Windows XP Media Centre Recovery Disk

[jmoore11]

help please

my xp media centre pc was running really slow so i decided to put the recovery disk and start over again however now windows it not installed and halfway thorugh tyhe intallation it asks for disks we don't and never had (service pack 2 disk etc)
i have vista home which i could install but thats not workin eiterh please tell how to wipe everything so i cand just put vista on

 

[Waynos_Face]

Put your Vista CD in, then turn off PC, when it turns on press Delete, this will put you in the BIOS Menu, look for for boot priority, set it to be boot from CD/DVD.

Press F10 then enter, when it restarts it will start to load Vista.

When you get as far as putting in the license key, you will be able to pick the disk it is stored onto, if you want to wipe the disk, then highlight the disk, click DELETE.

after that

Click NEW it will automatically set the size, click OK.

Then click FORMAT, once its done click NEXT and you are on your way.

 

[jmoore11]

i have tried this and it say that this hardware does not surpport it and to make sure controller is enbloe in the bios menu

 

[Waynos_Face]

Hi,

Can you list the spec of your PC please, for example, processor, memory, graphics, whatever you can find out, or a model no: of the media centre please.

 

[jmoore11]

it is a novatech nero x2
500gb hard drive
1gb ram
256 geforce 9 graphics i don't know much as its my mates pc
were do you find the model number on the stciker with the serial key on it

 

[Waynos_Face]

Hi,

The Model No: for the Media Centre should be on a different sticker, the license key is just for XP/Vista.

Going back to your previuos message does it say what kind of controller needs enabling?

With regards to installing XP, it soundsd like the disk is the wrong one for the license key, like the XP key is for XP with Service Pack 2 (probably XP Media Centre edition) and the CD only has Service Pack 1 on it.

 

[jmoore11]

it says quote ensure that the disks controller is enablked in the computoer bios menu. i don't know were to find the model number as it came out of novatech with the media centre on it and all he got was the recovery disks

 

[Waynos_Face]

Hi,

Try going into the BIOS and loading default settings, this should get rid of any changes that have been made. Then try Vista again. Note Vista will run on 1GB of RAM but 2 is recommended. This will not affect it installing though.

Out of curiosity can you tell me what version of XP it says with the license key please.

 

[jmoore11]

its say xp proffessionl media centre 2005

 

[jmoore11]

the contoller bits gone off its saying now that it cannot find a suitable storage volume that meets ots criateria for installation

 

[Waynos_Face]

Hi, Yeah that version of XP ships with Service Pack 2 so i think your mate has the wrong CD.

Still i don't know why Vista won't work, did you set the defaults in the BIOS?

 

[jmoore11]

the contoller bits gone off its saying now that it cannot find a suitable storage volume that meets its criateria for installation

 

[Waynos_Face]

How far along the installation is this error message occuring?

If i remember correctly

1. It loads the files
2. Select Language and Keyboard.
3. License agreement
4. License Key
5. Select Hard Drive & Partion
6. Installing.

 

[jmoore11]

it happens when you are selecting the partition

 

[Waynos_Face]

Okay then you need to delete the existing partition, then new will become an option, don't change the numbers just click okay, then click format once that is done click next.

That should work.

 

[jmoore11]

thanks for you help it up and running now cheers

 

[Waynos_Face]

You're very welcome mate, glad it works.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Nice one WF