XP install in a loop?

K

Kenny

Trying to re-install XP Pro/SP3 using an nLite slipstreamed CD on partition
C:, IDE 0.
I delete existing partition, Format C: and start installing XP.
Copies files to installation folder, restarts, starts Setup and copying
files.
Appears to copy all files then goes back to the Setup screen asking me where
to install Windows with C: being highlighted.
I am going round in circles here, have re-installed XP on this partition
before but not sure if I used the nLite SP3 CD.
Should I try again with the original XP CD, no service packs, and install
SP3 afterwards?
Replies appreciated.
 
M

Mark Adams

Kenny said:
Trying to re-install XP Pro/SP3 using an nLite slipstreamed CD on partition
C:, IDE 0.
I delete existing partition, Format C: and start installing XP.
Copies files to installation folder, restarts, starts Setup and copying
files.
Appears to copy all files then goes back to the Setup screen asking me where
to install Windows with C: being highlighted.
I am going round in circles here, have re-installed XP on this partition
before but not sure if I used the nLite SP3 CD.
Should I try again with the original XP CD, no service packs, and install
SP3 afterwards?
Replies appreciated.
From what I have read in these newsgroups, you cannot install SP3 directly
to an XP "Gold" (no service packs) install. You must install SP1 or SP2
first. I presume that for this reason, you can't slipstream SP3 to a XP Gold
disk either. How did you create the slipstream disk? You may have to make a
Gold install and allow Automatic Updates to install SP2, then use your SP3
disk to continue updating.
 
A

Alias

Kenny said:
Trying to re-install XP Pro/SP3 using an nLite slipstreamed CD on partition
C:, IDE 0.
I delete existing partition, Format C: and start installing XP.
Copies files to installation folder, restarts, starts Setup and copying
files.
Appears to copy all files then goes back to the Setup screen asking me where
to install Windows with C: being highlighted.
I am going round in circles here, have re-installed XP on this partition
before but not sure if I used the nLite SP3 CD.
Should I try again with the original XP CD, no service packs, and install
SP3 afterwards?
Replies appreciated.

When the set up reboots and you are asked to press any key to boot from
the CD, DON'T or you will, as you have seen, start installing XP again.

Alias
 
K

Kenny

Thanks for the reply.
Tried formatting and installing from original XP CD without service packs,
still the same. It appears to install Windows OK then goes to "Starting
Windows", sits at that for a while then reverts back to the Setup screen
with the choice of where to install WIndows.
C: is highlighted here and if I click Enter to install XP it tells me
there's an OS on this partition with the warnings about installing OS twice
to same partition. I had deleted then recreated and formatted that
partition before starting.
If I start PC from Ultimate Boot CD all the Windows files appear to be on
the C: partition. I seems that XP is installing but won't start after
install.
I'm at a loss here and don't know what's happening.
 
E

Elmo

Kenny said:
Thanks for the reply.
Tried formatting and installing from original XP CD without service packs,
still the same. It appears to install Windows OK then goes to "Starting
Windows", sits at that for a while then reverts back to the Setup screen
with the choice of where to install Windows.

Is there a Cancel option? If so, maybe it'll bypass the CD and open
Windows at that point.. didn't someone post to that effect yesterday?
(maybe in a different thread.)
 
M

Mark Adams

Kenny said:
Thanks for the reply.
Tried formatting and installing from original XP CD without service packs,
still the same. It appears to install Windows OK then goes to "Starting
Windows", sits at that for a while then reverts back to the Setup screen
with the choice of where to install WIndows.
C: is highlighted here and if I click Enter to install XP it tells me
there's an OS on this partition with the warnings about installing OS twice
to same partition. I had deleted then recreated and formatted that
partition before starting.
If I start PC from Ultimate Boot CD all the Windows files appear to be on
the C: partition. I seems that XP is installing but won't start after
install.
I'm at a loss here and don't know what's happening.

Did you try what Alias suggested and NOT "press any key to boot from CD"
after the first reboot?
 
D

Daave

Mark said:
Did you try what Alias suggested and NOT "press any key to boot from
CD" after the first reboot?

Yes, that was good advice. Unfortunately, for some odd reason, his posts
are often removed from the MS news server. So OP may have never even
seen that advice.
 
A

Alias

Daave said:
Yes, that was good advice. Unfortunately, for some odd reason, his posts
are often removed from the MS news server. So OP may have never even
seen that advice.

Good old censorship is still alive and well at Redmond I see.

Alias
 
K

Kenny

I don't press any keys after the first reboot, just let it continue on.
Have even tried removing the CD at this point but then I get "Invalid
partition table".
I also have a SATA drive and since my original post I tried to install XP on
a partition on that with exactly the same result.
I now have 2 XP's, one on an IDE drive and one on a SATA drive and the PC
won't boot to either.
Only thing I can think of next is remove all HDD's, put in a clean IDE HDD
and see if XP will install on that, I don't have a spare SATA drive.
 
