[Solved] Windows XP Pro. Can't install on new or newly formatted HDD.

[llanfallteg16]

Hi All,

Laptop here is a Leonovo, L512. 4GB RAM, HDD,380Gb. Did have XP Pro installed. The laptop had been owned by an ex-IBM Geek and was given to me to 'sort out'.

I could not access the password so copied the files I wanted with a HDD Caddy. I then created a new partition on the HDD and formatted it NTFS. I also set the partition as active. I purchased a copy of XP Pro and tried to load the programme. The normal 'Splash screen' did not come up and I was not asked for the codes as I would have expected.

The laptop just loaded the CD and when it came to starting windows, the blue screen message was there is a problem with the HDD. Possibly corrupt or a virus present. I checked everything and tried again. Same message. I formatted another smaller HDD, 80Gb and had the same results. I've tried setting the boot sequence to CD ROM and HDD, but no difference, just this warning screen when Windows is loaded.

 

Any ideas anyone?

 

John

[KenB]

Hi John,

 

I then created a new partition on the HDD

Did you format the whole of the drive - or just create a smaller partition to put XP on ?

If you still have part of the old partition in tact it could well be a virus .......however...

 

I was going to suggest running chkdsk on the drive - but you get the same result on the second drive.

 

I purchased a copy of XP Pro and tried to load the programme.

I am coming around to suspecting the XP Pro disk.

Is it a legitimate disk from a legitimate retailer ?

[llanfallteg16]

XP Pro, won't load.

 

Hi Ken,

 

I tried the XP Pro disc on another desktop computer. The sequence starts correctly, Windows 'Splash screen' what do you want to do...

I clicked on XP Professional then got the screen where you add the codes. Then the loading went as I expected. I then halted the operation, before I messed up everything!

 

Have I done the original partition and formatting correctly. Do I need a boot sector as a seperate partition? Can do the whole thing again, no problems. I did find out that on the 'Free' edition of Easus partition programme, the format option is not valid. I set it to format a 380Gb HDD and it was finished in seconds! This should have taken about hald an hour. The small print does eliminate a lot of the options! I then formatted the partition the normal way via the properties dialogue.

 

Regards

 

John

[KenB]

Hi John

 

You should get the option to format from the disk.

 

If you have the caddy handy you could put the drive in that and format it from there.

Then try installing XP again.

[Synapse]

I am wondering if it had a recovery partition you could have used - did you check that?

 

Also, is there a BIOS option to apply a password to the drive? It could have password protected.

 

It may be worth running the drive manufacturers diagnostic CD over it, see what it finds.

[llanfallteg16]

Hi Synapse,

 

I'll give that a try. Just tried to load Linux Mint, result was NTLDR is missing. Possibly the problem.

 

Regards

 

John

[llanfallteg16]

Hi All,

Eventually got this problem sorted! I changed the SATA ACHI mode in the BIOS to compatability enabled. This did the trick and I was able to load XP PRO via the CD drive. Then I had to look for a shed load of drivers, another story there!

 

All sorted and thread closed. Thanks for your help.

 

John

Edited February 13, 2013 by llanfallteg16

[KenB]

Hi John

 

Good to hear that you finally got it to work :)