unable to load the master...

[chris]

hey
wenever i go into control panel and want to add/remove
windows components it says Please Wait then says Setup was
unable to load the master information file,it wont allow
to format my c drive either coming up with the error :
Windows cannot format this drive. quit any disk utilities
or other programs that are using this drive, and make sure
that no window is displaying the contents of the drive,
then try formatting again.
ive tried closing most processing through task manager but
i really dont no what else it could be, any help wud be
great thnx

 

[Gobble.D.Gook]

hey
wenever i go into control panel and want to add/remove
windows components it says Please Wait then says Setup was
unable to load the master information file,it wont allow
to format my c drive either ....

erm

Are you sure you want to do this ?

If so, you won't have any problem removing programs

If you really want to reinstall, then you can format C and reinstall
by booting from the windows CD.

D.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

NOTE, the instructions below will wipe your drive of the OS, all data and
applications:
Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive, boot with the XP
CD in the drive. If it isn't or you are not sure, you need to enter the
system's BIOS. When you boot the system, the first screen usually has
instructions that if you wish to enter setup press a specific key, when you
see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the boot sequence, if
the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the boot sequence. Save
your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The system will reboot.

A few screens into the boot process, if you see the message on the boot
screen to "Press any key in order to boot from the CD," do so.

After loading drivers and files, you should be taken to a screen with
the following:

To Setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To Repair a Windows XP Installation using Recovery Console press R.
To Quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

In your case, press ENTER.

Agree to the License agreement by pressing F8.

You will then be taken to a screen with two options.

To repair the selected Windows XP installation press R.
To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing,
press ESC.

This will bring you to a partition map where you
can delete, create and format partitions.
Select the drive you wish to format, delete the partition, then create a new
partition, format as desired and continue with XP installation.

 

[Alex Nichol]

wenever i go into control panel and want to add/remove
windows components it says Please Wait then says Setup was
unable to load the master information file,it wont allow
to format my c drive either coming up with the error :
Windows cannot format this drive. quit any disk utilities
or other programs that are using this drive, and make sure
that no window is displaying the contents of the drive,
then try formatting again.

Two quite separate things here. There is the master information file
needed in windows setup. For that you should try other actions before
taking the drastic one of throwing out everything and formatting. Look
in Windows\system32 for a folder CATROOT2 and rename it - say
CATROOT2A. Reboot and see how you get on (A new copy will then get
made). You *may* have to fall back on renaming CATROOT as well

If you *do* decide you have to take the drastic action of reformatting,
You do it as part of a reinstall of the system after booting the XP CD
direct. Enter Setup, and after the license agreement take New Install.
When it asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select and delete the
current partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted at the next
stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one