XP setup unknown disk partition error

[Tronno]

I was trying to reinstall XP on my computer. I have a
160GB drive partitioned into 2 sections. The operating
system partition is 10% of the size of the drive (16 GB).

I tried reinstalling XP. I get to the screen that says:

QUOTE

Windows XP Professional Setup

The following list shows the existing partitions and
unpartitioned space on this computer.

Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select an item in the
list.

-To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.

-To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.

-To delete the selected partition, press D.

Unpartitioned space 8 MB
H: Partition2 [New (Raw)] 15227 MB ( 15257 MB free)
C: Partition1 (Non OS File) [NFTS] 137360 MB ( 130918 MB
free)

END QUOTE

So I select the H partition and delete it.

I get a list of partitions now:

QUOTE

Unpartitioned space 15265 MB
C: Partition1 (Non OS File) [NFTS] 137360 MB ( 130918 MB
free)

END QUOTE

I select Unpartitioned space.

Press C to create a partition. Next screen:

QUOTE

Windows XP Professional Setup

You asked Setup to create a new partition on 131070 MB
Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR].

-To create the new partition, enter a size below and press
ENTER.

-To go back to the previous screen without creating the
partition, press ESC.

The minimum size for the new partition is 8 megabytes (MB).
The maximum size for the new partition is 15257 megabytes
(MB).
Create partition of size (in MB):

END QUOTE

So I create the maximum size allowed and when done get the
screen described previously with the 3 divisions of which
8 MB is Unpartitioned space.

I press Enter to install the partition on the H partition
and get the following:

QUOTE

Windows XP Professional Setup

To install Windows XP on the partition you selected, Setup
must write some startup files to the following disk:

Unknown Disk

However, this disk does not contain a Windows XP-
compatible partition.

To continue installing Windows XP, return to the partition
selection screen and create a Windows XP-compatible
partition on the disk above. If there is no free space on
the disk, delete an existing partition, and then create a
new one.

To return to the partition selection screen, press ENTER.

END QUOTE.

Just one big circle round and round.

Help please.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

After you create a new partition, you must then select
the menu option to format that partition, then you can
install Windows XP on that newly formatted partition.

For an excellent graphical depiction, visit:

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

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

| I was trying to reinstall XP on my computer. I have a
| 160GB drive partitioned into 2 sections. The operating
| system partition is 10% of the size of the drive (16 GB).
|
| I tried reinstalling XP. I get to the screen that says:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Windows XP Professional Setup
|
| The following list shows the existing partitions and
| unpartitioned space on this computer.
|
| Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select an item in the
| list.
|
| -To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.
|
| -To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
|
| -To delete the selected partition, press D.
|
| Unpartitioned space 8 MB
| H: Partition2 [New (Raw)] 15227 MB ( 15257 MB free)
| C: Partition1 (Non OS File) [NFTS] 137360 MB ( 130918 MB
| free)
|
| END QUOTE
|
| So I select the H partition and delete it.
|
| I get a list of partitions now:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Unpartitioned space 15265 MB
| C: Partition1 (Non OS File) [NFTS] 137360 MB ( 130918 MB
| free)
|
| END QUOTE
|
| I select Unpartitioned space.
|
| Press C to create a partition. Next screen:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Windows XP Professional Setup
|
| You asked Setup to create a new partition on 131070 MB
| Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR].
|
| -To create the new partition, enter a size below and press
| ENTER.
|
| -To go back to the previous screen without creating the
| partition, press ESC.
|
| The minimum size for the new partition is 8 megabytes (MB).
| The maximum size for the new partition is 15257 megabytes
| (MB).
| Create partition of size (in MB):
|
| END QUOTE
|
| So I create the maximum size allowed and when done get the
| screen described previously with the 3 divisions of which
| 8 MB is Unpartitioned space.
|
| I press Enter to install the partition on the H partition
| and get the following:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Windows XP Professional Setup
|
| To install Windows XP on the partition you selected, Setup
| must write some startup files to the following disk:
|
| Unknown Disk
|
| However, this disk does not contain a Windows XP-
| compatible partition.
|
| To continue installing Windows XP, return to the partition
| selection screen and create a Windows XP-compatible
| partition on the disk above. If there is no free space on
| the disk, delete an existing partition, and then create a
| new one.
|
| To return to the partition selection screen, press ENTER.
|
| END QUOTE.
|
| Just one big circle round and round.
|
| Help please.
|
|

 

[Alex Nichol]

So I create the maximum size allowed and when done get the
screen described previously with the 3 divisions of which
8 MB is Unpartitioned space.

I press Enter to install the partition on the H partition
and get the following:

You will normally find that much unpartitioned space at the front of the
drive. The very first sector has to be used for the MBR (Master Boot
Record, with boot code and the table of partitions), and partitions are
made aligned to 'cylinder boundaries', so the rest of the first cylinder
does not get used - just under 8MB

So at this point you have to explicitly select that RAW partition just
made, and enter - I think you must have some slight finger trouble at
that point.

 

[Guest]

There is no menu option to format the partition. I have a
detailed list of options given by my computer listed in
the original post. No other options are available to me.

-----Original Message-----
After you create a new partition, you must then select
the menu option to format that partition, then you can
install Windows XP on that newly formatted partition.

For an excellent graphical depiction, visit:

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

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

| I was trying to reinstall XP on my computer. I have a
| 160GB drive partitioned into 2 sections. The operating
| system partition is 10% of the size of the drive (16 GB).
|
| I tried reinstalling XP. I get to the screen that says:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Windows XP Professional Setup
|
| The following list shows the existing partitions and
| unpartitioned space on this computer.
|
| Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select an item in the
| list.
|
| -To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.
|
| -To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
|
| -To delete the selected partition, press D.
|
| Unpartitioned space 8 MB
| H: Partition2 [New (Raw)] 15227 MB ( 15257 MB free)
| C: Partition1 (Non OS File) [NFTS] 137360 MB ( 130918 MB
| free)
|
| END QUOTE
|
| So I select the H partition and delete it.
|
| I get a list of partitions now:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Unpartitioned space 15265 MB
| C: Partition1 (Non OS File) [NFTS] 137360 MB ( 130918 MB
| free)
|
| END QUOTE
|
| I select Unpartitioned space.
|
| Press C to create a partition. Next screen:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Windows XP Professional Setup
|
| You asked Setup to create a new partition on 131070 MB
| Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR].
|
| -To create the new partition, enter a size below and press
| ENTER.
|
| -To go back to the previous screen without creating the
| partition, press ESC.
|
| The minimum size for the new partition is 8 megabytes (MB).
| The maximum size for the new partition is 15257 megabytes
| (MB).
| Create partition of size (in MB):
|
| END QUOTE
|
| So I create the maximum size allowed and when done get the
| screen described previously with the 3 divisions of which
| 8 MB is Unpartitioned space.
|
| I press Enter to install the partition on the H partition
| and get the following:
|
| QUOTE
|
| Windows XP Professional Setup
|
| To install Windows XP on the partition you selected, Setup
| must write some startup files to the following disk:
|
| Unknown Disk
|
| However, this disk does not contain a Windows XP-
| compatible partition.
|
| To continue installing Windows XP, return to the partition
| selection screen and create a Windows XP-compatible
| partition on the disk above. If there is no free space on
| the disk, delete an existing partition, and then create a
| new one.
|
| To return to the partition selection screen, press ENTER.
|
| END QUOTE.
|
| Just one big circle round and round.
|
| Help please.
|
|
.

 

[Tronno]

No finger trouble. I tried this for about 45 minutes. It
takes me around and around. Error after error. I know
where my enter key is. It won't work.