrade" process they ask you to insert a previous OS CD just before setting up the partition. No problem. I got through all of that, formatted my HD (finally!) and Setup copied all of the necessary files to the HD. Then when the computer reboots and is supposed to boot from the HD, it doesn't. I think the MBR is hosed and I need to figure out how to repair it.

IF you can get to the recovery console then you can run 'fixmbr' which may help. You might also take a look at the bootcfg command.

I think everyone has suggested most of the obvious things... didn't remember seeing this one though: is there a RAID vs non-RAID jumper on the mobo?

If all else fails, here is what I might do: go buy a $50 cheapo small drive...something like a 40gb and slap it in the master slot and make your bigger drive the 2nd drive. Install windows to the smaller drive and see if it works. You can always take it back if it doesnt, and if it does then you have 2 drives, one for data and one for the system, which isn't a bad idea anyway. You could even get a raptor or something fast for the system drive. You can also then move the virtual memory to the 2nd drive which will also increase performance.... just a thought.

You might also try just partitioning the large drive into something like 100gb for the system and the rest for data. I'm WAY out on a limb here as my MCSE is burried in the attic collecting dust, but if the XP upgrade is not SP1 (or maybe even SP2) I think there were issues recognizing drives over 137gb. Another way around that is to 'slipstream' the SP2 update pack into your install.

Now, all that being said... With any IDE controller chipset newer than say 2004 I almost always have to supply a driver.

Finally, I think your best option is to find a working computer and download a linux distro, burn that to a DVD and install that :D ... hey you could always run windows in VMware (that suggest probably doesnt help the frustration level does it?)

edited to add:
The more I think about it, the more it sounds like XP's size limit. If you are using an upgrade CD, then chances are its not even SP1 and is thus limited to like 127 or 137gb... If you dont want to buy a 2nd drive, then make a small system partition, say 30gb and install to that. After you install, upgrade to SP2. Then run diskmgmt.msc, it should recognize the rest of the disk as blank space. Then you can create a data partition out of that... if you need one big drive you might be able to resize it with gparted, or get a copy of the XP install with SP2

Actually it's an SP2 CD.

As for Linux, I like it, but Mrs. SRQ Guy doesn't. I keep Windows as my primary OS for her. I'll set up Gentoo on a dual-boot, after i get XP up and running. :)

I think my current problem is just the MBR. DO you knwo any way to fix that withotu havign Windows fully installed? Otherwise I may just jury-rig an XP boot floppy just to get the installation done then install Grub, since I'll be doing to dual boot thing anyway.

FINE, burst my bubble...you could have at least pretended that I was on the right track!


Try the recovery console and the fixmbr or bootcfg command.

Also, if you just reinstall and completely wipe the drive it should re-initialize the MBR for you.

You may also want to check out gparted - its a great non-distructive partitioning utility (basically a very small ubuntu ISO), you should be able to totally wipe the drive, including MBR with that and then start anew.

LOL! Sorry about that, didn't mean to pop your bubble. :D


I'll look into your other suggestions this evening.

You're sure that the BIOS is booting from that hard drive? What's the boot order?

I don't know why you'd need an IDE driver for install/boot as long as the BIOS supports LBA access and certainly all modern ones do. This is a modern mobo and as long as the BIOS is accurately reporting the correct disk size, there shouldn't be a problem with that.

-David

I think I have it narrowed down to a bad IDE controller. Mobo is being RMA'ed for exchange. Hopefully I'm right.