How do you explain this?!

[GPO]

The following is all true... believe it or not.

The other day I was downloading some updates from the Windows Update website
for my XP machine. One of them was a driver for my on-board sound (nVidia
nForce). The install process crashed my system (I mean really crashed,
turned off completely, no BSOD). I rebooted... and no sound. So I decided to
install the sound drivers that originally came with the PC. A message came
up saying that the drivers may not be compatible with XP or something like
that. Funny, they'd always been fine before. Anyway the drivers would not
install properly. I know this because I still had no sound. So I decided to
see if the Windows XP cd had any way of reinstalling sound drivers. No luck.
Not sure how it happened, but I ended up in the middle of what appeared to
be a complete reinstallation of Windows XP. Then I got this
"UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" message. There was no way to get past it. A Google
search indicated that I should check for 40 wire IDE cables. Nope not that.
Then it suggested I "repair a Windows XP installation using "Recovery
Console" press R ." But no option allowing me to do this appeared during the
boot from the Windows XP cd.

In desperation, I took out the hard drive and copied my data onto another
PC. I put the HDD back and then repartitioned and formatted the drives and
repartitioned the HDD using an old Windows 98 boot disk I had lying around.
I then tried to install XP again and got another "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME"
message. So I tried to install Windows 98 SE and... it installed like a
dream. So I then tried to install windows XP over the top of this, but it
did not seem to recognise the C:\ drive, instead it left Windows 98 SE
intact and installed Windows XP (flawlessly) on D:\. (a logical drive on the
same disk). I then installed the other drivers that came with the PC and...
I still have no sound.

1. So, what has happened to my sound (there don't appear to be problems in
the device manager)?
2. Why did 98SE install but not XP?
3. Why did XP only install once 98 was installed, and only then onto a
different drive?
4. Now when I boot up, I have a dual boot choice of 98 or XP. How do I
safely uninstall 98?
5. Can I move XP to the drive that 98 is on, once 98 is removed?

Regards

GPO

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

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

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

7. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

8. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

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

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| The following is all true... believe it or not.
|
| The other day I was downloading some updates from the Windows Update website
| for my XP machine. One of them was a driver for my on-board sound (nVidia
| nForce). The install process crashed my system (I mean really crashed,
| turned off completely, no BSOD). I rebooted... and no sound. So I decided to
| install the sound drivers that originally came with the PC. A message came
| up saying that the drivers may not be compatible with XP or something like
| that. Funny, they'd always been fine before. Anyway the drivers would not
| install properly. I know this because I still had no sound. So I decided to
| see if the Windows XP cd had any way of reinstalling sound drivers. No luck.
| Not sure how it happened, but I ended up in the middle of what appeared to
| be a complete reinstallation of Windows XP. Then I got this
| "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" message. There was no way to get past it. A Google
| search indicated that I should check for 40 wire IDE cables. Nope not that.
| Then it suggested I "repair a Windows XP installation using "Recovery
| Console" press R ." But no option allowing me to do this appeared during the
| boot from the Windows XP cd.
|
| In desperation, I took out the hard drive and copied my data onto another
| PC. I put the HDD back and then repartitioned and formatted the drives and
| repartitioned the HDD using an old Windows 98 boot disk I had lying around.
| I then tried to install XP again and got another "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME"
| message. So I tried to install Windows 98 SE and... it installed like a
| dream. So I then tried to install windows XP over the top of this, but it
| did not seem to recognise the C:\ drive, instead it left Windows 98 SE
| intact and installed Windows XP (flawlessly) on D:\. (a logical drive on the
| same disk). I then installed the other drivers that came with the PC and...
| I still have no sound.
|
| 1. So, what has happened to my sound (there don't appear to be problems in
| the device manager)?
| 2. Why did 98SE install but not XP?
| 3. Why did XP only install once 98 was installed, and only then onto a
| different drive?
| 4. Now when I boot up, I have a dual boot choice of 98 or XP. How do I
| safely uninstall 98?
| 5. Can I move XP to the drive that 98 is on, once 98 is removed?
|
| Regards
|
| GPO
|
|

 

[GPO]

Thanks for your detailed answer Carey.

From what I recall, booting from the XP CD was not
allowing me to do anything (except install third party
RAID drivers). It just ran through a process of installing
files and then went straight to
the "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" message.

It wasn't until 98 was installed that I got the sort of
screens from the XP cd boot, that resembled those
discussed in these forums.

My sound is on the mobo. I have an option in the BIOS of
disabling it (and the NIC etc). Should I disable these
before an install?

And I'm still curious as to why 98 installed when XP would
not, and why AFTER 98 installed, XP then decided to. Is it
possible that the crash that occurred during the install
of the on-board sound drivers (from the Windows Update
site no less) has damaged the sound components of my
motherboard, and the XP is less inclined to install on
faulty hardware than 98?

Regards

GPO

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

Windows XP Setup most likely doesn't recognize your Hard Drive controller,
in this case, you need them available on floppy, then hit <F6> where you saw
to install 3rd party drivers, insert the floppy and give setup your Hard
Drive controller drivers. Then on the subsequent reboot, you shouldn't get
the "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" message.