XP Installation cannot format the Partition

munyc

December 27, 2011 10:58:52 AM

Hello,
Recently I reinstall XP to my 80gb Seagate hdd. After selection screen appear for installation, it show only unpartiton with space of 7890mb. Despite this I tried to install window on it but it failed saying that cannot format the drive, the drive may damaged.

I use Seatools to test this drive found no error & pass the test overall.

Using Super Fdisk Bootable CD to boot up – cannot read MBR, list of operations cannot be done on it saying cannot write to the drive. But it did show almost full capacity of 80gb.

Using HDD Capacity Restore when slave this drive to other xp pc - No need to restore because it show full capacity

Slave it to another XP pc – show the partition of 7890mb an unpartition of the rest capacity. Resize the partition to max using Easeus Partiton Master & format the whole drive using NTFS set it as Primary. On My Computer it did show the drive as Local D with almost 80gb. It can be using such format, storing & viewing any files.

But when take back to the previous pc & tried to reinstall XP on it, the same problem persists. Can anyone give some advice?

More about : installation format partition

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PhilFrisbie

December 29, 2011 8:56:50 PM

Check in your BIOS. Do you have the MBR and/or partition table protected against viruses?

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munyc

December 31, 2011 10:02:12 AM

PhilFrisbie said:

Check in your BIOS. Do you have the MBR and/or partition table protected against viruses?

Can you elaborate more your suggestion as I'm not understand it.

But anyway, I thought reinstalling it using original XP will do as it will create new partition & format it before installing. Formatting should wipe out virus?

For info, could it be mobo issue but (boot into BIOS, boot with bootable cd / XP cd has no problem).

This problem drive can use in slave mode in another xp pc with no problem.

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PhilFrisbie

December 31, 2011 7:38:32 PM

Go into your BIOS. There may be an option called something like "protect MBR" or "protect boot sector". If that is enabled the BIOS will not allow ANY software to write to that part of the hard drive.

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munyc

January 1, 2012 10:42:48 AM

PhilFrisbie said:

Go into your BIOS. There may be an option called something like "protect MBR" or "protect boot sector". If that is enabled the BIOS will not allow ANY software to write to that part of the hard drive.

I manage found in BIOS setup that;
Virus Warning & the setting is “Disable”. Is this function that you mention? Definition in it stated that “Allow you to choose foe IDE hdd Disk Boot Sector protection. If disabled & someone attempt to write data into this area, BIOS will show a warning message on screen & alarm beep.”
I can’t find MBR protect in it.
Is it possible that OS installed is hiding or disable by BIOS setting. I did tried flash BIOS to latest version & load optimized default BIOS setting, still the same problem.
Any idea for the BIOS setting in PnP OS Installed section? My current setting for it is “No”
My BIOS type is Phoenix Award BIOS.

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