need help w/ xp install...ASAP

[Guest]

I have a 'factory Refurbished' Dell dimension 2350 (P4-2Ghz) that came w/o an operating system...i have a NEW XP home disc, however it states that the disc is bad when it attempts to opartition the hard drive prior to installing XP...all the Diagnostics run (Dell's, maxtor's etc) state that everything is fine...I created a boot disc, but cannot complete boot up because it states that the hal.dll file is missing....cant seem to get anywhere w/ the install...any guesses what the trouble is & what to try before giving up and trashing it?

 

[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.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

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 all 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. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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

8. 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.

9. 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/

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


| I have a 'factory Refurbished' Dell dimension 2350 (P4-2Ghz) that came w/o an operating system...i have a
NEW XP home disc, however it states that the disc is bad when it attempts to opartition the hard drive prior
to installing XP...all the Diagnostics run (Dell's, maxtor's etc) state that everything is fine...I created a
boot disc, but cannot complete boot up because it states that the hal.dll file is missing....cant seem to get
anywhere w/ the install...any guesses what the trouble is & what to try before giving up and trashing it?

 

[Robin]

I dont know if you've messed with Maxtor drives, but the one I have is
rather picky you have to run a Maxtor utility before you can partition it
and format, and any boots(floppy or CD) have to be done through the harddisk
bios..., if you didn't the disk wouldn't read right, and windows(98)
installion wouldn't even see it. Its an older one 13Gb, but Id still check
out the Maxtor site for 1. the utility or 2. the installation instructions

Robin

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.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

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 all 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. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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

8. 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.

9. 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/

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


| I have a 'factory Refurbished' Dell dimension 2350 (P4-2Ghz) that came

w/o an operating system...i have a

NEW XP home disc, however it states that the disc is bad when it attempts

to opartition the hard drive prior

to installing XP...all the Diagnostics run (Dell's, maxtor's etc) state

that everything is fine...I created a

boot disc, but cannot complete boot up because it states that the hal.dll

file is missing....cant seem to get

anywhere w/ the install...any guesses what the trouble is & what to try

before giving up and trashing it?