Installation Problem

[Rhino]

I'm afraid I made a rather foolish mistake last night and I'm not sure how
to fix it.

I was installing XP Pro (slipstreamed with SP2) on a computer that has two
hard drives. The computer is a used one that my friend got surplus from his
company; the hard drives were apparently scrubbed before they gave it to
him. It is a Dell Dimension 670.

Anyway, I ran the XP install CD and formatted the first drive, then
proceeded to install Windows on that drive. After the reboot and the rest of
the installation, all was well on the computer. I could see the desktop,
play Spider Solitaire, etc. The only thing left to do was format the second
hard drive.

That's where I made a mistake. I couldn't remember how to format the second
drive from the XP desktop - I think now that I should have gone into Control
Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management and formatted
from there, right? - so I tried a different approach. I rebooted from the
install CD, chose the second hard drive and formatted. Unfortunately, after
formatting for NTFS (quick), it went ahead and started copying files to this
new partition. I realized it was installing Windows on this partition too
but couldn't find any way to stop it. (I would have expected an Exit or
Cancel option.) I could have powered off the computer but was afraid that
would make things worse. I optimistically assumed that Windows would just
boot up anyway, ignore the second partition containing Windows, and then let
me wipe that second drive and reformat it. But that isn't what happened. The
PC won't boot at all. I've tried it with and without the install CD in the
computer but I just get a blank screen - not even the BIOS screen appears -
and nothing else happens, unless you count fan noise.

How do I get myself out of this mess? I'm afraid Windows installs are not
something I do very often. I don't know what to Google on - what is this
situation called? - so I hope someone here can help me remove the Windows
from the second hard drive.

 

[John John - MVP]

Just start again from scratch. Boot with the Windows XP cd and when at
the partition selection screen format both partitions then select the
partition where you want to install Windows and do a new installation on
that partition.

John

 

[Anna]

Just start again from scratch. Boot with the Windows XP cd and when at
the partition selection screen format both partitions then select the
partition where you want to install Windows and do a new installation on
that partition.

John

Rhino:
As John indicates, ordinarily (more-or-less) that would be the simplest &
most straightforward way of preceding at this point, all things considered.

However...

Unless I misunderstand the current situation, you've stated that "The PC
won't boot at all. I've tried it with and without the install CD in the
computer but I just get a blank screen - not even the BIOS screen appears -
and nothing else happens, unless you count fan noise."

Are you indicating the machine is "dead in the water" even with or without
that second HDD being installed?

So that when you insert the XP OS installation CD (retail version? OEM
non-branded?) you can't get the system to boot to the CD?

Are you able to access the BIOS at all (F2?) after powering-on the machine?
If so, does the boot priority or boot preference order indicate a first boot
to a CD? Might that be the problem in that the system is attempting a boot
to a corrupted HDD? Although the fact that you get a "blank screen", (I
assume you mean a black screen without any display at all), is somewhat
ominous.

Assuming you're eventually able to boot to the XP installation CD, I think
it would be advisable to *first* disconnect that second HDD so that the only
storage device connected in the machine is the drive onto which you
fresh-install the OS. Assuming that goes well, then reconnect the second HDD
and (as you indicated) use Disk Management to partition/format that drive. I
assume your friend plans to use that secondary HDD for add'l storage and/or
backups, etc.
Anna

 

[Brian A.]

I'm afraid I made a rather foolish mistake last night and I'm not sure how

to fix it.

I was installing XP Pro (slipstreamed with SP2) on a computer that has two
hard drives. The computer is a used one that my friend got surplus from
his company; the hard drives were apparently scrubbed before they gave it
to him. It is a Dell Dimension 670.

Anyway, I ran the XP install CD and formatted the first drive, then
proceeded to install Windows on that drive. After the reboot and the rest
of the installation, all was well on the computer. I could see the
desktop, play Spider Solitaire, etc. The only thing left to do was format
the second hard drive.

That's where I made a mistake. I couldn't remember how to format the
second drive from the XP desktop - I think now that I should have gone
into Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer Management/Disk
Management and formatted from there, right? - so I tried a different
approach. I rebooted from the install CD, chose the second hard drive and
formatted. Unfortunately, after formatting for NTFS (quick), it went
ahead and started copying files to this new partition. I realized it was
installing Windows on this partition too but couldn't find any way to
stop it. (I would have expected an Exit or Cancel option.) I could have
powered off the computer but was afraid that would make things worse. I
optimistically assumed that Windows would just boot up anyway, ignore the
second partition containing Windows, and then let me wipe that second
drive and reformat it. But that isn't what happened. The PC won't boot at
all. I've tried it with and without the install CD in the computer but I
just get a blank screen - not even the BIOS screen appears - and nothing
else happens, unless you count fan noise.
How do I get myself out of this mess? I'm afraid Windows installs are not
something I do very often. I don't know what to Google on - what is this
situation called? - so I hope someone here can help me remove the Windows
from the second hard drive.



--
Rhino
---
"There are two ways of constructing a software design. One way is to make
it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies. And the other way
is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies." -
C.A.R. Hoare

Can you boot to the BIOS? If yes, enter the BIOS and make sure the CD/DVD
drive is set as the first drive to boot from.
Save and exit the BIOS and the PC will reboot.
If you're able to boot to the CD/DVD drive reformat the first drive and
reinstall XP on it.

If it won't boot to the CD/DVD drive:
Shut the PC down and to be on the safe side unplug the power cord.
Open the case and disconnect the power and data cable from the second HD.
Check that the jumper on the first HD is set to Single or Master.
Plug in the power cord and boot the machine with the XP CD in the CD/DVD
drive.
If you're able to boot to the CD/DVD drive reformat the first drive and
reinstall XP on it.

