Cannot reinstall XP

[CAP]

Son's computer (500 GB SATA disk) was working fine as boot disk for his
computer. Recently, computer stopped booting up (appears to be an error
associated with SPTD.SYS which loads immediately after Mup.sys). Normal
options (safe mode, last good config, etc.) for recovery do not work
(computer simply reboots after displaying XP boot screen). Blue screen
appears before that, but disappears so quickly the error can't be read.

Using XP setup disk, tried using recovery console. When setup gets to that
point, selecting either R (for the recovery console) or selecting ENTER (to
install XP), computer displays message "Examining 476938 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on
bus 0 on nvatabus..." This translates (I believe) to OS has identified Disk 0
at Id 0 on bus 0 as existing and having size = 476938 MB. Unfortunately,
computer hangs at that point (must use power off to clear condition).

Have downloaded "proper" drivers for SATA disk from motherboard
manufacturer, so OS properly recognizes disk size. Can never get beyond that
point, though. With incorrect drivers (or no drivers), OS reports disk size
as roughly 138 GB. Have used Western Digital's tool and verified disk works.
Have also used bootitng to verify that files on disk can be read.

Any ideas?

 

[Rich Barry]

See if this helps
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=217729

 

[Anna]

See if this helps
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=217729

CAP:
I have my doubts as to whether the info in that link Rich pointed you to
will help resolve your, i.e., your son's problem. If it does - swell. But if
not...

It sounds as if you have two problems...
1. The obvious one in that the system doesn't boot, and,
2. It looks like you've run into the (about) 137 GB HDD "barrier".

Just a word or two about item 2...

You state "With incorrect drivers (or no drivers), OS reports disk size as
roughly 138 GB". What exactly does this mean? What "incorrect drivers"? Or
"no drivers". Where does this "report" come from? You received this "report"
from the system *before* it became unbootable? Through Disk Management? From
the motherboard's BIOS?

Anyway, before your unbootable troubles arose, did the XP OS contain either
SP1 or SP2 or SP3 at the time the 500 GB SATA HDD was installed? Your son's
system is SATA-II capable, yes?

Normally no add'l "drivers" are necessary to detect the full disk size
capacity of a HDD, but you indicate that you did download (from the
motherboard's manuf.) & install the "proper" drivers for the 500 GB SATA HDD
and as a result the system *did* recognize the 500 GB disk capacity. Do I
have that right? What make/model motherboard is in the system? And we're not
dealing here with any RAID configuration are we?

But getting to your son's main problem - the unbootable issue...

Do you or your son have *any* idea as to what might have caused the
unbootable issue? One day the system worked just fine; the next day it
didn't? And as far as he & you know there were no changes in the system that
might have caused a problem here?

You mention using the "XP setup disk". I assume you're referring to the XP
OS installation CD, right? Is it a full retail version, a non-branded OEM
CD, or is it the Recovery/Restore CD that some OEMs provide? What I'm trying
to get at is whether you can run a Repair install (*not* the Recovery
Console) of the OS. Are you familiar with that process?
Anna

 

[CAP]

Anna,

Thanks for following up.

In no particular order, the answers to your questions are:
The OS report of the disk size as roughly 138 GB was what the OS showed when
I tried to install the OS/start the recovery console without providing the
manufacturer's drivers. The BIOS properly said the disk was 500 GB.

I am "effectively" using the full retail version of XP Pro (without any
service packs). That is the answer to your question about what I meant about
the XP setup disk. I say "effectively" because we borrowed the XP Pro "CD"
from a Microsoft employee.

Before the computer developed this problem, it was running XP Home with SP2
and had been using the 500 GBN SATA HDD as its boot disk for > 1 year. I
don't remember what XP OS was in use when the HDD initially became the boot
disk. The computer is SATA2 capable.

My son says it simply worked one day and didn't work the next day. No
software or hardware was added or removed.

Whenever the OS gets to the point of talking to the HDD (either for install
or for recovery console), it displays a message that indicates it recognizes
the HDD's correct size, but then hangs (hard - must cycle power to clear the
hang).

Have now done a full ver (using WD software of the integrity of the SATA
HDD). As original message indicated, used bootitng to "look" at the root
directory and windows directory of the SATA HDD.

Hopefully, this "clarification" will prompt someone with the proper
response. One other thing, the motherboard manufacturer's install disks and
Windows XP Home install disk are at my home 3000 miles from my son's computer.

 

[Anna]

Anna,

Thanks for following up.

In no particular order, the answers to your questions are:
The OS report of the disk size as roughly 138 GB was what the OS showed
when
I tried to install the OS/start the recovery console without providing the
manufacturer's drivers. The BIOS properly said the disk was 500 GB.

I am "effectively" using the full retail version of XP Pro (without any
service packs). That is the answer to your question about what I meant
about
the XP setup disk. I say "effectively" because we borrowed the XP Pro "CD"
from a Microsoft employee.

Before the computer developed this problem, it was running XP Home with
SP2
and had been using the 500 GBN SATA HDD as its boot disk for > 1 year. I
don't remember what XP OS was in use when the HDD initially became the
boot
disk. The computer is SATA2 capable.

My son says it simply worked one day and didn't work the next day. No
software or hardware was added or removed.

Whenever the OS gets to the point of talking to the HDD (either for
install
or for recovery console), it displays a message that indicates it
recognizes
the HDD's correct size, but then hangs (hard - must cycle power to clear
the
hang).

Have now done a full ver (using WD software of the integrity of the SATA
HDD). As original message indicated, used bootitng to "look" at the root
directory and windows directory of the SATA HDD.

Hopefully, this "clarification" will prompt someone with the proper
response. One other thing, the motherboard manufacturer's install disks
and
Windows XP Home install disk are at my home 3000 miles from my son's
computer.

CAP:
While I'm still puzzled re that 137 or 138 GB disk-capacity limitation issue
and how the HDD manufacturer's "drivers" resolved that issue, we'll let that
pass since apparently there's no problem in that area now since you've
indicated (or so I believe) that the system now recognizes the full-capacity
of that 500 GB HDD. So that problem is over & done with, right?

So back to the more pressing problem...

It would probably be best at this point to run a Repair install of the XP OS
on the assumption that you would have access to the XP installation CD that
matches the XP version in the system, a necessary prerequisite (among other
things) to run a Repair install of the OS. Do I understand you to say that
the OS we're dealing with is the Home Ed., but you have only the XP Pro Ed.
OS installation CD in your possession? If that be the case (or vice versa)
you could not undertake the Repair install under those circumstances.

In my original post responding to your query I asked whether you were
familiar with the process of undertaking a Repair install of the XP OS. Are
you? If you're not, here are some links that have detailed info on the
process...
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=138
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxppro/installxpcdrepair/indexfullpage.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341
Anna