OK, having boot problems...

jasoncarle · 02-08-2007, 04:24 PM

heres the deal.

Bought a new HDD and installed it, used fdisk to create a partition then installed Win98 so I could use the XP upgrade CD I have. Only one problem, I cant boot to Win98 after installing it.

Any ideas or followup questions?

Thanks.

**Doby** · 02-08-2007, 07:41 PM

Boot from your windows XP cd and install, there is no need to install 98 even though this is a XP upgrade edition. Partition and format the drive with the XP cd using ntsf. At some point during the install it will ask for verification that you owned a previous version of windows and at this point you simply put in your 98 or ME cd it looks at it then you remove it and put back in your xp cd and it will continue the install.

Note that this will not work with a restore cd that some brand name computers come with but does work with a 98/ME retail or oem version

**OldGrayGary** · 02-09-2007, 12:16 PM

Hi jasoncarle, Hi Doby

Jason - I'm wondering if you meant that you've already installed Windows XP, and you'd wanted to keep both as a dual boot?

If a dual-boot wasn't your intention, follow Doby's instructions to have just Windows XP on the hard drive. When XP is ready to setup the partitons, have it delete the current ones, and create new - use the NTFS file system when formatting.

Let us know if you'd meant to create a dual-boot, we can help you with that, if that was your plan.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

jasoncarle · 02-10-2007, 08:02 PM

No, I did not mean to create a dual boot. I will try the above instructions and see if they work.

jasoncarle · 02-10-2007, 08:57 PM

Ok, heres the current status, I can not install anything on this HDD, everytime I get errors and the install stops.

This is a brand new drive, there should be nothing wrong with it, and the XP and 98 CDs are both legit.

**OldGrayGary** · 02-11-2007, 12:01 AM

Hi again

What errors are you seeing? (give as much details of the errors as you can).

If you want a quick-fix try - since you've had a bit of coming and going with the two different installs attempted on the drive - see if deleting the current partitions (use any tool you'd like, but just delete the partitions) - then try booting from the Windows XP CD (like Doby instructed) and letting XP Setup detect the blank drive - it should offer to partition and format it, and then the XP Setup should continue.

There are some limitations to the size of hard drives, due to motherboard bios limitations, and due to limitations from different versions of Windows. A computers bios must have 48bit LBA capability to see the full capacity of a hard drive larger than 137gb. Windows XP itself did not gain the ability to easily use drives larger than 137gb until Service Pack 1 (usually abbreviated SP1).

Make sure that the computer is completely disconnected from networks (both wired and wireless - unplug/disable), and disconnected from printers, cameras, scanners, multifunction devices, Midi devices or joysticks, PDAs, USB flash drives, etc. - during the install.

If the computer's Bios has a "Bios-AntiVirus" feature, such as "Bios Guard" or "Bios Shield" - or similiar - you'l want to disable that until you are finished with the install, and then re-enable the protection.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

jasoncarle · 02-12-2007, 06:11 PM

Partitions are deleted. I got through the install of XP, on the reboot, it came up with an error and would not continue with the install.

if it does it again, I will tell you exactly what it says.

I have replaced the battery on the MOBO that was dead, and the drive is 120gb.

Geekgirl · 02-12-2007, 06:51 PM

You might want to Find the manufacturer of your hard drive and run their Hard Drive Diagnostics Utility.

**Doby** · 02-12-2007, 06:57 PM

Gary as always has given you some excellent advice so please follow everything he has said.

It may help if you explain what lead up to you having to install a new drive, was the computer working normally with the old drive? Just trying to see if another component maybe to blame

You could check the drive by going to the manufactures website and downloading their free diagnostics, you then follow their instructions to create a bootable floppy or cd and boot from it to check the drive. This way we can rule out the drive as the culprit.

Please list your full system specs
Hopefully Gary has some more ideas as well

**OldGrayGary** · 02-13-2007, 11:33 AM

Hi everyone -

Jasoncarle - Along with any extra info and updates you have for us on your next post - if Setup runs into that error again, along with the error message, let us know at what step in Setup you were at, and whether the reboot was a surprise, or just a standard part of Setup.

Don't forget to go through the Bios Setup screens fairly thoroughly after replacing the CMOS battery, since everything will have gone back to defaults. You have to set the time/date, make sure the timings and onboard devices are set OK, and turn off any Bios virus protection until after the install is done (then re-enable it afterwards). By all means, run at stock speeds (no overclocking) until XP is installed and stable.

Doby and Geekgirl have mentioned running diagnostics, especially if you continue getting errors. They've already given you the link to hard drive diagnostics: you may also want to run some memory diagnostics, too, if the error parade goes on. MemTest86+ is free, and updated often - no surprise that it gets recommended a lot (it's "open source") --- http://www.memtest.org

Hope your puzzle is solved soon -
. . . Gary

02-08-2007, 04:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
jasoncarle Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: US Posts: 106 OS: XP and Mac OSX	OK, having boot problems... heres the deal. Bought a new HDD and installed it, used fdisk to create a partition then installed Win98 so I could use the XP upgrade CD I have. Only one problem, I cant boot to Win98 after installing it. Any ideas or followup questions? Thanks.

