XP Prf Clean Install Problem..

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"A Cowan" <ally@-NOSPAM-cowan1057.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:mVLid.96$zc5.59@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...
> Hey, I'm trying to carry out a clean XP install onto a Maxtor 160Gb Disk,
> the
> BIOS correctly displays the disk as 163GB, but when I run the XP setup
> (first from floppies then from a non-bootable CD) it displays the existing
> partitions as C: Partition 1 [Unknown] 131072MB.. Anyone know how I can
> fix
> this? I've even tried connecting the disk to my existing system,
> formatting
> it and splitting it into 3 separate partitions, but the XP setup still
> recognises it only as a single 131.072GB partition. Also I've used a
> Win98SE
> bootup disk and FDisk only recognises it as something similiar in size.
> I've
> carried out this fresh XP install on the exact same disk model on a
> different computer with no problems, so I'm out of ideas.
>
> Any help appreciated!!
> ACowan

Ummmm . . . OK, we are mixing up a couple of terms here. A partition is a
storage area that you create on a hard drive. In that area, you can create
logical drives (Windows C:, D:, etc.). After logical drives are created,
the logical drives must be formatted. Only then can an operating system be
installed on any logical drive.

XP setup is displaying C: Partition 1 [unknown] 131072MB, which makes
perfect sense, ASSUMING that there is one logical drive (C  on Partition 1,
and that C: has not been formatted yet. (Before formatting, the file system
is "unknown".

Your XP setup SHOULD prompt you to format C:

If for some reason it doesn't, you can prepare the drive using your Win98SE
bootup disk. Windows XP will recognize a FAT32 partition, which your
Windows 98SE boot disk can create. As you boot your Windows 98SE floppy,
make sure that you enable large drive support.

But it would be better to format C: as NTFS, which is a file system that
Windows XP would normally use. (thought it's happy to use FAT32, as well,
if you insist) But C: must be formatted, or you will continue to see it
listed as "unknown". -Dave

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

A Cowan wrote:

> Hey, I'm trying to carry out a clean XP install onto a Maxtor 160Gb Disk,
> the
> BIOS correctly displays the disk as 163GB, but when I run the XP setup
> (first from floppies then from a non-bootable CD) it displays the existing
> partitions as C: Partition 1 [Unknown] 131072MB.. Anyone know how I can fix
> this? I've even tried connecting the disk to my existing system, formatting
> it and splitting it into 3 separate partitions, but the XP setup still
> recognises it only as a single 131.072GB partition. Also I've used a Win98SE
> bootup disk and FDisk only recognises it as something similiar in size. I've
> carried out this fresh XP install on the exact same disk model on a
> different computer with no problems, so I'm out of ideas.
>
> Any help appreciated!!
> ACowan
>
>

XP doesn't have 48-bit LBA support, needed to see drive sizes over 131 Gig,
until Service Pack 1 is installed.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"David Maynard" <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> wrote in message
news:10oomjo4f4pmobc@corp.supernews.com...
>A Cowan wrote:
>
>> Hey, I'm trying to carry out a clean XP install onto a Maxtor 160Gb Disk,
>> the
>> BIOS correctly displays the disk as 163GB, but when I run the XP setup
>> (first from floppies then from a non-bootable CD) it displays the
>> existing
>> partitions as C: Partition 1 [Unknown] 131072MB.. Anyone know how I can
>> fix
>> this? I've even tried connecting the disk to my existing system,
>> formatting
>> it and splitting it into 3 separate partitions, but the XP setup still
>> recognises it only as a single 131.072GB partition. Also I've used a
>> Win98SE
>> bootup disk and FDisk only recognises it as something similiar in size.
>> I've
>> carried out this fresh XP install on the exact same disk model on a
>> different computer with no problems, so I'm out of ideas.
>>
>> Any help appreciated!!
>> ACowan
>>
>>
>
> XP doesn't have 48-bit LBA support, needed to see drive sizes over 131
> Gig, until Service Pack 1 is installed.
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013

Oh . . . my . . . . GOD!!!! All programmers at Microsoft should be FIRED
for incompetence. You'd think they would have learned from having to patch
Windows 98 to handle 512MB of RAM. Somebody didn't think that hard drives
would hit 140GB before Windows XP was obsolete? Like I said before, they
should all be FIRED for incompetence. Releasing a service pack to fix this
is kind of like selling a car without an engine, and then offering a free
engine a year or two after the car is sold. Too little, too late. -Dave

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Dave C. wrote:

> "David Maynard" <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> wrote in message
> news:10oomjo4f4pmobc@corp.supernews.com...
>
>>A Cowan wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hey, I'm trying to carry out a clean XP install onto a Maxtor 160Gb Disk,
>>>the
>>>BIOS correctly displays the disk as 163GB, but when I run the XP setup
>>>(first from floppies then from a non-bootable CD) it displays the
>>>existing
>>>partitions as C: Partition 1 [Unknown] 131072MB.. Anyone know how I can
>>>fix
>>>this? I've even tried connecting the disk to my existing system,
>>>formatting
>>>it and splitting it into 3 separate partitions, but the XP setup still
>>>recognises it only as a single 131.072GB partition. Also I've used a
>>>Win98SE
>>>bootup disk and FDisk only recognises it as something similiar in size.
>>>I've
>>>carried out this fresh XP install on the exact same disk model on a
>>>different computer with no problems, so I'm out of ideas.
>>>
>>>Any help appreciated!!
>>>ACowan
>>>
>>>
>>
>>XP doesn't have 48-bit LBA support, needed to see drive sizes over 131
>>Gig, until Service Pack 1 is installed.
>>
>>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013
>
>
> Oh . . . my . . . . GOD!!!! All programmers at Microsoft should be FIRED
> for incompetence. You'd think they would have learned from having to patch
> Windows 98 to handle 512MB of RAM. Somebody didn't think that hard drives
> would hit 140GB before Windows XP was obsolete?

It isn't a matter of not foreseeing larger drives. It's a matter of not
knowing precisely how to talk to them because the 48 bit LBA standard
hadn't been finalized in time and what non existent BIOS and 'future' disk
drives do you test it with?

> Like I said before, they
> should all be FIRED for incompetence. Releasing a service pack to fix this
> is kind of like selling a car without an engine, and then offering a free
> engine a year or two after the car is sold. Too little, too late. -Dave

Rather it's more like you expecting your car to have a 'next generation'
GPS system included because you know "they're working on it" but haven't
finalized what the frequencies will be, are still debating precisely how it
will work, and haven't launched any satellites yet to test it with.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

set your cmos to boot from the cdrom
put the xp disk in the cdrom
it will install and format the drive for you, just
follow the prompts.