Boot/format problem

I’m attempting to format and install a new hard drive. The CD ROM is first in the boot sequence. With the boot disk in, when I type “format C:”, I get this error message: “setup cannot find a place for a swap file”. I then tried to install Win2K (using the ntsf format) and got this error message: “intermediate file error during pipe, access denied”. I’m at wit’s end, and I can find no assistance in any kb. I’ve never encountered such a thing in all my tinkering.

 

How do you have the drive partioned?

 

Which operating system were you trying to originally install?

Most Windows 98 SE, ME, XP and 2000 are bootable, so all you need to do is set the Bios to boot from CD as you have done, then reboot with the CD in the drive and follow the prompts.

Is the new hard drive set up correctly and displayed in the Bios?

 

I didn't partition it. I was going to install the 120g hard drive next, then partion with a Partition Magic after both were up. That's the only way I know to do a partition...within windows.

 

I was attempting to boot and format wth a boot disk first (W2K boot disk). I'd just used that boot disk to reformat the old hard drive I took out of this computer and put in another computer. It was the same size and brand HDD, only with 2mb cache. I'd also used it (the boot disk) to format that old HDD when I first put it in this computer, so I know it's ok.

 

Yes, the BIOS recognizes both HDD's, and the optical drive is set first in the boot sequence. Everything has been checked two dozen times in the BIOS, and all the settings seem fine there.

 

"then reboot with the CD in the drive and follow the prompts."
I tried that, and that's when I got the "intermediate file error during pie...access denied". I tell ya, I'm flummoxed!

 

Do you think I should put the 120g HDD first, and try again? Should I forget about formatting it, and just go to installing the OS? I wanted to install W2K on the 80g first, and later install WinXP on the 120g

 

You're flummoxed!

I've only just found out that you have two drives installed.

Also, you said boot disk and then you typed in format c:

That would be using a floppy I assume? Which is why I recommended you use the CD itself.

EG "The CD ROM is first in the boot sequence. With the boot disk in, when I type “format C :”, I get this error message: .........."

That doesn't make sense to me.

Unless someone can come up with something then I need precise information.

 

The boot data is on a CD. I don't have a floppy drive in this computer. The other 120g hard drive does not show up in the boot sequence... only the optical drive, then the 80g HDD. I'm sorry, I forgot to say that, when I tried to format drive C, it would say "drive not found, or some such. I went through the whole alphabet trying to find a drive it would recognize...no luck. THEN I went to the OS CD and got the two error messages. Sorry about that. I've been up for two days trying to get this machine up and running. I'm getting doty : ]

 

Sounds like a hardware problem... Check the pin settings on the drive and configure it as a slave. Then simply use FDisk to partition the drive or find a copy of Disk Druid.

 

Yes! I wondered about that! The two hard drives are set as (80g) primary master, and (120g) as primary slave. The hard drives were OEM, so I wasn't sure about the pin settings, just by looking at the picture on them. There are five pairs of pins with these hard drives, so that that just gives me a lot more opportunities to get things wrong :] If that 80g hard drive was the only one on that slot, I understand that there would be no jumper pins on it. Right? Think I should try taking the 120g hard drive out, and setting the 80g as master-no slave?

 

"Then simply use FDisk to partition the drive or find a copy of Disk Druid."
How would you suggest I partition these two drives? I plan on putting WinXP on the 120g drive so I can do some video copying and editing (from old VHS tapes). I'm not a gamer, and the only intensive thing I might do on the 80g drive is some graphics and CAD projects from time to time.

 

"Check the pin settings on the drive and configure it as a slave."

Freddie, I think you may be on to something. I think you've got me headed in the right direction. I went to Western Digital faq's, and here's what they say:

The following list includes problems that can happen on a PC if an EIDE hard drive is installed with the jumper shunt set incorrectly on the drive.
" The computer freezes while booting and will not boot at all.
" The PC is unable to detect the drive that is jumpered incorrectly.
" The PC is slow to detect the IDE devices while booting. Booting may take several minutes.
The computer will boot, but performance is slow.

This MB (and all components)is fairly new (to me) and I'm not as familiar with some of the new(er) features. These hard drives are the last components I ordered for this build. This is my first total build, btw. Looks like I'll diddle with these pins for a while. I still need some advice about formatting. Do this from DOS with the boot disk, right? Where can I get info to help me with this? Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

Make your life easy and just hook up only one hard drive as a master on the Primary Controller, make sure the Bios detects and displays it correctly, then set it to boot from CD first and try formatting and installing Windows.

If that fails, check on the manufacturer's site for any diagnostic or low level format utilities.

You can always add the other drive later.

 

I just finished doing that very thing, and I'm downloading a diagnostic utility. I wont hook up the 120g until WinXP comes in. I'm getting ready to power up the other machine. Positive thoughts are welcome : ] I changed the jumper to CS, and have the 80g drive on the end of the cable. Here goes....

 

Cable select isn't an ideal method of connecting them, and it also requires a special cable which you may or may not have.

As I said, install one drive on the Primary Controller as a Master (not CSL), then just use the Windows CD to install.

Anyway, all I can do is offer advice, it's up to you what you do or don't do with it.

Good bye and good luck.