Problem Reinstalling Windows XP

[bird_head]

Pentium 4 2.8Ghz
Abit IS7 mobo
Lite On CD-RW
Sapphire ATI Radeon 9000 Pro
Antec Tru Power
Hitachi Deskstar HDD, 80GB SATA

This problem originated after I defragged my main hard drive, or after I
added a new Maxtor One Touch External HDD, 250 GB at around the same day.
When next time I re-booted the computer, I received the "ntldr missing,
press control+alt+delete to restart".

After researching the problem and trying all the fixes I could find on the
internet without success, I decided I would reformat and reinstall Windows
XP since I had my important docs and files on CD-RW.

I ensured that I could boot up with CD-ROM in BIOS. In fact, I checked to
make sure all my BIOS settings were accurate.

When I try to reinstall Windows XP using the Windows XP Home Edition Setup
exactly as described in Windows Reinstall.com, I get to the page that lists
the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on the computer. C: (NTFS)is
there with 78529 MB listed as free space, plus 8 MB unpartitioned space. It
also says "Unknown disc", and "this drive does not contain a disc." Huh???
When I press enter to continue with the install, it says: "To install
Windows XP on the partition you selected, Setup must write some startup
files to the following disk...Unknown Disk. However, this disc does not
contain an XP compatible partition." It then asks me to return to the
partition selection screen and create a windows compatible partition on the
unknown disk. I have deleted and created umpteen new partitions, and have
tried everything I can think of to get past this hurdle, with no luck. Why
does it state "unknown disk"? Is this where the root of the problem is, and
if so, how do I fix it. Thanks for any help.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Delete all the partitions then let Windows create and partition the drive:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/cleanxp.htm

 

[remove this]

Thanks for replying. Deleting and recreating the partitions does not seem
to be the problem. It will let me recreate all the partitions I want, but
after recreating them and pressing enter, it goes to the next screen where
it says (verbatim):

"To install Windows XP on the partition you selected, Setup must write some
startup files to the following disk:
Unknown Disk
However, this disk does not contain a Windows XP-compatible partition.
To continue installing Windows XP, return to the partition selection screen
and create a Windows XP-compatible partition on the disk above. If there is
no free space on the disk, delete an existing partition, and then create a
new one.
To return to the partition selection screen, press enter."

When I do what it asks, it just repeats all over again. I have tried F6 to
reinstall SATA drivers (which I never had to do before and everything worked
fine), and have tried manually reformatting the hard drive from the recovery
console first, which I should not have had to do either.

 

[Alex Nichol]

, I get to the page that lists
the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on the computer. C: (NTFS)is
there with 78529 MB listed as free space, plus 8 MB unpartitioned space. It
also says "Unknown disc", and "this drive does not contain a disc." Huh???
When I press enter to continue with the install

At that point hit ESC. You can then delete the existing partitions if
any that show up and make a new one for use. Be sure you have data
backed up