Does re-installing XP have to be this hard for me?

[Warthog]

I just had to re-install XP for about the 12th time. It said I had a corrupt system file and to hit "R" when the setup screen appeared. However, I could never get a setup screen to appear. Here is what I have to go through each time I install.

Format C:
Win 98 Setup
Install NIC Driver
Install Road Runner
Win XP Setup
Choose upgrade
Have it do dynamic update
Install all Windows update once it is up and running.

That's about a two hour process if nothing crashes. Am I doing something wrong? I read one guy's post on here who said he re-installs his OS every month. It must be easier for him.

I am thinking about buying a Radeon 8500 and some people recommend re-installing the OS. If I have to go through this each time, I will stay with Nvidia.

I also couldn't get a partition to take so I could install the OS on one drive and keep my data on the other. How do you install a partition? I have XP running now, can I do it know before I install any apps or user data?

 

[hoihtah]

why are you going through win 98 to install win xp?
why not just install direct to xp?

 

[Warthog]

"why are you going through win 98 to install win xp?
why not just install direct to xp? "

It won't do it, it's the upgrade XP version. Can you make an XP Boot disk? I use a 98 boot disk and that is how I go through 98.

 

[Abzstrak]

It won't do it, it's the upgrade XP version. Can you make an XP Boot disk? I use a 98 boot disk and that is how I go through 98.

Wrong!

boot off the XP CD, it'll ask for a qualifying disk for the upgrade and you can pop in the win98 cd and it will check it.... takes 2 minutes away from the install time of normal XP.

Also, use NTFS as it is MUCH more difficult to corrupt than fat32 cause its journaling.....

 

[Warthog]

"boot off the XP CD, it'll ask for a qualifying disk for the upgrade and you can pop in the win98 cd and it will check it.... takes 2 minutes away from the install time of normal XP."

I tried that, but it will boot from the CD about 1 out of 5 times. The 1 time it does boot it just hangs saying "starting windows". Maybe I need to leave it saying that for more than 5 minutes. It just doesn't seem right.

 

[Warthog]

I have been reading the help files and the only info I can find on partitions deals with DOS partitions. Are we still using DOS to partition XP? Can I partition a disk after I have installed the OS? I have been working with computers since 8088s were new. I feel kind of stupid asking these questions, but I have moved in and out of tech/management jobs and lost allot of my tech skills. Anybody have any suggestions. I am holding off reloading apps until I find out and answer to my partition question. Thanks.

 

[Abzstrak]

if your having problems that early in the install, then you probably have a hardware problem. Reset your bios to defaults and see what happens... if that doesn't help try replacing your IDE cables, RAM, and CPU with known good.