A

Andy

I don't press any keys after the first reboot, just let it continue on.
Have even tried removing the CD at this point but then I get "Invalid
partition table".

In your original message it looked like you used some third party
software to partition and format the drive before starting Windows XP
setup. Try partitioning and formatting the drive during Windows XP
setup.
 
W

windmap

Trying to re-install XP Pro/SP3 using an nLite slipstreamed CD on partition
C:, IDE 0.
I delete existing partition, Format C: and start installing XP.
Copies files to installation folder, restarts, starts Setup and copying
files.
Appears to copy all files then goes back to the Setup screen asking me where
to install Windows with C: being highlighted.
I am going round in circles here, have re-installed XP on this partition
before but not sure if I used the nLite SP3 CD.
Should I try again with the original XP CD, no service packs, and install
SP3 afterwards?
Replies appreciated.

Check cd for scratches and damages.Try the cd in different computer
see if it installs properly.
 
M

Mark Adams

Kenny said:
I don't press any keys after the first reboot, just let it continue on.
Have even tried removing the CD at this point but then I get "Invalid
partition table".
I also have a SATA drive and since my original post I tried to install XP on
a partition on that with exactly the same result.
I now have 2 XP's, one on an IDE drive and one on a SATA drive and the PC
won't boot to either.
Only thing I can think of next is remove all HDD's, put in a clean IDE HDD
and see if XP will install on that, I don't have a spare SATA drive.

Check the install disk as "windmap" suggested. Also change the CD drive and
IDE or SATA cable for known good ones. Maybe your CD drive is not reading the
disk properly. Try having only one hard drive connected during the install.
XP has to have SATA drivers installed from a floppy drive early in the
install routine. If your mainboard is of recent manufacture, the drivers are
probably installed automatically and you shouldn't need to do this. Go to the
websites of the manufacturers of your hard drives and download their disk
checking utilities and check the disks. Use their formatting utilities to
copy zeros to the disks and install XP again on an empty disk. Let XP create
the partition and format it to NTFS, then proceed with the install. Don't
"press any key to boot from CD" when it reboots. If this doesn't do it, then
there is something funky with your mainboard or there is a bug in the BIOS.
 
K

Kenny

Thanks for all the replies.
Disconnected the 2 IDE drives, low level formatted the Samsung 250GB SATA
drive with the Samsung utility, set up C: partition as 40GB for Windows and
apps and partition E: the remainder for storage. D: was already used for
DVDRW drive.
XP then installed very smoothly on C:.
Only concern is what happens now if I re-connect either or both of the IDE
drives? There are C:, D: and E: partitions on these.
I have an IDE USB HDD enclosure, should I use that to retrieve data from
them and change drive letters before formatting?

Kenny Cargill
 
M

Mark Adams

Kenny said:
Thanks for all the replies.
Disconnected the 2 IDE drives, low level formatted the Samsung 250GB SATA
drive with the Samsung utility, set up C: partition as 40GB for Windows and
apps and partition E: the remainder for storage. D: was already used for
DVDRW drive.
XP then installed very smoothly on C:.
Only concern is what happens now if I re-connect either or both of the IDE
drives? There are C:, D: and E: partitions on these.
I have an IDE USB HDD enclosure, should I use that to retrieve data from
them and change drive letters before formatting?

Kenny Cargill
Kenny, attach your IDE drives one at a time so there will be less confusion
over which drive letter is which. Set the jumper on the drive to "slave" and
attach the IDE cable. You should now be able to access the drive and copy the
data that you need off. Once you have the data, use Disk Management to
partition and reformat the drive as you need. When done, attach the other
drive the same way and take the data off it as well. then partition and
format using Disk Management. You should be good to go. Please post back with
the outcome.
 
K

Kenny

Thanks for the reply and the advice.
Not at desktop PC at the minute but will post back with the results later.

Kenny Cargill
 
K

Kenny

Quick follow up.
Had problems when the 2 IDE drives were connected both as Slaves, it saw one
but not the other.
Jumpered both as Chip Select (CS) and no problem since then.
Am hoping to get even a slight improvement in performance by installing XP
to SATA rather than IDE but can't see much difference so far.

Kenny Cargill
 
M

Mark Adams

Kenny said:
Quick follow up.
Had problems when the 2 IDE drives were connected both as Slaves, it saw one
but not the other.
Jumpered both as Chip Select (CS) and no problem since then.
Am hoping to get even a slight improvement in performance by installing XP
to SATA rather than IDE but can't see much difference so far.

Kenny Cargill

Glad to see that you got it sorted out.

Mark
 

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