Can't Install XP after major malfunction!

[Xtasy]

My brother f'ed up the computer, and i the only way i could fix this bug, probably a virus maib, was to reformat. I put the cd rom as my first boot device, put in my xp cd, and do a reformat and fresh install. After i boot the cd, after loading the necessary preparation drivers, it won't go forward to the terms of agreement page. I was able to switch the hard drives to my working comp and delete the old partition using the method above. I put it back in my other comp and i still couldn't get to the terms of agreement page. I switched cd - rom drives with the one that i used that actually worked on my working comp, but it still wouldn't get past that point. I also cleared my cmos just in case and loaded optimized and default settings in my bios. I just can't find out why i can't get past that point to freshly install windows xp. Please help me out.

 

[Xtasy]

PLz help me, i can't figure why my xp won't go to the terms of agreement page after loading the necessary drivers when jest beginning to intall a fresh copy of xp under a boot in dos. I know my xp cd is know messed up, cause it works well on my other computer.

 

[Bglad]

You aren't getting answers because you haven't given enough detail. What is happening, errors, etc. You just say you can't get to the agreement screen. Not enough info.

 

[SemperFi]

Well I don't know if this will work but this worked for me when I contracted a virus several years ago. This might be easier with a 98 bootdisk. boot up machine and fdisk drive with no partitions. Shut down computer and clear cmos usually using jumper on motherboard. Fire it back up and hopefully it works.

I tried just formatting and then fdisking but I had problems until I done the steps above.

I hope this helps

Semper Fi

 

[DaiShan]

bglad - he isn't getting any errors, it just isn't proceeding to the next step, I am not quite sure I understand all of the things you tried, when you put a known workin hdd in the machine that you are having problems with, could you install xp on it? have you tried starting with just a minimal config (no usb devices or other external devices, cpu, ram, hdd, cd-rom) to see if that works? Have you tried switching ide cables for the hdd to see if that works?

 

[Xtasy]

Well, I already tried

clearing cmos
i fdisked and formatted using win 95 floppy disk so that there is c: and it is fat, not nfts
I reloaded my mobo bios to the one i had when i installed xp on that machine
i have set my mobo bios to optimized and fail safe settings
i have took out all the pci cards, leaving only my gf3 card in
i put in for sure working system memory
i put in the cd-rw drive from my working comp which did not encounter this problem
i put the hd from my bugged comp into my working comp, then ran the winxp disc to delete the old partition (with the original winxp that got a virus probably), then put the hd back into the bugged comp
I un overclocked everything
I only plugged in my monitor cable, power cable to my comp
I unplugged my dvd rom, so there is only the cd-rom present as secondary slave
I put in one stick of working 128 mb only

All these things i have done, not together, but one by one just to test if each config would work. I am completely stumped as it is now.
I still have the partition and format i did under win 95 boot disk, so i mite be able to install win98 at least.

 

[WarCon]

Is XP compatible with FAT16? Try using a Win98 boot disk and enable large disk support (FAT32). Or just fdisk it (reboot of course) and then start your install. Maybe XP will detect non formatted disk and format it for you with your choice of FAT32 or NTFS.

 

[Xtasy]

I think it is fat32. I geuss i could install win98 first to see if it works perfectly with other os's at least. Does anyone know how can make a win 98 bootable floppy using my win 98 cd? I geuss the one i have is bugged, cause when i pop it in my comp and boot, it says disk i/o error, my win 95 boot disk works tho. Can ne one give me the basics to installing a fresh 98, cause i forgot now after the missed easiness of xp? Thanks.

 

[WarCon]

Here is a site that has some decent stuff on it, including boot disks...........

It also has a how to install win98 guide. But its pretty simple, if you are familiar once you get in the install interface. Boot on a disk (could be one of the downloaded ones above) that gives you CDROM support. I actually like installing from cabs on the hard drive (usually on second partition), so I go to d: then md win98, then cd win98, then change to the CDROM drive (usually f, then cd to win98 again so I am in the install dir. I think copy *.* d:, so that cab's all go to the correct drive. I think go back to d: and type in setup and that starts the whole thing and makes it so you don't have to get your CD out for any update that needs the cabs. If you do it this way keep the CD in because there are other files on it that the install needs.