Cannot format my XP Computer? Tried 2 XP Cd's.

[Coldkilla]

I started to format my Old Vista PC in order to downgrade to XP.

1. Changed bootup options to load from CD.
2. Ran XP CD.
3. Chose long format, got to 97% and said "Cannot copy sysinfo.inf" or something like that. When I selected "skip copying this file" windows would try to load but give me the message: "Error loading operating system"
4. Got Friends XP CD
5. Now when I insert the CD, it says the normal "press any key to boot from cd" and "Setup is configuring hardware configuration", the screen goes black and never loads the next screen.


Ideas? I'd like to get this resolved ASAP today.

edit: using the old xp cd takes me to this same screen now. I cannot passed the "Setup is configuring hardware configuration" area.. the screen still goes black and stays there.

I bought a new secondary hard drive yesterday.. idk if it has anything to do with that..

 

[Coldkilla]

After 3 hours of leaving the PC on. It went into the blue screen. It's installing XP now. Thanks anyway.

 

[Zepper]

Maybe Vista is going to be another new herpes for PCs besides IE, some Norton products and ZoneAlarm (once you install it, you can never really get rid of it...). You should have probably used your drive mfr's utility to zero the HD out (wipe it). Should have no problem installing XP then.

.bh.

 

[myocardia]

Ever wonder why they call it Vista? It's as close as they could come to calling it Virus, without cluing people in to what it really happens to be. BTW, you really don't have to low level format drives anymore, I've discovered. My cousin got himself a boot sector virus, on a 320 GB HD. It would have taken a few days to zero out, more than likely. So instead, I just loaded two different versions of Linux (he had it split into two partitions), and that was all it took. No more boot sector virus.

 

[Zepper]

Shouldn't take more than an hour or two but that can be a long time when you want to get on with it. It just writes zeros to all sectors so it should go as fast as your machine can write.
But installing Linux probably would get done faster these days.

.bh.

 

[naldo]

I would say jsut use a different program to format the drive then reboot and go through the XP install (I usually use the gparted live CD to format and partition). Usually if it says it cant copy a file the disc is dirty or the drive is being screwy, so double check and make sure the disc isnt scratched and if possible try another drive if possible (if it still wont install).

I dont really think vista has anyhting to do with it, seeing as vista would be long gone by the time he gets those errors.