Can't boot XP floppy or CD.

[Bluefront]

This Compaq runs XP Pro pretty good (it's older), but I had to upgrade W98 to do it. It won't boot off a CD, but it will boot a W98 start-up floppy disk. But for some unknown reason, it refuses to boot off an XP setup floppy disk (I get an I/O error). This same disk will boot in other machines, so it's not the floppy or the floppy drive.

So how exactly can I install XP Pro cleanly, without upgrading a W98 install? This method works but returns some problems I think a clean XP install would avoid.

If I boot to a W98 DOS prompt, with cd rom support, is there a way to install XP? If I navigate to the i386 folder, it refuses to start setup....says I can't do it from a DOS prompt.

Help.......

 

[mechBgon]

Is your WindowsXP CD a genuine Microsoft-manufactured CD?

 

[Bluefront]

This computer does not have a boot to cd option in the BIOS...it's too old.

It'll boot a floppy or a hard drive only....

 

[bruceb]

First, you say you can boot to a Windows 98 start up disk ... is that a CD ?
If so, then there is absolutely no reason why a legit, properly made copy
of Windows XP should not boot up and install to the pc

You might also post the Model Number & check for a BIOS update
which would give the machine the boot from cd option, if it really is not there.

 

[Bluefront]

No no.....that's a floppy disk. It will not boot any cd. This particular chipset never had a cd boot option......

 

[mechBgon]

If I were going to marry a $140 OEM WindowsXP license to this Compaq forevar, then I think I would upgrade it to something that can at least boot from CD-ROM. It must be old indeed if it can't boot from CD, because every PC I've ever had, all the way back to my Cyrix PR166, could boot from CD.

 

[Bluefront]

So I'm setting up an older comuter that was sitting in a closet (AMD k62-533. VIA chipset)......for a friend who doesn't have a computer. So it's a little old, a little slow, but it seems to run XP well enough. And I'd like to give it a newer OS than W98, which was never stable on this thing. I'm attempting to install XP and make it reliable as possible.

This computer is worth nothing.....I'm giving it away. I'm trying out a copy of XP Pro to see if I can make it work. If successful I can get a legal copy of XP Home for $85. Not a bad investment on a free computer.

All I'm asking is how to install the XP OS on this thing....somewhat differently than normal. Is it possible or not? Simple enough question.....:frown:

 

[spherrod]

Are these the Windows XP setup disks you have tried?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta...-4955-bcb7-4fed408ea73f&displaylang=en

 

[Seeruk]

Use a WinME startup disk (www.bootdisk.com) to get to DOS (winME boot disk cos thats should get ya CD ROM working) - Once in DOS copy the the installation files from the CD to a directory on the hard drive and install from there.

Only thing is you may need to alter the autoexec.bat file for highmem but its all such distant history going through all that crap I forgot exactly what it is you get bugged about when installing from the HD

 

[Bluefront]

spherrod......yeah those are the floppies I tried. The #1 setup floppy will boot in other machines.....but when I try it in this Compaq it returns an I/O error message. A W98 floppy setup disk boots ok. I do not have an ME setup floppy to try. The W98 floppy does have cd rom support.

 

[Seeruk]

Download any boot disk you want from bootdisk.com

 

[spherrod]

Originally posted by: Bluefront
spherrod......yeah those are the floppies I tried. The #1 setup floppy will boot in other machines.....but when I try it in this Compaq it returns an I/O error message. A W98 floppy setup disk boots ok. I do not have an ME setup floppy to try. The W98 floppy does have cd rom support.

Try following Seeruk's suggestion - boot with Win98 disk, and then copy the CD to the hard drive where you can start the install from there.

EDIT: Does this help?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307848&sd=tech

 

[mechBgon]

This computer is worth nothing.....I'm giving it away. I'm trying out a copy of XP Pro to see if I can make it work. If successful I can get a legal copy of XP Home for $85. Not a bad investment on a free computer.

So it is not a genuine MS-manufactured CD, which is the first thing I asked, and I asked for two reasons:

1) the computer's CD-ROM drive might be so old that it's not Multi-Read capable (can't handle some types of writable CD media), thus leading you to believe that it can't boot from CD. At the K6-2 533 era, it's definitely got the ability to boot from CD-ROM at the chipset level.

2) or more likely you made/obtained what you think is a bootable WinXP CD, but it's not actually bootable. Have you tried getting a different computer to boot from it, as a fact-finding step?

Ordinarily I would simply refer you to Basket Cat since you're using what you admit is a pirated WinXP license, but I will try to give the benefit of the doubt here and believe that you'll pick up a legit license and CD after your fact-finding mission is done.

