bespalex

Hi everybody,

I seem to be having some problems installing a clean copy of Windows XP on my new computer...

(The following is a long read but I just wanted to make sure I include as many details as possible to describe my problem)

Yesterday I purchased a new computer from Future Shop. It already has a pre-installed Windows XP Media Center Edition with SP2 on it. Everything works fine but they put 12 gigs of junk on it that I really don't need, like promotional offers from HP, some games and other useless stuff. I though it'd be a good idea to format the drive and start fresh with a new version of Windows XP. Since my computer is a Dual Core with Viiv Technology, I thought it'd be a good idea to have a 64 bit version of Windows XP, so I bought one the same day. I have no problem formating and proceed with a clean installation of Windows XP as I have done it so many times before that I could do it with my eyes closed.

So I insert the Windows XP installation CD in the drive. I restart my computer and then go to setup to check if my boot sequence is set to read the cd drive before any hard disk drives. Everything's alright and I load setup defauls just to make sure it's kept this away. I save and exit. Then the black screen comes up a message saying to press any key if I want to run the CD. I press Enter. Then the blue screen comes on loading drivers for the windows installation. After it had finished loading, it displayed the first screen of the installation where it says:

To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER

...so I press it. As soon as I do that, it goes to another screen where this message appears:

Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer. Make sure any hard disk drives are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and that any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacturer-supplied diagnostic or setup program.
Setup cannot continue. To quit Setup, press F3.

I pressed F3 and the computer restarts. As a last resort, I tried istalling the 64 bit version of Windows XP from the Media Center Edition of Windows XP pre-installed on my computer but when I insert the cd, this message comes up:

This version of Windows must be installed by booting off of the CD. Please reboot your computer with the CD in the drive

After all of this, I was really hoping that it might be just a little glitch with the CD itself, so I tried installing my 32 bit version of windows XP that I have since a long time ago (I know it works for sure). So I did the same thing as I before: I insert the cd, load it as soon as soon my computer restarts, and press enter to set up windows XP. When I press enter, the long message does not appear, but it brings me to the end-user license agreement page, as it should. So at this point I'm pretty confident that it'll work. I press F8 to accept the agreement and then it brings me to the partition page. The strange thing is that in that box in the lower part of the screen, I only see:

Unknown Disk
<There is no disk in this drive>

Unknown Disk
<There is no disk in this drive>

Unknown Disk
<There is no disk in this drive>

Unknown Disk
<There is no disk in this drive>

When I try pressing either the UP arrow or the DOWN arrow nothing happens, ie nothing gets selected. Then I tried pressing "d" to delete the partition, but this message appears:

Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected partition. This partition contains temporaty Setup files that are required to complete the installation. To continue press Enter

I pressed Enter to return to the previous screen, and I tried to select a different partition but nothing happened. When I press "c" to create a new partition or Enter to setup Windows XP on the selected partition, this long message appears:

A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

The problem seems to be caused by the following file: setupdd.sys

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any Windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Started Optionsm and then select Safe Mode

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x00000050 (0xE52FFB30, 0x00000000, 0xF741CB86, 0x00000002)
*** setupdd.sys - Address F741CB86 base at F73F3000, DateStamp 3b7d8507

Like with the 64 bit version, I tried installing from the pre-installed Windows Media Center Edition, but this message appeared:

Setup cannot continue because the version of Windows on your computer is newer than the version on the CD"

So at this point I really don't know what to do. I don't know much about computers but to me it doesn't make any sense. My hard disk seems to be working fine seeing how it loads the pre-installed Windows XP Media Center Edition without any problems. I'm able to go to the internet, copy files back and forth, etc. So why doesn't it recognise the hard disk during installation?!?!?! Like I said, I bought the computer yesterday. It's brand new. I didn't change anything, I didn't do anything.

So what could be the problem, and how do I fix it?! Any help is appreciated

Here are my computer specifications if it could be of any help to determine what the problem is:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...0073407&catid=

PurpleSky

Can you give us your motherboard model and number ?

