Need Help Installing WIndows XP - After Formatting C drive

Hello all!

I have just backedup my files, pulled out my old motherboard. Put in a motherboard my friend gave me (it worked for him - he just upgraded). The old one was a Pentium 1.

I now have a ABIT NF7-M AMD 1.1GHz processor, 512 ddr200 RAM, NIC Card, One CD Drive, and a floppy drive. I formatted the HDD with an old Win98 diskette (floppy) I had laying around. Now - this has been quite a while so - I can't recall how to get my Windows XP Pro disc (CD) to install. How do I do this. I have set the BIOS to boot from CD first but it still won't run. I recieve the following response:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Boot from ATAPI CD-ROM:

Invalid system disk
Replace the disk, and then press any key
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSTERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

* Of course I don't get all the "x's".

Can Anyone tell me what I am forgetting. I have not been involved in support for about 5 years and I am out of touch with todays Windows OS.

Please Help

Signed - Ready and waiting .... All Night

 

Is the CD drive and hard drive displayed correctly in the Bios?

Do you have any other Windows CD's that you can try to rule out the XP CD as the culprit? (most Windows CD's are bootable, even 98SE)

 

I am not sure what precisely, you mean by displayed correctly.

 

First Boot Device: CDROM
Second Boot Device: HDD-0
Third Boot Device: Floppy

Is what is displayed in the BIOS under advanced settings. Perhaps I should tell you this is an AMD.

 

I used a Windows 98 Second Edition disc. It still does not boot. I do happen to know the CD ROM worked fine before I formatted - if that helps.

 

One other thing has come to my attention. I am trying to format in NTFS however, my window 98 floppy gave me FAT32. Will this cause me problems? Like my XP disc not booting?

 

Make certain you are booting to the XP CD. If you are, and it still does not work--Set your boot order like this:

First Boot Device: CDROM
Second Boot Device: Disabled
Third Boot Device: Disabled

Just understand that once the install finishes and boots up for the last time, you'll need to change the bootorder back.

 

I recieve a response that states:

Invalid System Disc
Replace the disk, and then press any key

** what is wrong I don't know... Anyone out there tonight?

 

Still got a floppy in the drive? Is this XP CD a burned copy?

 

I am receiving a the following statement:

Verifying DMI Pool Data.....................
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSTERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

*** I am not certain what has gone wrong or how to fix this

 

A burned copy but it worked before on another pc.

 

Well, we don't support burned copies here.

It may work on another PC, but different bootloaders react differently to different hardware. We have no way of knowing if its the default XP bootloader for the CD.

At any rate, piracy is stealing. We simply cannot condone, or help you with that.

Look into a legit OEM or retail copy, and we will be able to help further.

Sorry. Nothing personal, but now that I know its an illegal copy, I cannot assist further.

 

If it makes any difference I have purchased everying single OS the Microsoft has offered since 3.11 to XP Pro (which I also have) Additionally - I have burned multiple copies that I have in a cd case. I haven't really stolen anything. Now whether it is considered okay or not to copy a cd you paid for is another matter. Since I paid for it - I don't really concern myself with that aspect of it. I do understand. However, you assumed it meant I snaked it from somewhere which, I didn't.

 

You say you have XP Pro you might want to try that disk and see if it works on your computer to rule out your cd drive as the culprite.
And if it's the cd drive then it's not expensive to replace it.

 

Fair enough, I shouldn't have assumed.

Try the original copy.

 

Just boot the computer with the Win98SE floppy, choosing "with CD support". Verify you can see the data on your WinXP CD. Go into the I386 folder & type "winnt32.exe" to start the installation.

If you're going to do the above, I highly recommend you put a copy of smartdrv.exe on the floppy (it's not there by default) and run it before you start the XP installation. It'll take about 10 times longer for the installation to copy the initial starting files to the HDD without it.

 

NP - on the cd's. I usually, copy my cd's and use the copies when possible to keep the original as pristine as possible.

On another note - I simply booted with my 98SE floppy (one of the best thing about 98 - in my humble opinion). I then installed 98 SE - from there my pc read the XP disc's. By the way I did try the original XP cd - but my CD ROM wasn't HAVIN any a dat - so to speak. Anyhoo - XP reformatted (as I wished it too do) to NTFS and then gave me a clean install - the long way. I will try the "I386" folder if this ever comes up again. However, I hope that the next time I am doing something like this it will be on an Apple or at the very least Windows Vista - if it is every really going to be released that is. I'm begining to think the release of Window's Vista is a bit too much like that old frase "Jesus is comming" - yeah but, ahhh - when exactly?

 

NP - on the cd's. I usually, copy my cd's and use the copies when possible to keep the original as pristine as possible. Adrynalyne your cool.

On another note - I simply booted with my 98SE floppy (one of the best things about 98 - in my humble opinion). I then installed 98 SE - from there my pc read the XP disc's. By the way I did try the original XP cd - but my CD ROM wasn't HAVIN any a dat - so to speak. Anyhoo - XP reformatted (as I wished it too do) to NTFS, and then gave me a clean install - the long way I suppose. But then again - I relize that I have been out of Admin/Support for over 5 1/2 years now. I will try the "I386" folder if this ever comes up again. Thank you very much for that handy tip Wavetar. Hopefully - however, the next time I am doing something like this it will be on an Apple or at the very least Windows Vista - if it is every really going to be released that is. I'm begining to think the release of Window's Vista is a bit too much like that old frase "Jesus is comming" - yeah but, ahhh - when exactly - I say???

 

Funny thing about Vista. A lot of the features it will have, or it will have later as an add-on, is currently present in OS X. Not to mention, there will be a new version out, around the time Vista is released.

 

I am of the agregating opinion that, Microsoft is the weaker of the two Operating Systems.

It appears very clearly to me, at least that, Microsoft has used it's true and recognizable business savy and financial position (as would any major player) to piggy-back on company's such as Apple or Netscape. Although Microsoft and (Uncle Bill) have, in all ernest, done allot for the world at large, they have also done almost as much to stop others who would have done or offered the same or more for the world we now know as the "Information Age".

When all is said and done - the greatest failing is NOT that Apple's Steve Jaabs and Paul Wazniak did not know to franchise their license agreement. It is actually, that others with less heart and more monitary desire have all but copied companies such as Netscape and Apple's ingenious ideas, with the proper capital and legal backing to over-take those (such as Netscape, Apple, & TCG) with the true ingenious if not artistic and inovative ideas.

Ahhh - the world has not truly changed since the begining of mankind... has it now.

DigitalSwag