Problems installing OS

Sim2dude

Junior Member
Mar 22, 2005
11
0
0
I am having some trouble getting through DOS, the BIOS, and installing the operating system. Been trying to get it to work for hours, and I finally admit that I need help. The Western Digital harddrive that I got came with a cd: Data Lifeguard Tools v11.1, I did the easy installation on my HD. Should I set the installation to custom and mess around with the numbers for the space and stuff?

A problem that I got was "NTLDR is missing" when I try to install Windows XP, I already set first priority boot to cd-rom, and hard drive to second. did not make a difference.
Also I just noticed that in the startup after it displays main processor, memory testing, and after the IDE channel 1 & 2 and Master & Slave, it showed "Memory test fail" for some reason even though before it said that Memory testing: 1048576k OK. then says Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter SETUP.

My hardware is a Abit AV8 motherboard, AMD Athlon 3000+, Kingston 1GB Value ram, and WD SATA 160GB if that helps.
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
1
0
If you have a base-model AV8, try getting out the SATA driver floppy that appears in this Newegg photo, put your Windows CD in the drive, and boot from the Windows CD. At the beginning, it'll say at the bottom to press the F6 key if you have third-party drivers. Press the F6 key when you see that.

After a couple minutes, Windows setup will remember that hey, he pressed the F6 key. It'll prompt you for a floppy with the SATA controller's drivers on it. Give it your Abit floppy now, and it can get the drivers and then hopefully it sees your hard drive and can install onto it.

By the way, I have some more info on SATA setup on this page, might help with the underlying concepts.

Tangent: if your WinXP CD doesn't have Service Pack 2, then be aware of the danger from worms. If you have a router providing firewalling then you should be safe from worm attacks from the Internet. If not, keep your computer un-networked in any way until you have the Windows Internet Connection Firewall enabled (see Help).
 

Sim2dude

Junior Member
Mar 22, 2005
11
0
0
*GASP* I had totally forgotten about that SATA disk. Too bad I cant get it to run even though it took another 10 minutes or taking out of this comp that I'm using now and installing it onto the new one. I cant run the Windows CD, thats the problem. Am I suppose to be able to press F6 somewhere though(but it cant even run the disk)?