can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

July 21, 2007

i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what 'sata'

means)

windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong with the

drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i understood

the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because windows

setup doesn't get quite far enough

is there something wrong with the machine ( i have a week to return it) or

does this sound familiar and is there a cure?

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

"JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what 'sata'

> means)

>

> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong with

> the

> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

> understood

> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because windows

> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with the

> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar and is

> there a cure?

>

If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously consider

paying some to install Windows for you.

Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing Windows

XP,

as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

[courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

SATA:

The definitive definition:

http://www.serialata.org/

The Wikipedia definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

Steve

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

"Og" <Og@msn.com> wrote in message

news:OCVIQw4yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> "JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

> news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

>>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what 'sata'

>> means)

>>

>> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong with

>> the

>> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

>> understood

>> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because

>> windows

>> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with the

>> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar and is

>> there a cure?

>>

> If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously consider

> paying some to install Windows for you.

> Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing

> Windows XP,

> as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

>

> How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

> [courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

>

> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

>

> SATA:

> The definitive definition:

> http://www.serialata.org/

>

> The Wikipedia definition:

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

>

> Steve

>

Well actually he doesn't need to know what SATA means, but what he does need

to know is does his motherboard need drivers so windows can be installed on

them. If his motherboard has a third party SATA controller he will probably

need them.

The fact he is getting that far in the setup suggests he doesn't.

To the OP;

What's the exact message. Are you sure it says FDisk, and not CHKDSK.

You don't say if these are "new" unused components or a "new" second hand

machine.

It sounds like setup is testing the drives for errors and finding something

it doesn't like.

You could use something like BootitNG and delete the existing partition,

then try the install again - XP will allow you to create a new partition

during setup. If you know what brand the drives are you can usually download

some bootable test disks to check the drives.

Does the XP setup disk have SP2 integated? (could make a difference)

If you can't answer, or don't know how to find the answers for these

questions, take it back to the person you purchased it from and ask them to

install XP.

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

"JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what 'sata'

> means)

>

> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong with

> the

> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

> understood

> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because windows

> setup doesn't get quite far enough

>

> is there something wrong with the machine ( i have a week to return it) or

> does this sound familiar and is there a cure?

>

Dobey pointed something out that I overlooked.

Note the spelling difference between fdisk and chkdsk

Depending on the PC, SATA has multiple ways to be setup. The original was

SATA as the tertiary controller, with the first two ide controllers as

primary and secondary. Only two can function at any one time. The way to

get the SATA to boot is to remap it as the primary ide controller, leaving

the ide enabled, and nothing connecting to the primary ide controller. This

is done in the bios.

The second is a regular SATA controller taking the lead, or perhaps no ide

onboard at all.

The third is a SATA RAID controller.

Which do you have?

Dave

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

"dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message

news:OqWMvM5yHHA.4820@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>

> "Og" <Og@msn.com> wrote in message

> news:OCVIQw4yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> "JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

>> news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

>>>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what

>>>'sata'

>>> means)

>>>

>>> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong with

>>> the

>>> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

>>> understood

>>> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because

>>> windows

>>> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with the

>>> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar and is

>>> there a cure?

>>>

>> If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously consider

>> paying some to install Windows for you.

>> Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing

>> Windows XP,

>> as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

>>

>> How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

>> [courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

>>

>> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

>>

>> SATA:

>> The definitive definition:

>> http://www.serialata.org/

>>

>> The Wikipedia definition:

>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

>>

>> Steve

>>

>

> Well actually he doesn't need to know what SATA means, but what he does

> need

> to know is does his motherboard need drivers so windows can be installed

> on

> them. If his motherboard has a third party SATA controller he will

> probably

> need them.

>

> The fact he is getting that far in the setup suggests he doesn't.

>

> To the OP;

>

> What's the exact message. Are you sure it says FDisk, and not CHKDSK.

>

> You don't say if these are "new" unused components or a "new" second hand

> machine.

>

> It sounds like setup is testing the drives for errors and finding

> something

> it doesn't like.

>

> You could use something like BootitNG and delete the existing partition,

> then try the install again - XP will allow you to create a new partition

> during setup. If you know what brand the drives are you can usually

> download

> some bootable test disks to check the drives.

>

> Does the XP setup disk have SP2 integated? (could make a difference)

>

> If you can't answer, or don't know how to find the answers for these

> questions, take it back to the person you purchased it from and ask them

> to

> install XP.

>

I agree, maybe the poster doesn't know how to word/describe the problem.

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

Crossposting to a Japanese-language newsgroup elimintated.

Did WinXP come pre-installed on the machine or did you purchase it without

an Operating System? Assuming the latter, where did you get the copy of

WinXP that you're attempting to install?

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)

AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

JethroUK© wrote:

> i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what 'sata'

> means)

>

> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong with

> the

> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

> understood

> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because windows

> setup doesn't get quite far enough

>

> is there something wrong with the machine ( i have a week to return it) or

> does this sound familiar and is there a cure?

