Trying to wipe computer now cannot install XP at all!

[Josh Pape]

Hi,

I have been running windows XP home for a year on a new
pc. It had become rather clogged up and in the past I have
just backed up files that I wanted, reformatted the drive
and then reinstalled windows 98 etc.

I backed up all my files and booted up with a windows 98
startup disk (i read this on the net somewhere). Then I
went about deleting the partion using fdisk and creating a
new one (i think this may have been where i went wrong!
could i just have formatted the drive straight away?).
Anyway, I created a Primary Dos partition using all the
available space (the old partition i deleted was non-dos.

I was then told that i needed to reformat the drive. I
have a 120gb hard drive. I ran format.com from my floppy
disk drive using the format c: /s command. It said,

Warning, all data on non-removable disk drive c: will be
lost. Procede with format (y/n)?

I say Y.

Then it does the usual 0 percent complete etc up until it
change over from 2 - 3 percent. (Just above its progress
it has said 51,70.95Mb all along. At the change over from
2-3 percent it says

Trying to recover allocated unit 98,469 (the number
changes, jumping up until it reaches 99,557) It then tell
me,

Not ready
Format Terminated

and goes back to the floppy drive.

I now cannot seem to do anything with the c: drive.

I haven't got windows running at all! Please help, all I
want to do it reinstall windows XP. Is my hard drive
broken?

I also tried creating an XP startup disk (or 6!) off the
windows website but after booting up with it in it says,

File \biosinfo.inf could not be loaded.
The error code is 4096
Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.


If you have read this far thank you so much. I hope that
someone can help me.

Josh

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Start over and follow this procedure:

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except for you mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your CD Drive as the first bootable device.

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

7. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


| Hi,
|
| I have been running windows XP home for a year on a new
| pc. It had become rather clogged up and in the past I have
| just backed up files that I wanted, reformatted the drive
| and then reinstalled windows 98 etc.
|
| I backed up all my files and booted up with a windows 98
| startup disk (i read this on the net somewhere). Then I
| went about deleting the partion using fdisk and creating a
| new one (i think this may have been where i went wrong!
| could i just have formatted the drive straight away?).
| Anyway, I created a Primary Dos partition using all the
| available space (the old partition i deleted was non-dos.
|
| I was then told that i needed to reformat the drive. I
| have a 120gb hard drive. I ran format.com from my floppy
| disk drive using the format c: /s command. It said,
|
| Warning, all data on non-removable disk drive c: will be
| lost. Procede with format (y/n)?
|
| I say Y.
|
| Then it does the usual 0 percent complete etc up until it
| change over from 2 - 3 percent. (Just above its progress
| it has said 51,70.95Mb all along. At the change over from
| 2-3 percent it says
|
| Trying to recover allocated unit 98,469 (the number
| changes, jumping up until it reaches 99,557) It then tell
| me,
|
| Not ready
| Format Terminated
|
| and goes back to the floppy drive.
|
| I now cannot seem to do anything with the c: drive.
|
| I haven't got windows running at all! Please help, all I
| want to do it reinstall windows XP. Is my hard drive
| broken?
|
| I also tried creating an XP startup disk (or 6!) off the
| windows website but after booting up with it in it says,
|
| File \biosinfo.inf could not be loaded.
| The error code is 4096
| Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.
|
|
| If you have read this far thank you so much. I hope that
| someone can help me.
|
| Josh

 

[BobDelaney]

The info from Carey above is as good as it gets. I want to just add one
thing. Many of us learned our habits in DOS/Win 3.x/Win 9x and we need to
unlearn a few of those habits in the Windows 2000/XP world. One of those
habits is the DOS startup diskette. In the Windows XP world, the CD does all
that and much more. When in doubt, insert the Win XP CD, and go into
Recovery Console.

 

[Guest]

Had same problem....
1. the easy way is to go to your bios and remove the boot to your hard drive.
2. make sure u boot to your floppy and reboot.
3. if you have the floopy that comes with you harddrive make sure it is in your floopy drive before booting
4. then do a format of hard drive.
5. after reformating boot again and enter at you bios and change boot to your hard drive.
6. save it and reboot. it should begin installing you window xp

 

[Guest]

I have to agree with Carey & John, forget about the startup floppy. Only use the bootable XP cd and follow the prompts.