WinXP SP2 disk space problem on install

[Guest]

I am installing windows SP 2 on a hard drive that contains 127 gigabytes of
free disk space. The program insists that there is not enough disk space and
that I must free up one more megabyte. I have done this a number of times
(original free space on the drive was 122 gigabytes). I am fairly tech savvy
but this behavior totally befuddles me... is the OS unable to actually tell
how much space is available on the drive? The system scans clean with no
virus, spyware or malware present.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am installing windows SP 2 on a hard drive that contains 127 gigabytes of
free disk space. The program insists that there is not enough disk space and
that I must free up one more megabyte. I have done this a number of times
(original free space on the drive was 122 gigabytes). I am fairly tech savvy
but this behavior totally befuddles me... is the OS unable to actually tell
how much space is available on the drive? The system scans clean with no
virus, spyware or malware present.

Please explain exactly how (what steps you are following) you are
trying to install Windows. If you do it correctly, the first step is
formatting the drive, so it doesn't matter in the slightest whether
"the system scans clean with no virus, spyware or malware present."

 

[Ron Badour]

Ken,

Formatting the drive? In that he is doing system scans, I think he is
installing SP2 rather than XP including SP2.

 

[Poprivet]

I am installing windows SP 2 on a hard drive that contains 127
gigabytes of free disk space. The program insists that there is not
enough disk space and that I must free up one more megabyte. I have
done this a number of times (original free space on the drive was 122
gigabytes). I am fairly tech savvy but this behavior totally
befuddles me... is the OS unable to actually tell how much space is
available on the drive? The system scans clean with no virus,
spyware or malware present.

SP2 is huge, but ... that sounds like something is awry. I've installed SP2
on I think, three computers which only had single, 80 Gig drives.

If your'e saying that it wants one more gigabyte, and when you give it that,
it still says it wants another one, something's wrong. My money would be on
some sort of malware or some pretty serious file corruption.
What have you used to determine that you are virus/spy/malware free? SP2
just doesn't need hundreds of Gigs to install.

I've never had any problems with the OS determining the correct amount of
free/used space, so I think the answer there is yes, it can tell with a
reasonably accuracy how much room there is.

Try running chkdsk on that drive with the /r option; that will mark out bad
sectors on the drive. Then try installing SP2. If no joy, check into the
malware possiblities.



HTH
Pop`

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ken,

Formatting the drive? In that he is doing system scans, I think he is
installing SP2 rather than XP including SP2.

Yes, I think you're right. I misread his post because he said he was
"installing windows SP 2" rather than just "installing SP2."