Cna't create a Partition during install

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken Pinard
  • Start date Start date
K

Ken Pinard

When I try to install WindowsXP on a fresh computer I am having a problem
creating a partition.

Computer is 1 1/2 years old. 2.4 ghz.

I have a 200 gig HD. I tried changing the bios to LBA and Large and CHS to
no avail.

When the install application gets to the "Select a partition", it shows
about 178Gigs unallocated. (even though it has been formated on another
computer first).
I click the "C" to create a new partition.
I select the default size (even tried 2 gigs, 10, gigs, 50gigs, 100gigs) and
hit enter key.
It normally returns immediatly to the previous screen showing that the
178Gigs is unallocated.
On occasion it says processing for up to 30 seconds then returns to the
previous screen showing that 178 gigs is unallocated.

I have tried different install cds and dvds (swapping out drives
accordingly). Same thing.

I tried setting the UDMA in the bios, no affect.

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Ken
 
LBA is enabled within winxp, from I recollect sp2 or is it sp1?
With that age of mobo the bios should support large disks, assuming the bios
has been set to defaults is the 200gb recognised in the bios?
Why are you formating on another PC?, the winxp cd has all the tools to
partition/format from scratch
Are the jumpers correctly set on the hd.
 
Ken Pinard said:
When I try to install WindowsXP on a fresh computer I am having a problem
creating a partition.

Computer is 1 1/2 years old. 2.4 ghz.

I have a 200 gig HD. I tried changing the bios to LBA and Large and CHS to
no avail.

When the install application gets to the "Select a partition", it shows
about 178Gigs unallocated. (even though it has been formated on another
computer first).
I click the "C" to create a new partition.
I select the default size (even tried 2 gigs, 10, gigs, 50gigs, 100gigs)
and hit enter key.
It normally returns immediatly to the previous screen showing that the
178Gigs is unallocated.
On occasion it says processing for up to 30 seconds then returns to the
previous screen showing that 178 gigs is unallocated.

I have tried different install cds and dvds (swapping out drives
accordingly). Same thing.

I tried setting the UDMA in the bios, no affect.

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Ken
Click to expand...

Verify that there is no bios extender installed on the hard drive.
 
Is there any data on the drive you need? If not proceed as follows. Download
the drive manufacturer's diagnostic software from their web site. This will
be normally be different from their drive setup software. Use the software
to zero or low level format the drive. This wipe everything from the drive
returning it to new as from the factory state. Now try installing XP. It
sounds like something went wrong when you formatted the drive on a different
computer. The best settings for the drive in your BIOS is Auto detection and
Auto for UDMA settings.
 
I'll try that again now that I've had some coffee :-)

Is there any data on the drive you need? If not proceed as follows. Download
the drive manufacturer's diagnostic software from their web site. This will
normally be different from their drive setup software. Use the software
to zero or low level format the drive. This will wipe everything from the
drive
returning it to new as from the factory state. Now try installing XP. It
sounds like something went wrong when you formatted the drive on a different
computer. The best settings for the drive in your BIOS is Auto detection and
Auto for UDMA settings.
 
When you say LBA is enabled within WinXP, does that mean that the sp2/sp1
has to already have been applied to the install disk before I try and
install it on the computer? (By that I mean an install disk of WinXP SP2.)

In the bios it registers as an 8 gig drive. But when I run the install
program it finds all 178 gigs.

I formated on another drive initially to find out if the drive was bad or
not. No other reason. Its the partition tools in the WinXP cd that are not
running, that is the problem.

I have verified the jumpers with the manufacturer and it shows up on the
bios setup as the only drive on that IDE Controller.

Thank you,

Ken
 
I put the computer together orginially, and I never installed any extender
for the bios. Not even sure how where or what it would like like.

Thank you,

Ken
 
Yes big LBA is MS win specific.
If you have an early edition of win, you have to create a slipstreamed
version with the sp1 (or latest) in order for big LBA to be enabled in the
instalation/setup process.
If you use a none big LBA win (pre sp1), it will see a maximum of 137gb

However you say yours is Winxp sp2, in which case LBA is enabled by default
A 200gb disk should format to about 186gb

If the bios shows 8gb only something is wrong
Have you reset bios to defaults?
What PC or mobo do you have?
 
I have a mobo by Elite PT800-CE v1.1 1/20/2005
Phoenoix Award Bios v6.00

My bois does show only 8gb.

I have reset the defaults a couple of times.

I have never had to worry much about the bios before. What could cause the
bios to be so far wrong?

Thank you,
Ken
 
According to Elite FAQ's the mobo needs a bios update to support 200gb hd.

BTW is the 200gb a sata disk?
 
Hello,
I found updates 1.1d and 1.1e neither one helped. Do you know where I
can find 1.1a -c? or did the FAQ you found mention which update was needed?

Thank you,

Ken
 

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