Fresh Install Problems

[PostModernist]

After completing my computer last night, I started trying to install the OS to get the rest of the machine running properly.

 

I encountered a seriously problem when trying to install XP Home. Everything works perfectly as it asks to format the drive to NTFS and then copy the windows files onto the hard drive and create the WINDOWS folder.

 

But once the setup finishes copying the files, it asks for a system reboot to finish the installation. Well, if I leave the CD in the PC, the same setup screen appears, and the setup loops itself by formatting and then copying the folder again.

 

I take the disc out before the system reboots, and I get "A disk read error Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart."

 

So, I changed the boot order to boot from hard disk. Now, the computer just keeps restarting and restarting. It gets finishing checking the hardware through the POST screens, running an ASUS K8V SE board with AMD64 3000+.

 

This problem has perplexed me. I had a drive that would've been strictly for the OS, but it was getting an NTLDR problem whenever it booted up. So I have to use my new HD, 250GB Hitachi.

[exeter_acres]

IDE or SATA?

 

if SATA, did you press F6 and install the drivers?

[PostModernist]

It's an IDE drive.

[spazmire11]

did you install windows on it the first time? or did it come preinstalled? also make sure that you have the right hard drive set to boot off of mine always acts up if i set it to boot from disk 3 but it works fine with disks 1 and 2 also try installing and geting linuz to boot or any other os to see if its your drive if all fail to install try it in another compy if it fails there then you may have a boot sector problem in witch case with win 98 i was able to boot the comp from a floppy directing to the hard drive

 

i hope you can understand all that

[Kash]

If you have access to another computer, try downloading the latest BIOS for this system. I had a similar problem with my brother's SFF and an 80GB WD drive. The setup either kept looping or I would get the same disc error you did. I posted here and was advised to update the BIOS. I downloaded the new BIOS from my rig and then updated the SFF's BIOS and bam, it worked perfectly afterwards

[MasterRex862]

Get a Knopix cd. Try to see if thzt would work, if not, it is ur hardware.

[cybergrunt69]

also, check the access type for the hdd in the bios. try using auto instead of chs or lba. this might take a few more reboots and reformats, but if it's set wrong for the drive, it will be visible to the install process but will never be able to boot by itself.

[Bleeble]

Zero-fill the HDD first. That gets thing the format utilities don't.

[Guest Raven65]

usually when it asks you to reboot it will ask to reboot from cd or hd you need it to boot from hd not cd. if you hit enter to reboot it from the cd your going to go to the system setup all over again. . or when you reboot it go into the bios and change it to the reg order floppy hd then cd and that should work.

[PostModernist]

I fixed the problem everyone. Turns out that XP requires the HDD to be on the primary IDE channel or else it won't install.

[fastvfr]

I fixed the problem everyone. Turns out that XP requires the HDD to be on the primary IDE channel or else it won't install.

489275[/snapback]

 

Yup!