Problem installing XP with SCSI Machine

M

mattebrown

So I am pretty tech savvy, but I seem to have reached my knowledge limit.
Maybe someone out there can help??? I built my home computer years ago,
buying all the cards and devices separately and put the thing together myself
– so I know the system pretty well. It is SCSI based.

I originally started using Windows ME – then got the upgrade disk to XP.
Later downloaded SP 2 and have kept the system up to date constantly through
the Windows update feature.

The SCSI hard drive I originally put in was 36 Gigs. The drive is getting
old, and I need more space, so I got myself a new hard drive (73 Gig) and
bought an OEM version of windows XP – yes, I skipped Vista). This is only
because my original ME disk would come back with an error during the
formatting of the new hard drive – so I just said the heck with it, and got a
new FULL version of XP.

I installed the new hard drive, put Windows XP full version in the drive and
it started up. Windows formats the hard drive, then automatically reboots
(all is well at this point) then the system restarts, does POST (which
recognized the hard drive), and then nothing but black screen comes up. The
hard drive has stopped spinning, and the little green light under the drive
is OFF.

All my bios and drivers are up to date. I can easily reconnect my old hard
drive and it starts up perfectly. I put back in the new drive, and each time
I try to use the current Windows formatting, or format it again, it always
hangs in the same place and I cannot get Windows to work.

Can anyone advise me??? PLEASE!

Old Hard Drive: Quantum Atlas 10K II 36 gig Ultra 160 SCSI
New Hard Drive: Fujitsu 3735 73.5 Gig Ultra 160 SCSI
SCSI Card: Adaptec 29160 Ultra SCSI Controller
Mother Board: K8 Triton GA-K8NSC-939
 
M

mattebrown

Thanks for the quick reply, JS!

Windows XP disc had a driver for it - but that didn't seem to work. SO I
went to the Adaptec site - got the newest driver - and then did the F6 upon
setup - installed the newer driver, and still have the exact same
symptom/problem. Any other advice you can offer? Thanks in advance!!!!
 
R

R. McCarty

Did you set the new drive to use the same SCSI Bus ID #. ? You'll
need to enter the Adaptec BIOS setup and make sure that the drive
is set to be the selected boot device. Preferably the SCSI ID should
be a lower order number such as 0 or 1.
 
J

JS

This is not a solution but try cloning the contents of the old drive to the
new drive (create a partition on the new drive the same size as the old
drive) and see if it boots.

JS
 
M

mattebrown

Hello R. McCarty - thanks.

Actually, the new hard drive is set at SCSI id 0. Also, the Hard drive is
set to be a boot device, but is third in line - CD, Floppy, the HArd drive -
but this is how my old hard drive was set. Should I change the hard drive to
be #1 - all literature I have read says I should keep it under the CD Rom.
But maybe in this case I must change it? Thanks again!
 
R

R. McCarty

I used to use SCSI and best I can remember setting the Hard drive
as a boot device in the PC BIOS isn't necessary as the SCSI card
takes over control for that function. You only need the Optical and
Floppy if you need to boot to these devices before the HD.

Sounds like you've got the device ID correctly and I'm assuming
you've got your SCSI bus terminator block plugged in. Normally I
would use a disk management program to check the drive/partition
and Active partition status.
 
M

mattebrown

Hey JS - thanks again for taking the time to post -

Well, if all else fails, then just beofre I throw the thing out the window I
will try to clone the darn thing! Never thought of that - thanks. Let's
hope I can get the new one to work "as it should". I'll keep you updated...
 
M

mattebrown

R. McCarty - thanks again for taking the time to post!

Yep, I have the hard drive terminated. Again, I can put back in the old
hard drive, and it load windows great - STar Craft loads up in seconds!
heheh. The only change I am making is to put in the new hard drive. Yet,
the full version on windows XP just wont get beyond formating. This is why I
am pulling my hair out!

Thanks again for the post
 
R

R. McCarty

Just one more thought, XP will have issues with installation if the
destination partition is not formatted with 4-KByte clusters. Not
sure if this applies in your case but worth mentioning.
 
M

mattebrown

Hey there -

Well, the only option XP gave me was the NSTF formating (quick or regular) -
would this fit the criteria you mentioned? FOr some reason FAT32 was not an
option.

Thanks again for trying to help!
 
M

mattebrown

Okay, so we can cross that one of the list of possible causes! - Thanks.

I know the answer is out there some where - maybe I need Agent Moulder on
this one...
 
J

JS

One thing to check is the boot.ini file on the new drive for the correct
SCSI entries. If you can connect both drives and boot from the old drive,
then have a look at the boot.ini files on both drives.

JS
 
M

mattebrown

Hey - thanks

Okay, so I can try to get both drives going at once to check for this. But
this is new teritory for me. Would I just type in boot.ini the Run option
under the Start button - or is this under Win Config?

Once I get there, what am I looking for?

Thanks a ton for all the advice - everyone here has been great!
 
J

JS

M

mattebrown

YEAH!!! I got it to work last night - thanks for all your help guys. I had
to completely remove the partition (deleate it), start totally over fresh.
And the heavens were in perfect alignment - and it worked!
 

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