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Problem installing an operating system

S

swaq

Member
I just got new computer parts and I'm trying to install Windows 98, Windows XP, and Linux on my computer. All three will go on one 200GB hard drive. I have fdisked and formatted one partition with FAT32 from a Windows 98 boot disk for the Win98 OS. However, when I boot to the install CD it says it isn't formatted correctly for this operating system and asks me if I'd like it to format it for me or if I'd like to exit and format it myself. I choose have it format it for me and it goes all the way to 100%, finishes, and then says "An error was detected while formatting your primary hard disk partition" and will not continue. However, if I run setup directly from the CD after formatting from the command line Windows 98 installs. However, then I had trouble booting to it. It would stay on the loading screen for like a half hour and then finally it went to a BSOD that said:

"Your multi-function device (Standard Dual PCI IDE Controller) has some child devices using 31-bit drivers and others using compatibility-mode drivers. This configuration is not supported, so your computer has been halted to prevent corruption.

After you restart your computer, Windows will use compatibility-mode drivers for each child device attached to this multi-function device. If you want to use 32-bit drivers, you may be able to obtain an updated driver for the device that caused the problem by contacting your hardware manufacturer, or you can disable the device."

I hit Enter and the computer went to a black screen and froze. Rebooted, same problem.


Previously I had also tried installing Windows XP. I chose the partition I wanted and formatted it in NTFS. However, it reached 100% and then spewed some error about failing to format and hit such and such to quit setup or go back and choose a different partition. That was with doing a full format. When I chose the quick format option it didn't give me this error but went ahead and installed Windows XP. I don't think it installed completely or entirely successfully because at least half the times I booted up I didn't have mouse support, there was no desktop background, and the default Windows XP theme was not loaded. Once into that install of Windows XP I was able to do full formats of other partitions in NTFS with no complaints.


Anyone have any idea why things aren't working the way they should/usually do? Here are my specs:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
2GB (2 x 1GB) Patriot memory
Abit AN8 Ultra motherboard
Gigabyte X800XL 256MB PCI express video card
200GB Seagate 7200.8
Seasonic 430W PSU

I've run Memtest86 with no problems and I've tried switching back to my old memory (2 x 512MB Kingston HyperX). I've re-fdisked/formatted the drive many times now. I've built many computers and I've never had this problem before. I'm starting to get suspicious of the motherboard, but I don't have much evidence to support that. I've tried both SATA1 and SATA2 (there are 4 total) and both have the same problem with throwing the error at the end of formatting in a Windows installation. I suppose it could be a bad drive but it is almost new and no errors have shown up on it that I'm aware of.

Please help, I'm going insane with this new computer I can't use. 🙁
 
I would probably be leaning more to the hard drive more than the motherboard first.
What I would do first is to check and make sure that the drive is ok. You can get Seatools desktop direct from seagate. You can create either a bootable floppy or cd. Run that and do all the tests on the hard drive and see if it comes back or or not.

The other thing I would to, provided that you have a spare hard drive handy, is try to install windows on another hard drive if the diagnostic testes come back ok. Just because it is a new drive does not mean it is not bad. I had a batch of 4 bad wd drive right away brand new
 
I am presently running every single test SeaTools offers on my hard drive. It's about 86% through the full test (item 4 or 10).
 
Test has finished, it failed on one part:

File Structure Test Result:

Partition 1 (NTFS (128 GB) No Name) Result: Failed with critical Errors

The following errors were found while scanning the volume:
- Basic structure corruption


Everything else passed just fine. So perhaps I should try a low level format?

I suppose I should ask another, possibly related (but probably not) question while I'm at it. Whenever I turn on my new computer it beeps (high-low-high-low) and then stops. Just those four beeps, sometimes it only does two or three of them but it is always the high-low pattern. Any idea what this might be?
 
*bump* I just used the SeaTools utility again, the same thing ("Basic structure corruption") was detected again. Perhaps I should RMA the drive? Thoughts?
 
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