After XP is installed on the first hard drive and running.
Shut the PC down and to be on the safe side unplug the power cord.
If both drives are being connected to the same data cable:
Set the jumper on the first HD to Master w/Slave.
Set the jumper on the second hard drive as Slave.
Reconnect the power and data cable to the second HD.
Plug in the power cord and boot the machine.

If it boots into XP:
Right click on MyComputer.
Click on "Manage" in the Popup menu.
In the management console click on "Disk Management".
Right click on the second hard drive.
Click Format in the popup menu.

If any of the above fails to resolve your issue, download/use a third party
application such as BootIt NG to reformat the second drive.
If it still wont boot off of the first drive use BING to reformat it as
well, then boot to the XP CD and reinstall XP.

--

Brian A. Sesko
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Rhino]

Rhino:
As John indicates, ordinarily (more-or-less) that would be the simplest &
most straightforward way of preceding at this point, all things
considered.

And it indeed it was!

However...

Unless I misunderstand the current situation, you've stated that "The PC
won't boot at all. I've tried it with and without the install CD in the
computer but I just get a blank screen - not even the BIOS screen
appears - and nothing else happens, unless you count fan noise."

Are you indicating the machine is "dead in the water" even with or without
that second HDD being installed?

So that when you insert the XP OS installation CD (retail version? OEM
non-branded?) you can't get the system to boot to the CD?

Are you able to access the BIOS at all (F2?) after powering-on the
machine? If so, does the boot priority or boot preference order indicate a
first boot to a CD? Might that be the problem in that the system is
attempting a boot to a corrupted HDD? Although the fact that you get a
"blank screen", (I assume you mean a black screen without any display at
all), is somewhat ominous.

Assuming you're eventually able to boot to the XP installation CD, I think
it would be advisable to *first* disconnect that second HDD so that the
only storage device connected in the machine is the drive onto which you
fresh-install the OS. Assuming that goes well, then reconnect the second
HDD and (as you indicated) use Disk Management to partition/format that
drive. I assume your friend plans to use that secondary HDD for add'l
storage and/or backups, etc.

I was quite prepared to do everything you - and Brian! - suggested in your
replies when I discovered why the monitor wasn't showing anything (yes, it
was a black screen without any display): the video connector wasn't seated
properly! As soon as I got it reseated, things got a lot easier. I ended up
just rebooting from the CD, deleting both existing partitions, recreating
the first partition, installing Windows in it, and then formatting the
second partition (from My Computer/Manage/Data Management) after the install
finished. All is well now.

Thank you VERY much for your suggestions! I was sure I'd have to do all or
most of them but was feeling pretty confident about them because your
suggestions were clearly explained.

 

[Rhino]

Can you boot to the BIOS? If yes, enter the BIOS and make sure the CD/DVD
drive is set as the first drive to boot from.
Save and exit the BIOS and the PC will reboot.
If you're able to boot to the CD/DVD drive reformat the first drive and
reinstall XP on it.

If it won't boot to the CD/DVD drive:
Shut the PC down and to be on the safe side unplug the power cord.
Open the case and disconnect the power and data cable from the second HD.
Check that the jumper on the first HD is set to Single or Master.
Plug in the power cord and boot the machine with the XP CD in the CD/DVD
drive.
If you're able to boot to the CD/DVD drive reformat the first drive and
reinstall XP on it.

After XP is installed on the first hard drive and running.
Shut the PC down and to be on the safe side unplug the power cord.
If both drives are being connected to the same data cable:
Set the jumper on the first HD to Master w/Slave.
Set the jumper on the second hard drive as Slave.
Reconnect the power and data cable to the second HD.
Plug in the power cord and boot the machine.

If it boots into XP:
Right click on MyComputer.
Click on "Manage" in the Popup menu.
In the management console click on "Disk Management".
Right click on the second hard drive.
Click Format in the popup menu.

If any of the above fails to resolve your issue, download/use a third
party application such as BootIt NG to reformat the second drive.
If it still wont boot off of the first drive use BING to reformat it as
well, then boot to the XP CD and reinstall XP.

Thank you VERY much, Brian! I was prepared to follow all of your suggestions
and feeling pretty good about it because they are so well explained. Luckily
I caught a break: it turned out that the video connector wasn't seated
properly. I was not having the bootup problem that I first diagnosed. As
soon as I got the video going, I did what all three of you suggested:
started over! I deleted the old partitions, reinstalled Windows on the first
drive and then formatted the second hard drive from My Computer/Manage/Disk
Management after XP was installed on the first drive.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the assistance with my problem!

 

[Rhino]

Thank you, John! Your suggestion - and the replies from Anna and Brian -
were instrumental in resolving my problem.

Thank you VERY much!

 

[Brian A.]

Thank you VERY much, Brian! I was prepared to follow all of your

suggestions and feeling pretty good about it because they are so well
explained. Luckily I caught a break: it turned out that the video
connector wasn't seated properly. I was not having the bootup problem
that I first diagnosed. As soon as I got the video going, I did what all
three of you suggested: started over! I deleted the old partitions,
reinstalled Windows on the first drive and then formatted the second hard
drive from My Computer/Manage/Disk Management after XP was installed on
the first drive.
Thanks again, I really appreciate the assistance with my problem!

Gotta love it when an issue just about resolves itself. As we say here in
Chicago: "If you don't like the weather now, wait 10 minutes".

Glad tp see your back up and running, and thanks for filling us in on the
quick fix. Have fun and enjoy!
--

Brian A. Sesko
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375