Initial OS installation

Hi, gang! Just finished building my "super" PC. Tried installing Win 98,(used on my current machine) in prep for installing the update to XP. It went ok for a couple screens, but it gets to the place where it asks whether I want to boot from CD or Hard Drive. I choose CD and type in the command for d:\setup and it tells me that's an invalid drive. I've chosen b, c, and e as well, and it claims them to be invalid also. As I said, this is a brand new, never been fired-up machine. Here are the stats: Asus K8V mobo, Athlon 64, Seagate 120GB HDD SATA connected, 512MB memory, Mad Dog DVD/CD burner. I can get into BIOS no sweat. And, yes, I set it to boot from CD. Should I have used the Mad Dog install CD first? I'm new at this build-it-yourself game and not sure of the order in which to do all that has to be done. Any suggestions, and I mean ANY, will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
-SgtRon-

 

Why are you bothering installing 98 first? Just boot with the XP disk and do the install. It will ask you at some point to put in a qualifying windows CD. The XP upgrade CD has everything you need. It just has to check for a couple of files to verify that you are upgrading.

 

I agree with ArchAngel, he speaka the truth!
No need to load that previous version OS, only waste of time.

I'm alittle confused about your post regards to b, c, D: and this Mad dog install Cd, can you provide more info?

If this Mad dog CD is what came with your Mad dog CDRW drive, it has nothing to do with you PC/hard drive it is just info and garbage, you dont need it to run your CDRW, the windows CD & set up will provide the drivers for it. ( I bought Mad dog CDRW drive once it's piece of garbage, I had nothing but problems with mine, same with the one warrenty replaced it with!)

Your HDD is SATA? is it formated already?
Boot order: CD first/ sata second, if sata is not option then should be SCSI/ then Floppy.
When using SATA you also need SATA drivers on floppy, when you boot to OS cd, setup begins at bottom of screen youll see text that says press F6 for third party drivers,( you need SATA drivers on a floppy disk) you need to do this, the message flashes by quick so youll have to pay attention or you'll miss it, or then have to run setup again.
During OS install you'll be prompted for the sata drivers, insert disk when asked.

 

Thanks for the info, guys. I was under the impression that since XP is an upgrade, I'd need to have 98 installed. Apparently HDD is not formatted. I guess I should do that first? If so, what's the procedure? Yes, the HDD is SATA. Where do I get the SATA drivers? You guys are lifesavers for us newbies. Thanks.
-SgtRon-

 

The SATA drivers should be on the MOBO CD, or get them at ASUS web:
http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket754/k8v-d/overview.htm
They may be listed as raid drivers.
On the MOBO CD should be Driver's as well as read me file, the read me file should have directions.
All mobo's are a little differant.
I have newer Gigabyte mobo that has File on the mobo CD that is called F6, I simply copied to a floppy.
Abit MOBO's provide a floppy with their MOBO that already has drivers on it.
Others you have to unzip and extract files and copy to floppy.

You should be able to Format a couple differant ways.
What brand HDD do you have, if Maxtor can use MaxBlast free download from their Web, Western Digital use Data Lifeguard Tools free download from their Web, Each comes with Retail HDD, OEM dont must download.
I imagin Seagate has similar.
I Like the manufactures Utility because you can set up multiple partitions,Diagnostics,some other stuff and simple to use.

Or I think you can Just use the windows CD, but you need sata drivers on floppy, just run setup, boot to CD, press F6 for third party drivers, follow directions driections, then will eventually come to format section, format to NTFS file sys. (I have never done this way for sata HDD's, I have always use the HDD manufactures Utility first)

 

Thanks again, Asus. Your suggestions make sense. Don't know where I'd be without this forum! It's the most educational of all the "expert" forums I've visited.
-SgtRon-

 

Good call SgtRon using the word educational, I can't speak for the other Major Geeks but that word to me has always meant alot (not that I helped you on this problem, just sayin).

Whether I'm teaching a newbie about computers, teaching a young man how to throw a tight spiral, or teaching some gal what making love *really* is. (hold it right there, son!)

As a disclaimer, forum members in any website that help fix computer problems are being generous, but disclaimers aside, adding a little education with the fix is cool. Lotsa people using website forums to fix computer problems are DIYers, self-starters, and resourceful. And learning a thing or two goes a long way, I think.

Unnecessary and corny tirade over Just wanted to say that.

 

Another problem -- was loading XP and all was going well until it got to the point where it asked me to choose the partition to put it in. When I hit "enter" (to choose the default) it gives me a Stop Error message. The techie portion of the message is as follows: "Stop 0x0000008E (0x0000005, 0F84C8CAD, 0xF809EZE4, 0x00000000)" and "Setupdd.sys - address F84C8CAD base at F849C000, date stamp 41107C8F". It has done this every time I try to load XP (3 times, thus far). Any suggestions?
-SgtRon-

 

Question? So you were able to format and partition your HDD?
Did you create multiple partitions?

You said: "When I hit "enter" (to choose the default) it gives me a Stop Error message."

? What other Options do you have? besides Default.


I"ll have to look into the error, If I can find out anything on it I'll let ya know

You said: "(3 times, thus far). Any suggestions?
-SgtRon-"
Anytime I do something three times and fail, that's usually when I get a beer an take break, that usually keeps me from tossing the PC out the window.

Got this:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q315335

 

No, I wasn't able to format; the error occured at the first step in the process. I'm asked to use the up/down arrows to choose one of 4 partitions. Except there's nothing for the arrows to do --- none of the partitions are highlighted. If I hit the down arrow nothing happens. If I hit the up arrow, I get the Stop Error message. If I hit Enter (to choose default) I get the Stop Error message. Yeah; like you, I quit at that point and give my grey matter a rest. Beginning to think I've got ghosts in the thing. Just looked in on it a few minutes ago and the machine was powered up! I'd just walked by it a little over an hour ago and it was off. No one has been near it in the meantime! Spooky!

 

Check all your cables connections etc.
Also check to be sure your memory is seated properly, another thing looking into your error some of the stuff I read suggest a possible bad stick of memory.
If your running more than one stick of memory ya might try just using one to start with, and make sure it's in the proper slot if it matters.

Gotta go now I'm kinda working.

 

Things appear to be going from bad to worse. Only have 1 memory stick, so moved it to another slot. rechecked all cable connections. Now, when I get to the point where it asks me to put in the Win 98 CD so it can confirm me as a current Windows user, it gives a message that it doesn't recognize the disk! As if that wasn't bad enough, during the POST period of boot up, I'm getting the message "No drive attached to FastTrack controller. The BIOS is not installed."! It then goes to a Dos prompt (C:\>). Have gone over all connections and there's definitely a drive connected to the IDE socket. Would a bad stick cause all this?
Thanks for your time.

 

I'm really getting frustrated now. Just cleared CMOS memory (only change from last message). Now I can't get into Setup. All the discs are still recognized during POST, but after the checks it gives me this: "CMOS Checksum Bad" , along with Press F-1 to run Setup" and "Press F-2 to load default values and continue". Only problem is nothing happens when I press F-1 OR F-2. Maybe it's time to take it to my local repair facility and let them square it away!
-SgtRon-