formatting ?

[amdark]

ok here is the thing i cant format my hard drive i have 2 sata 80gig HD's. one has nothing on it and the other windows xp and all my files. i went into bios and choose boot from cd-rom as first bootup. it does not recognize my xp disk in the cd-rom just passes by and coutinues to load windows. the disk is not scrached or anything. the disk reads and loads in windows i tried installing windows in xp thinking it will just restart and maybe take care of itself on its own. it read the disk this time and started windows setup but then i get a blue screen saying windows was not shut down propertly last time bla bla bla. so then i tried a copy of win2000 thinking ill just install that and then update off of my windows xp cd, that gets to windows setup but when i press enter to install windows it says it cannot find a hardrive to install to. wtf. im really lost here and dont know what else i can do. looking for some help.

thanks

i guess if it comes down to it ill just unplug that HD and use the other. i kinda wanted to run linux on one though and xp on the other.

 

[riser]

Start from scratch.. 1 HD at a time.
Is your WinXP cd a copy or an original CD? Sometimes Copies won't be bootable..

Just try with 1 HD, get the install done, put the 2nd hard drive in, test it out.

You'll probably want to start out with a full format of both HDDs to eliminate any hiding problems.

Riser

 

[amdark]

ahh its a copy but i have formatted with it before and no problems. i guess ill open her up thanks

 

[TheCh0s3n1]

If all else fails, boot from a Windows 98SE Boot Disk. Run FDISK and delete the partition. Be sure to select Delete Non-DOS partition.

Before you begin Windows XP installation, be sure to CREATE a partition. You won't need to run FORMAT C:, just place the WinXP CD into the tray and restart. Look for the "Press any key to boot from CD..." message very early on.

 

[amdark]

ok got it thanks guys. seems i have 4 sata ports on my mobo and while trying to setup a new OS u can only do it if u use the first set of ports. when u use the other 2 it loads files for setup but then says can not find hard drive. i guess it is a controller issue or something.

anyways now im set ip again on xp pro sp2. i cant activate windows though says u can only activate so many times so now i get the 30 day thing what happens at the end of 30 days does it lock me out?

 

[_WW_]

I think you have to call MS to activate...

....WW (5.0)

 

[amdark]

ok i guess i will have to if it locks me out in 30 days lol

 

[Guest]

I'm sure windows will remind you before the 30 days is up. Might even give you the number to call.

_________________________
Your arrogance is boring!

 

[TheCh0s3n1]

You should call them today.

 

[pat]

ok got it thanks guys. seems i have 4 sata ports on my mobo and while trying to setup a new OS u can only do it if u use the first set of ports. when u use the other 2 it loads files for setup but then says can not find hard drive. i guess it is a controller issue or something.

Well, I guess that you have a VIA motherboard and that you have to controller controlled by the chipsets and 2 by a third party controller, like Promise, VIA or Sil.

To use them, if it is activated in BIOS, you have to use the floppy provided with your motherboard or make one if you only have a CD.

Then, you'll have to press F6 when asked to do so to install third party controller. Nothing will happen at this moment, but later, you'll be asked to insert the floppy and you'll have to choose the drivers that your OS need. This will have windows to recognize the controller.

<font color=red>Sig space for rent. make your offer.</font color=red>

 

[amdark]

ok ill look into that i think i know what u are talking about if i have 4 drives it would become a problem but for now ill just leave them on the one controller, but that for the info.

my mobo is a gigabyte k8ns pro socket 775 nforce3 250

 

[riser]

Calll up Microsoft. You'll get a live person, you just give them your Windows key and they'll ask you a question or two. Just tell them you had to reinstall Windows because you had a hard drive problem. They'll give you a code to put in or clear it in their systems to allow the install.
Granted, you have a valid license key.

Riser

 

[amdark]

yes i do i got the copy from a academic site through my school.

 

[DCB_AU]

When you copy CD's(criticle important CD's with mixed types of data, etc) only use the first copy.

Do not trust ie. a "copy of a copy".

<font color=red><b>DCB</b></font color=red><font color=white><b>_</b></font color=white><font color=blue><b>AU</b></font color=blue>

 

[amdark]

yeah its a good copy im up and running good enough