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

"dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message

news:OqWMvM5yHHA.4820@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

|

| "Og" <Og@msn.com> wrote in message

| news:OCVIQw4yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

| > "JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

| > news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

| >>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what

'sata'

| >> means)

| >>

| >> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong

with

| >> the

| >> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

| >> understood

| >> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because

| >> windows

| >> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with the

| >> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar and

is

| >> there a cure?

| >>

| > If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously consider

| > paying some to install Windows for you.

| > Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing

| > Windows XP,

| > as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

| >

| > How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

| > [courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

| >

| > http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

| >

| > SATA:

| > The definitive definition:

| > http://www.serialata.org/

| >

| > The Wikipedia definition:

| > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

| >

| > Steve

| >

|

| Well actually he doesn't need to know what SATA means, but what he does

need

| to know is does his motherboard need drivers so windows can be installed

on

| them. If his motherboard has a third party SATA controller he will

probably

| need them.

|

| The fact he is getting that far in the setup suggests he doesn't.

|

| To the OP;

|

| What's the exact message. Are you sure it says FDisk, and not CHKDSK.

it actually says - "Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly

installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to

make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run chkdisk/f to check

for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer."

|

| You don't say if these are "new" unused components or a "new" second hand

| machine.

|

it's a refurbished machine

| It sounds like setup is testing the drives for errors and finding

something

| it doesn't like.

|

i tried changing the drive type from 'raid' to 'ide' and windows did get as

far as letting me partition the drives but only recognised them as having

130 gig ish - i'm beginning to wonder whether Win XP supports drives this

size (320gig) - i know you're thinking why was is set to raid anyway - and i

don't know why and i don't have a raid driver which i've found out it would

need

| You could use something like BootitNG and delete the existing partition,

| then try the install again - XP will allow you to create a new partition

| during setup. If you know what brand the drives are you can usually

download

| some bootable test disks to check the drives.

|

| Does the XP setup disk have SP2 integated? (could make a difference)

|

no - it's Win XP Pro (no service packs)

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

Your Winxp cd is only detecting 130gb because its pre sp1 and as such doesnt

support Big Lba.

In order to utilise the entire hd, on installation, you would need to create

a slipstreamed winxp cd containing latest sp

"JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

news:7Wroi.587$ie3.201@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

>

> "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message

> news:OqWMvM5yHHA.4820@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> |

> | "Og" <Og@msn.com> wrote in message

> | news:OCVIQw4yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> | > "JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

> | > news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

> | >>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what

> 'sata'

> | >> means)

> | >>

> | >> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong

> with

> | >> the

> | >> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

> | >> understood

> | >> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because

> | >> windows

> | >> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with the

> | >> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar and

> is

> | >> there a cure?

> | >>

> | > If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously

> consider

> | > paying some to install Windows for you.

> | > Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing

> | > Windows XP,

> | > as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

> | >

> | > How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

> | > [courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

> | >

> | > http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

> | >

> | > SATA:

> | > The definitive definition:

> | > http://www.serialata.org/

> | >

> | > The Wikipedia definition:

> | > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

> | >

> | > Steve

> | >

> |

> | Well actually he doesn't need to know what SATA means, but what he does

> need

> | to know is does his motherboard need drivers so windows can be installed

> on

> | them. If his motherboard has a third party SATA controller he will

> probably

> | need them.

> |

> | The fact he is getting that far in the setup suggests he doesn't.

> |

> | To the OP;

> |

> | What's the exact message. Are you sure it says FDisk, and not CHKDSK.

>

> it actually says - "Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly

> installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to

> make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run chkdisk/f to check

> for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer."

>

> |

> | You don't say if these are "new" unused components or a "new" second

> hand

> | machine.

> |

>

> it's a refurbished machine

>

> | It sounds like setup is testing the drives for errors and finding

> something

> | it doesn't like.

> |

>

> i tried changing the drive type from 'raid' to 'ide' and windows did get

> as

> far as letting me partition the drives but only recognised them as having

> 130 gig ish - i'm beginning to wonder whether Win XP supports drives this

> size (320gig) - i know you're thinking why was is set to raid anyway - and

> i

> don't know why and i don't have a raid driver which i've found out it

> would

> need

>

> | You could use something like BootitNG and delete the existing partition,

> | then try the install again - XP will allow you to create a new partition

> | during setup. If you know what brand the drives are you can usually

> download

> | some bootable test disks to check the drives.

> |

> | Does the XP setup disk have SP2 integated? (could make a difference)

> |

>

> no - it's Win XP Pro (no service packs)

>

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

"JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

news:7Wroi.587$ie3.201@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

>

> "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message

> news:OqWMvM5yHHA.4820@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> |

> | "Og" <Og@msn.com> wrote in message

> | news:OCVIQw4yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> | > "JethroUK©" <reply@the.board> wrote in message

> | > news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

> | >>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what

> 'sata'

> | >> means)

> | >>

> | >> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong

> with

> | >> the

> | >> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

> | >> understood

> | >> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because

> | >> windows

> | >> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with the

> | >> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar and

> is

> | >> there a cure?

