Something wrong with my hardware? I can't install WinXP. (FIXED)

aolj

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2000
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I just bought a new hdd and it is a ultra ATA 133. I am still using a Gigabyte motherboard that cannot support hdd bigger than 35 gb. I went and bought a pci controller card. I have it configured this way.

New hdd is on the pci controller card. It took me a long time to partition and format that drive. My old hdd is on primary ide channel and also my dvd drive is on secondary. I want to install winXP on my pc and to start off fresh on the new hdd.

I booted from the WinXP cd and the installation process went on. After copying the files needed to install. It has to restart. Upon restarting, it stops at this message.

windows could not start because of the following ARC firmware boot configuration problem:
did not properly generate ARC name for HAL and system paths. Please check the windows documentation about ARC configuration options and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.


I do not understand that statement. I hope someone can help me out. This is my first time having a hdd installed and running from a pci controller card. I kind of understand it acts like a scsi card. I have always used the primary IDEs of the motherboard.

I'm lost here. Someone show me the light please. Thanks.
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,108
5
81
Hmm... only thing I can think of is either free space on your hard drive if you used too much up, or your processor. Windows XP requires 400 or 500 mhz if I remember correctly, and your on a 600mhz according to http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=1974

You may want to try getting a newer P3 processor unless your willing to upgrade your motherboard. What OS were you on prior to this?
 

microAmp

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2000
5,988
110
106
Wouldn't pressing F8 before installation be needed? Like when it is asking for SCSI controllers, etc, press F8.
 

aolj

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2000
1,383
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76
I'm running win2k now. Seems to work alright. I had a P2 400 run smoothly on winxp too.
This is confusing.

It's F6. I did that too. I selected the driver for the pci card. If not, no hard disk is present.
 

crisp82

Golden Member
Apr 8, 2002
1,920
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It 100% isn't your CPU speed. I have a 350mhz P2, and it runs XP fine. Nearly all programs that I can think of that have hardware recommendations will install on a lesser system, they just won't run.

Google is your friend

Hope it works for ya!

Ps. it isn't a link to Google, it is a microsoft article
 

Viper96720

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2002
4,390
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Windows XP doesn't have the drivers for the PCI card. You have to either put the drivers on a floppy. You could install XP with the drive on the motherboards ide controller. Add the hardware in windows then move the harddrive over to the pci controller.
 

aolj

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2000
1,383
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76
Viper: I did load the drivers for the PCI card. However, I can't load the hdd directly from my motherboard. My motherboard cannot support hdd that is larger than 35gb. I tried flashing the Bios ROM but it didn't work. That's why I got the PCI card hoping that iw will solve the problem.

Still reading the MS articles. I still don't understand what the problem is.
 

aolj

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2000
1,383
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76
Got it to work now. It was the PCI card. WinXP couldn't detect it during installation even though I did load it by pressing F6.

Thanks y'all.