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hard drive fails to format

Forum Windows XP : Windows XP General Discussion - hard drive fails to format

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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

have been attempting to load Windows XP Pro on a machine that was formerly
Windows ME. I boot up to the CD and go through all of the start up options,
choosing to format the drive using NTFS system. The process follows through
until 100% and then I receive a message stating "setup was unable to format
the partition. The disc may be damaged". I have tried 3 different hard
drives, 2 of which are new and not damaged, but receive the same message.
Any thoughts/ides?
--
kah

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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

kah wrote:
> have been attempting to load Windows XP Pro on a machine that was formerly
> Windows ME. I boot up to the CD and go through all of the start up options,
> choosing to format the drive using NTFS system. The process follows through
> until 100% and then I receive a message stating "setup was unable to format
> the partition. The disc may be damaged". I have tried 3 different hard
> drives, 2 of which are new and not damaged, but receive the same message.
> Any thoughts/ides?

Well, as you've eliminated the hard drive itself, it seems likely that
there is something wrong or incompatible with the motherboard's IDE
controller. Have you checked with the motherboard manufacturer to see
if your specific motherboard is capable of supporting WinXP, or if
there's a BIOS update required to bestow compatibility? What were the
results when you ran the WinXP Compatibility test before undertaking the
upgrade?

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Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Make certain the IDE Cables are securely attached to both motherboard and
drive.
For troubleshooting purposes have you tried running FDISK and formatting
using your Windows ME Startup floppy?

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

"kah" <kah@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F9E3026B-3486-4E81-A97F-4AEB7F1EFDD7@microsoft.com...
> have been attempting to load Windows XP Pro on a machine that was formerly
> Windows ME. I boot up to the CD and go through all of the start up
> options,
> choosing to format the drive using NTFS system. The process follows
> through
> until 100% and then I receive a message stating "setup was unable to
> format
> the partition. The disc may be damaged". I have tried 3 different hard
> drives, 2 of which are new and not damaged, but receive the same message.
> Any thoughts/ides?
> --
> kah

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

"Harry Ohrn" <harry---@webtree.ca> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
newsmdeSIDbFHA.3280@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Make certain the IDE Cables are securely attached to both motherboard and
> drive.
> For troubleshooting purposes have you tried running FDISK and formatting
> using your Windows ME Startup floppy?
>
> --
>
> Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
> www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
>
>
> "kah" <kah@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F9E3026B-3486-4E81-A97F-4AEB7F1EFDD7@microsoft.com...
> > have been attempting to load Windows XP Pro on a machine that was
formerly
> > Windows ME. I boot up to the CD and go through all of the start up
> > options,
> > choosing to format the drive using NTFS system. The process follows
> > through
> > until 100% and then I receive a message stating "setup was unable to
> > format
> > the partition. The disc may be damaged". I have tried 3 different hard
> > drives, 2 of which are new and not damaged, but receive the same
message.
> > Any thoughts/ides?
> > --
> > kah
>
>

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

OK this may solve the problem but I can't tell you why. If you are
using Master/Slave then change to cable select, make sure the drive is
at the end of the cable. If you are using cable select then change to
master.

I have had more funky stuff with this than you could believe.

Wayne

kah wrote:

> have been attempting to load Windows XP Pro on a machine that was
> formerly Windows ME. I boot up to the CD and go through all of the
> start up options, choosing to format the drive using NTFS system.
> The process follows through until 100% and then I receive a message
> stating "setup was unable to format the partition. The disc may be
> damaged". I have tried 3 different hard drives, 2 of which are new
> and not damaged, but receive the same message. Any thoughts/ides?

Reply to Anonymous

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