> | >>

> | > If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously

> consider

> | > paying some to install Windows for you.

> | > Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing

> | > Windows XP,

> | > as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

> | >

> | > How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

> | > [courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

> | >

> | > http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

> | >

> | > SATA:

> | > The definitive definition:

> | > http://www.serialata.org/

> | >

> | > The Wikipedia definition:

> | > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

> | >

> | > Steve

> | >

> |

> | Well actually he doesn't need to know what SATA means, but what he does

> need

> | to know is does his motherboard need drivers so windows can be installed

> on

> | them. If his motherboard has a third party SATA controller he will

> probably

> | need them.

> |

> | The fact he is getting that far in the setup suggests he doesn't.

> |

> | To the OP;

> |

> | What's the exact message. Are you sure it says FDisk, and not CHKDSK.

>

> it actually says - "Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly

> installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to

> make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run chkdisk/f to check

> for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer."

>

That's what I thought, I don't think you any major problem, what you have is

a misconfiguration in your BIOS. For some reasons, your BIOS is seeing your

HD geographic map different from what you are telling it, check jumpers,

avoid manual config, use their autodetect, if you have any other non SATA HD

involved with your configuration properly as mentioned.

July 21, 2007

Re: can't partition/format because windows setup doesn't get quite far enough

I hope you're right - i'm going to read how to create an Sp2 slipstreamed CD

and maybe that would work

"DL" <address@invalid> wrote in message

news:#OeqDj8yHHA.464@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

| Your Winxp cd is only detecting 130gb because its pre sp1 and as such

doesnt

| support Big Lba.

| In order to utilise the entire hd, on installation, you would need to

create

| a slipstreamed winxp cd containing latest sp

|

| news:7Wroi.587$ie3.201@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

| >

| > "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message

| > news:OqWMvM5yHHA.4820@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

| > |

| > | "Og" <Og@msn.com> wrote in message

| > | news:OCVIQw4yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

| > | > news:aPloi.106$mo.62@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

| > | >>i have a new machine with x2 300 gig sata drives (i don't know what

| > 'sata'

| > | >> means)

| > | >>

| > | >> windows xp failed during setup telling me there was something wrong

| > with

| > | >> the

| > | >> drives and to run FDisk on them which i can't do (no floppy) - i

| > | >> understood

| > | >> the drives would be formatted but i can't partition/format because

| > | >> windows

| > | >> setup doesn't get quite far enough is there something wrong with

the

| > | >> machine ( i have a week to return it) or does this sound familiar

and

| > is

| > | >> there a cure?

| > | >>

| > | > If you do not know what SATA is, I recommend that you seriously

| > consider

| > | > paying some to install Windows for you.

| > | > Below please find a link to Step-by-Step instructions for installing

| > | > Windows XP,

| > | > as well as links which will provide you with definitions of SATA.

| > | >

| > | > How to perform a clean install of Windows XP: Step-by-Step

| > | > [courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens]

| > | >

| > | > http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

| > | >

| > | > SATA:

| > | > The definitive definition:

| > | > http://www.serialata.org/

| > | >

| > | > The Wikipedia definition:

| > | > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

| > | >

| > | > Steve

| > | >

| > |

| > | Well actually he doesn't need to know what SATA means, but what he

does

| > need

| > | to know is does his motherboard need drivers so windows can be

installed

| > on

| > | them. If his motherboard has a third party SATA controller he will

| > probably

| > | need them.

| > |

| > | The fact he is getting that far in the setup suggests he doesn't.

| > |

| > | To the OP;

| > |

| > | What's the exact message. Are you sure it says FDisk, and not CHKDSK.

| >

| > it actually says - "Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly

| > installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive

to

| > make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run chkdisk/f to

check

| > for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer."

| >

| > |

| > | You don't say if these are "new" unused components or a "new" second

| > hand

| > | machine.

| > |

| >

| > it's a refurbished machine

| >

| > | It sounds like setup is testing the drives for errors and finding

| > something

| > | it doesn't like.

| > |

| >

| > i tried changing the drive type from 'raid' to 'ide' and windows did get

| > as

| > far as letting me partition the drives but only recognised them as

having

| > 130 gig ish - i'm beginning to wonder whether Win XP supports drives

this

| > size (320gig) - i know you're thinking why was is set to raid anyway -

and

| > i

| > don't know why and i don't have a raid driver which i've found out it

| > would

| > need

| >

| > | You could use something like BootitNG and delete the existing

partition,

| > | then try the install again - XP will allow you to create a new

partition

| > | during setup. If you know what brand the drives are you can usually

| > download

| > | some bootable test disks to check the drives.

| > |

| > | Does the XP setup disk have SP2 integated? (could make a difference)

| > |

| >

| > no - it's Win XP Pro (no service packs)

| >

|

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