Seems like windows set up is not recognizing your hard drive because it doesnt have the driver. I am sure you have noticed windows asks you to press f6 if you are going to install a 3rd party driver. Thats what we are going to do. You will need to get the raid drivers from your motherboard cd and copy it to a floppy ( some do it automaticly you just click on the file and it copies everything necessary to the floppy ) then during set up press f6 to load the drivers. Then your hd will be recognized.

jnob

It sounds to me like your SATA controller requires drivers in order for windows install to recognize the hard drive. If you open the case does the SATA plug straight into the motherboard or is it plugged into a card which is plugged into a PCI slot? What troubles me is that judging by the pic and reading the specs this computer does not seem to have a 3.5" floppy drive which is usually required for loading disk controller drivers. It may be possible to put the drivers on a cd and load them from the second cdrom but I have never tried it I'm not sure if the XP install recognizes additional cdroms. Check all the disks that came with the computer, if a drive controller driver is required they should have included it. If not you might be able to download the driver by doing a search for the controller card or motherboard depending on where the SATA card is connected.

bespalex

Thanks for the fast reply

The only CDs/Floppy disks that were included in the box were the Wireless LAN device installation CD and an AOL CD, that's it! No motherboard CD or driver CD whatsoever...

I tried pressing F6 after the any key. Then after a little while, the following message appears:

Setup could not determine the type of one or more mass storage devices installed in your system, or your have chose to manually specify an adapter. Currently, Setup will load support for the following mass storage device(s):

<none>

* To specify additional SCSI adapters, CD-ROM drives, or special disk controllers for use with windows, including those for which you have a device support disk from a mass storage device manufacturer, press S.

* If you do not have any device support disks from a mass storage device manufacturer or do not want to specify additional mass storage devices for use with Windows, press Enter.

If I press S, the following message appears:

Setup could not find a floppy drive on your machine to load OEM frivers from floppy disk

* Press ESC to cancel loading OEM drivers
* Press F3 to quit Setup

If I press Enter, the the setup process simply continues like before until eventually the same message appears stating that Setup did not find any disk drives installed in my computer

what should I do in this case, and also if I don't have a floppy drive, how will I install the necessary drivers for my HD. This is getting soo confusing?!?! Nothing like that use to happen with any other hard disks I used...

geoffm

Hi.
What's happening is when you boot from wins cd the comp. does not see the drivers installed on the hard drive which were used to communicate with the sata drive installed in you're machine.(windows does not carry sata drivers)...The press F6 option tells wins. you are going to suppy the drivers so it can see the sata drive,these drivers usualy come on the motherboard disc, can be downloaded from m/board site but you should have the disc with the m/c...If you load these drivers then all will go as normal
geoffm

bespalex

unfortunately, there was no such cd/floppy provided with my PC

let's say I find the right drivers, can I use an external floppy drive (that I can buy separatly) and use it to boot the floppy with the drivers at the startup screen? the reason I ask is because they're connected throught a USB port and I don't know if the system recognises USB before the actual operating system loads....

jnob

You'd be better off with an internal floppy. An external might work but I predict complications.

hwm54112

When you find your drivers, Slipstream the required drivers onto your XP install disk. No floppy required!

You might want to check with future shop. I would think at least a restore cd should have been included that would contain the drivers

Benio

Ok, this problem is very easy to fix...

1. Restart your computer or turn it on
2. When you see the HP screen logo press f10 ...in short just enter bios setup
3. Under System Config disable the SATA
4. Save settings and exit...

this will fix your prob... have a nice day

linderman

Hello:



I am willing to wager your system has a Sata boot drive; and if so turning off the SATA controller in the bios is not going to be your salvation.

You must determine which interface hard drive you have. Look at the cable connected to your hard drive >>> ifs it about two inches wide then its and IDE drive and turning off the Sata Controller will cure your current woes; however; if the cable connected to your drive is only about one inch wide and red in color; then its a Sata drive. If its a Sata drive then follow HWM's excellent instructions. You will however need to determine your motherboard make and model to obtain the sata driver.

please dont hesitate to ask more questions.

simpswr

Most newer BIOS allow an Alternate method for SATA . . Go into the bios and check the "Sata Operation" setting, change it to "Raid Autodetect/ATA if it is not already. Now try to install XP ( Verbage will vary by manufacturer )

You might be better off just going to add/remove programs and uninstalling the ones you do not want