FResh install

[morganwill]

Hello,
I am installing XP pro again and want to make sure of the best procedure. I have tried several times to run the setup of XP from DOS. I used f-disk to reformat and then attempted to run xp setup as X drive/setup off of CD.
And of course it says setup can not be run/ installed this way. I next tried to install with the 5 xp setup floppy disks (A and this did not work out either. ?????
What I ended up doing was from the dos promt running Windows 98 setup from the X drive.
This works fine but only with the win98 disk not the XP disk???? After a minimal 98 installation I was able to do a clean install of XP.
This way can not be the best/cleanest/fastest way.
It seems to me that this upgrading method would be harder on the HDD.
Please advise of where I am making the wrong turn..
Thank You - M



<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by morganwill on 12/23/03 02:38 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[samcheetah]

>I used f-disk to reformat

why did u do that. just use the format command

>then attempted to run xp setup as X drive/setup off of CD

thats wrong. the setup in the root directory of the installation cd is for windows installations. it doesnt work in a DOS enviroment. altho u already know this info but i had to tell u. now the DOS installation is in the i386 folder in your installation cd. in that folder there is a file named winnt.exe. that file is the installation for a DOS enviroment. execute the file and follow the instuctions.

and one thing more. dos installations take a bit more time than windows installations. but thats because it is a clean intall

 

[morganwill]

OK,
I think I am using the format command, don't understand your point..? Anyway, after wiping and re-formatting my problem is with getting the clean install going in the best possible direction. (See earlier post).
So once I have the virtual ram and fdisk running in DOS.
The next best step is to type x:/i386/setup..????
Please weigh in on this..

 

[Zoron]

Boot from the CD... that's the easiest way of doing it.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[blah]

<""I am installing XP pro again"">

LOL, hehehe, gg, "again", gg.

..this is very useful and helpful place for information...

 

[sturm]

If its an orgional cd and not an imporoper burnt cd you should be able to boot off the cd and install that way. There is a way to burn a bootable copy of the corp edition on a cd but of course I wouldnt know that for sure! ha ha
just set the bios to boot off cd first.

 

[psykoikonov]

If it's a legit copy then throw the disk in boot from cd (set in bios) and press any key at the prompt...follow steps. If it is not legit and won't do the above then go <A HREF="http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?object=article.cfm&id=157" target="_new">here (creating a bootable XPSP1 CD)</A> and follow exactly as says then do the above. BTW there's no perfect way to setup XP until <b>after</b> you get to the desktop LOL.

Psyko

<A HREF="http://forums.btvillarin.com/index.php?showtopic=421" target="_new">Psyko's Puter</A>

 

[samcheetah]

>I think I am using the format command, don't understand your point..?

u said u used the fdisk utility in dos and i quote

>>>>I used f-disk to reformat and then attempted to run xp setup as X drive/setup off of CD.

fdisk is used to make partitions. if u just want to format something just use the format utility in DOS.

>Anyway, after wiping and re-formatting my problem is with getting the clean install going in the best possible direction. (See earlier post).

as psykoikonov said

>>BTW there's no perfect way to setup XP until after you get to the desktop LO

>So once I have the virtual ram and fdisk running in DOS.
The next best step is to type x:/i386/setup..????

i said there is no need for fdisk. and i think you are trying to boot the computer from your floppy. well then like all the others said "boot from the damn CD". in case u dont know how to boot from the CD read the manual of your motherboard. it might be that your cd is a pirated copy that isnt bootable and thats why u r booting from a floppy. well in that case i told u to go to

x:/i386/winnt.exe

not

x:/i386/setup

if u dont have a legal copy of xp do get one. then boot from the cd and voila! u dont need to boot from a floppy.