02-08-2007, 07:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Doby Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central PA (USA) Posts: 8,081 OS: XP sp2/ Vista My System	Boot from your windows XP cd and install, there is no need to install 98 even though this is a XP upgrade edition. Partition and format the drive with the XP cd using ntsf. At some point during the install it will ask for verification that you owned a previous version of windows and at this point you simply put in your 98 or ME cd it looks at it then you remove it and put back in your xp cd and it will continue the install. Note that this will not work with a restore cd that some brand name computers come with but does work with a 98/ME retail or oem version __________________ Would you like to help TSF fight cancer and other diseases??? JOIN TEAM TSF

02-09-2007, 12:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Hi jasoncarle, Hi Doby Jason - I'm wondering if you meant that you've already installed Windows XP, and you'd wanted to keep both as a dual boot? If a dual-boot wasn't your intention, follow Doby's instructions to have just Windows XP on the hard drive. When XP is ready to setup the partitons, have it delete the current ones, and create new - use the NTFS file system when formatting. Let us know if you'd meant to create a dual-boot, we can help you with that, if that was your plan. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________

02-11-2007, 12:01 AM	#6 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Hi again What errors are you seeing? (give as much details of the errors as you can). If you want a quick-fix try - since you've had a bit of coming and going with the two different installs attempted on the drive - see if deleting the current partitions (use any tool you'd like, but just delete the partitions) - then try booting from the Windows XP CD (like Doby instructed) and letting XP Setup detect the blank drive - it should offer to partition and format it, and then the XP Setup should continue. There are some limitations to the size of hard drives, due to motherboard bios limitations, and due to limitations from different versions of Windows. A computers bios must have 48bit LBA capability to see the full capacity of a hard drive larger than 137gb. Windows XP itself did not gain the ability to easily use drives larger than 137gb until Service Pack 1 (usually abbreviated SP1). Make sure that the computer is completely disconnected from networks (both wired and wireless - unplug/disable), and disconnected from printers, cameras, scanners, multifunction devices, Midi devices or joysticks, PDAs, USB flash drives, etc. - during the install. If the computer's Bios has a "Bios-AntiVirus" feature, such as "Bios Guard" or "Bios Shield" - or similiar - you'l want to disable that until you are finished with the install, and then re-enable the protection. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________ Last edited by OldGrayGary; 02-11-2007 at 12:02 AM.

02-12-2007, 06:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,163 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	You might want to Find the manufacturer of your hard drive and run their Hard Drive Diagnostics Utility. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

02-10-2007, 08:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
jasoncarle Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: US Posts: 106 OS: XP and Mac OSX	No, I did not mean to create a dual boot. I will try the above instructions and see if they work.

02-10-2007, 08:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
jasoncarle Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: US Posts: 106 OS: XP and Mac OSX	Ok, heres the current status, I can not install anything on this HDD, everytime I get errors and the install stops. This is a brand new drive, there should be nothing wrong with it, and the XP and 98 CDs are both legit.

02-12-2007, 06:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
jasoncarle Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: US Posts: 106 OS: XP and Mac OSX	Partitions are deleted. I got through the install of XP, on the reboot, it came up with an error and would not continue with the install. if it does it again, I will tell you exactly what it says. I have replaced the battery on the MOBO that was dead, and the drive is 120gb.

02-12-2007, 06:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
Doby Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central PA (USA) Posts: 8,081 OS: XP sp2/ Vista My System	Gary as always has given you some excellent advice so please follow everything he has said. It may help if you explain what lead up to you having to install a new drive, was the computer working normally with the old drive? Just trying to see if another component maybe to blame You could check the drive by going to the manufactures website and downloading their free diagnostics, you then follow their instructions to create a bootable floppy or cd and boot from it to check the drive. This way we can rule out the drive as the culprit. Please list your full system specs Hopefully Gary has some more ideas as well __________________ Would you like to help TSF fight cancer and other diseases??? JOIN TEAM TSF

02-13-2007, 11:33 AM	#10 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Hi everyone - Jasoncarle - Along with any extra info and updates you have for us on your next post - if Setup runs into that error again, along with the error message, let us know at what step in Setup you were at, and whether the reboot was a surprise, or just a standard part of Setup. Don't forget to go through the Bios Setup screens fairly thoroughly after replacing the CMOS battery, since everything will have gone back to defaults. You have to set the time/date, make sure the timings and onboard devices are set OK, and turn off any Bios virus protection until after the install is done (then re-enable it afterwards). By all means, run at stock speeds (no overclocking) until XP is installed and stable. Doby and Geekgirl have mentioned running diagnostics, especially if you continue getting errors. They've already given you the link to hard drive diagnostics: you may also want to run some memory diagnostics, too, if the error parade goes on. MemTest86+ is free, and updated often - no surprise that it gets recommended a lot (it's "open source") --- http://www.memtest.org Hope your puzzle is solved soon - . . . Gary __________________