All I'm asking is how to install the XP OS on this thing....somewhat differently than normal. Is it possible or not? Simple enough question.....:frown:

Well heck, you could set up a Remote Installation Services server... got an old 3Com 3C905 or SMC 1211TX NIC laying around? And an Active Directory domain controller?

 

[Bluefront]

Thanks spherrod......I knew such a thing was possible, but I never saw that MS page before. If I cannot do it now, I'll chuck the whole project.

And mechBgon..... how you came to the conclusion I'm using a defective/illegal/pirate copy of XP is beyond me. This is a legal copy and boots fine in other machines that support CD booting (I tried it). For a person with 23k posts, one would think you had more computer savy. You should be aware many OEM computer makers like Compaq, install a propriatary/crippled BIOS. Not unusual at all. And why would you think anybody attempting such an installation, would not check the BIOS boot order if he had problems booting....shakes his head. :disgust:

One more thought....this board has a graphic chip that XP supports (3D Trident or something) But it only uses 8mb max of ram. Maybe this is too little to get the XP floppy to boot (the I/O error message).

 

[mechBgon]

And mechBgon..... how you came to the conclusion I'm using a defective/illegal/pirate copy of XP is beyond me. This is a legal copy and boots fine in other machines that support CD booting (I tried it).

I came to that conclusion because you said:

If successful I can get a legal copy of XP Home for $85.

If you're getting a "legal" copy later, then what is the most logical conclusion about what you're using now? That conclusion is reinforced by your avoidance of my first question about the nature of the CD. Go ahead and be all offended if you like.

Incidentally, neither Basket Cat nor myself would read you the riot act just on the basis that it were a burned CD; even Microsoft tells how to slipstream. But if you think you've got a bootable one and you actually don't, then it helps to know that when helping you troubleshoot your problem here, so I don't go on a wild goose chase. Been there, done that... multiple times.

For a person with 23k posts, one would think you had more computer savy.

Always living and learning

You should be aware many OEM computer makers like Compaq, install a propriatary/crippled BIOS. Not unusual at all.

I specialize in the non-proprietary stuff. In fact, I think I've collected close to 1GB of mobo owner's manuals in .PDF format, in the pursuit of helping people troubleshoot. How many do you have?

And why would you think anybody attempting such an installation, would not check the BIOS boot order if he had problems booting....shakes his head. :disgust:

There is probably a key or key combo that brings up a boot menu outside of the BIOS itself, if there's no option within the BIOS. F8 on recent Asus boards, ESC on some Shuttles, F2 on Dells IIRC (not my specialty), and ??? on old Compaqs. If you care to tell me what exact Compaq model you're working on, I'll see what I can find out, even though I will probably mortally offend you somehow in the process

 

[mechBgon]

It appears from my Googleing that a 533MHz AMD K6-2 Compaq desktop would be a Presario 7471. Looking at the various results from some searching, I'm suggesting that you try:

1) update the BIOS, the ROMPaq downloads are what you're after. You'll have to discern which one is the right one, though, and that may mean knowing exactly the date that the system was sold new. The ROMPaq notes include plenty of remarks about adding CD-ROM compatiblity.

2) Try a different CD-ROM drive. From the results, it is a fairly safe deduction that the system would check for bootable CD-ROMs as a matter of routine when it POSTs. Maybe your CD-ROM drive is being weird.

3) Heck, if all else fails, and if the RAM is at least PC100, cram a Biostar M7VIG (note, NOT the -400 model if you want PC100 SDRAM slots) in there and slap on a $10 Duron

 

[Bluefront]

Well.....I think your MS detective work has failed you, since your conclusions are faulty.

This computer was so ugly when I got it, I replaced the case with a more standard looking Global case, which has the PSU on the top, rather than on the left side, opposite the CPU. I think the model # was on the front of the old case......

And I'm not really willing to flash the BIOS, even if a new BIOS supports cd booting. That would be foolish in light of the booting problems I'm having.

The main problem with a W98 to XP upgrade is that the shut-down problem with W98 is still there with an XP upgrade install. I tried to fix the problem with W98.....unsuccessfully after a bunch of trouble. I don't want to give a friend a computer that has to be crashed to turn it off.

More bad news for me.....after a few more booting attempts with a floppy, the floppy drive shot craps. A big click and now the light stays on all the time. Perhaps a new floppy drive will get the XP floppy to boot....why it continued to boot a W98 floppy to the very end is an unknown.

 

[Bluefront]

May as well update this thread......You can install XP from a DOS prompt. You need to boot from a W98 boot disk with cd rom support. And you absolutely need to install SmartDrive....you can find it on the C drive of a Win98 machine.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307848&sd=tech

The directions are here....it's easy to do if your computer won't boot a CD.

Thanks for the help.....