New Install of XP problem

[Guest]

I am setting up a new PC and installing XP on a new hard drive (Western Digital 120Gb
The setup program starts up, loads drivers, prompts me to format the drive (which i do) Then it continues to install by re-booting the system, upon which it starts the installation cycle (format, reboot) all over again, and again, and again

The system is a P4 2.8Ghz with 512 Mb - the boot CD is a DVD/CD drive

Any help?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

On subsequent reboots, do NOT press a key to boot to CDROM.
Also be sure the hard drive is a boot device in the BIOS, preferably
#2 with CDROM being #1.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

I am setting up a new PC and installing XP on a new hard drive (Western Digital 120Gb)
The setup program starts up, loads drivers, prompts me to format the

drive (which i do) Then it continues to install by re-booting the
system, upon which it starts the installation cycle (format, reboot)
all over again, and again, and again.

 

[Guest]

No luck. I do not have to press a key to boot from CD when it starts up. Also the boot order is DVD/CD followed by the HD. Apparently XP is installing some files to the HD because when it goes to format the HD again on after rebooting it asks whether to do a quick format, a full format or use the existing format. If I choose the existing format it notifies me that an existing /Windows directory exists and will be overwritten. I have tried different combinations to no avail.

----- Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote: ----

On subsequent reboots, do NOT press a key to boot to CDROM
Also be sure the hard drive is a boot device in the BIOS, preferabl
#2 with CDROM being #1

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar

I am setting up a new PC and installing XP on a new hard driv (Western Digital 120Gb
The setup program starts up, loads drivers, prompts me to format th

drive (which i do) Then it continues to install by re-booting th
system, upon which it starts the installation cycle (format, reboot
all over again, and again, and again

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

You have tried the Full Format option?
After installation starts, as the first reboot is starting, remove the
Windows XP CD.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

No luck. I do not have to press a key to boot from CD when it

starts up. Also the boot order is DVD/CD followed by the HD.
Apparently XP is installing some files to the HD because when it goes
to format the HD again on after rebooting it asks whether to do a
quick format, a full format or use the existing format. If I choose
the existing format it notifies me that an existing /Windows directory
exists and will be overwritten. I have tried different combinations
to no avail.

----- Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote: -----

On subsequent reboots, do NOT press a key to boot to CDROM.
Also be sure the hard drive is a boot device in the BIOS, preferably
#2 with CDROM being #1.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

I am setting up a new PC and installing XP on a new hard

drive
(Western Digital 120Gb)

The setup program starts up, loads drivers, prompts me to

format the
drive (which i do) Then it continues to install by re-booting the
system, upon which it starts the installation cycle (format, reboot)
all over again, and again, and again. DVD/CD

drive.

 

[Guest]

Nope. Tried removing the CD - the screen tells me it is missing the disk and to CTL-ALT-DEL. I also tried all three format options - Quick, full, and use existing. Setup just keeps on booting and restarting itself.

Could it be a bad CD? Or how about the HD? I used the Seagate Data Lifeguard CD to partition the drive, as they instructed, prior to installing XP. By the way this is XP Pro.

----- Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote: -----

You have tried the Full Format option?
After installation starts, as the first reboot is starting, remove the
Windows XP CD.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

No luck. I do not have to press a key to boot from CD when it

starts up. Also the boot order is DVD/CD followed by the HD.
Apparently XP is installing some files to the HD because when it goes
to format the HD again on after rebooting it asks whether to do a
quick format, a full format or use the existing format. If I choose
the existing format it notifies me that an existing /Windows directory
exists and will be overwritten. I have tried different combinations
to no avail.

----- Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote: -----
On subsequent reboots, do NOT press a key to boot to CDROM.

Also be sure the hard drive is a boot device in the BIOS, preferably
#2 with CDROM being #1.

--

Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

I am setting up a new PC and installing XP on a new hard

drive
(Western Digital 120Gb)

The setup program starts up, loads drivers, prompts me to

format the
drive (which i do) Then it continues to install by re-booting the
system, upon which it starts the installation cycle (format, reboot)
all over again, and again, and again. DVD/CD

drive.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Data Lifeguard may be the problem.
Start over.
At the appropriate screen, delete all partitions then let Windows XP
partition the drive.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

Nope. Tried removing the CD - the screen tells me it is missing the

disk and to CTL-ALT-DEL. I also tried all three format options -
Quick, full, and use existing. Setup just keeps on booting and
restarting itself.

Could it be a bad CD? Or how about the HD? I used the Seagate Data

Lifeguard CD to partition the drive, as they instructed, prior to
installing XP. By the way this is XP Pro.

 

[Guest]

you have not stated whether the hard drive is an EIDE drive or whether it is a SATA drive.

If it is a sata hard drive you need the drivers on a floppy and upon start xp will ask you to press f6 to install scsi device driver then follow instructions.

Alternatively it may be a power supply problem as i had the same problems.

feel free to email me at (e-mail address removed).

 

[Nathan McNulty]

You don't necessarily need the drivers for a SATA drive. Only usually
RAID drivers so if he has it set up in RAID. I couldn't find the
original post, but there is also a way to include RAID drivers on the
Windows XP CD and have Windows install it off that.

Check out http://www.msfn.org/unattended/ for a little more info on that.

Nathan McNulty
Beta ID - 525676