OS installation errors

by odorf07 May 6, 2007 11:14AM PDT

I need help fixing my friends comptuter. He clean installed Windows Vista, messed with it a while, then decided to dual boot. He reinstalled Windows XP Media Center addiction (which came with his pc and we used the sticker on the side of the case for installation) on a partition. After changing a boot menu option, he could dual boot fine, but had no internet connection. He wanted internet, so we decided to fresh install xp and completely remove Vista. We loaded xp, then clicked the C:/ drive (where vista was installed) and clicked format to cleart the partition. It errored part way through, so we cancelled and tried installing XP normally. Part way trhough installation, it errored saying it couldn't replace certain .dll files. It did like 100 of these. After canceling all of them and it finished, xp didn't load. At that point, now neither partitions will load. He can't install any OS higher than NT now ( which still wont connect to the internet). So, we tried a new harddrive. It errors at the same time with the .dll files. HELP!!!

Discussion is locked

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Probably Need To Wipe The Drive

by Grif Thomas Former Forum moderator May 7, 2007 1:45AM PDT

In all situations where I've worked with Vista, a full wipe of the drive with a program like Dban or Killdisk is necessary to get XP to install correctly.

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

http://www.killdisk.com/

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Thanks, but didn't work

by odorf07 May 8, 2007 12:29AM PDT

We tried that, but it didn't help.

After talking to some people, it may possibly be the registry? Is there any way to clear or delete or do something drastic to the registry? We can boot windows now, but the mouse and internet dont work.

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Wierd. After DBAN...

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator May 8, 2007 12:31AM PDT

There is nothing left on any hard disk I've DBAN'd.

Are you sure you did this?

Bob

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Well

by odorf07 May 8, 2007 6:08AM PDT

Well, we couldn't DBAN it. He dont have a A:\ Drive and i tried to put it on my USB stick. My usb stick is 512mb (under 2G so it can be read as a boot device) but when I tried booting from it, it says Boot Failed. Ne1 to fix that?

Also, it messed up my jump drive and i cant use it now. When I put it in, it loads up as "Removable Disk F:\", but when i click it it says please insert a drive, and when i try to format it, it wont let me...

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Those details would be nice to know.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator May 8, 2007 6:20AM PDT

Now try it from a boot CD.

Bob

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...

by odorf07 May 8, 2007 6:34AM PDT

Well, i'm stupid. i'm still thinking I'm at his house... but i can burn cd's here... Get back to you on that...

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Nope

by odorf07 May 8, 2007 8:55AM PDT

Well, he ran it completely w/ no errors, and hes still getting the .dll cannot be replaced errors. Might there be something on his Mobo messing it up? Him mobo aint broken cause my friends working computer still cant run it.

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OK, DBAN wiped the drive and the OS is being installed.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator May 8, 2007 10:19AM PDT

But tell me about the error message. "Exactly please."

Also small items such as drive type (SATA?) and is that a Microsoft CD or a copy?

Bob

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I'll do as best i can

by odorf07 May 8, 2007 11:48AM PDT

I can't tell you EXACTLY what it says, but it keeps erroring saying it can't copy certain files. I looked at the first 2 or 3 and googled them, and they all seemed to be font files. It gives the option to retry, ignore, or cancel setup when the errors pop up. The first one is around 13%, the next around 25%, then i dont know from there (we held down the esc key w/ a pennie)

As for the hd is is a SATA hd and the cd's aren't original, but the CD key is (it's off the side of his computer). I don't think its the cd's though, one of them (Win XP home) I've used multiple times before and it works fine. The other (Win XP Media center edition) works cause thats what we originally installed xp w/ after we decided to get rid of Vista. I can try to get an original CD, but I'm pretty sure it wont help. We got Windows 2000 installed too, but it sucks, so we took it off.

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Go here.

by YankeesNYwins May 8, 2007 10:21PM PDT

Make a floppy or CD and boot to either one you choose and select erase drive to zeros.

Go here:
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=SeaTools&vgnextoid=720bd20cacdec010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD

Then install operating system.

PS: I posted a long post on this message board on how to dual boot with Vista, XP, 2000 or any of them.

Found here:

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12546_102-0.html?forumID=133&threadID=239417

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What does it do?

by odorf07 May 10, 2007 12:38AM PDT

What exactly does this program do? It doesn't say how to put it on a CD to boot it, and when I run the program, nothing really happend O.o

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Found the solution

by odorf07 May 26, 2007 1:29PM PDT

Well, His dad found the problem. Supposedly, HP computers, except for the very recently new ones, had a BIOS locked version of windows. His HP computer came with Windows XP Media Center Edition. Since it came with that version of windows, No other version of Windows XP will work on that computer except for the version provided with the system or system restore disks.

That being said, we had to order the computers system restore disks, which has allowed his computer to return to normal.

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Details matter. For instance you might write this if...

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator May 27, 2007 1:50AM PDT

The hard disk was a SATA one since the install routine requires many more steps. And it would spew errors if you didn't do it right.

Details matter.

Bob

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I supplied that information

by odorf07 May 27, 2007 2:48AM PDT

You asked that question in post 9, which I replied to in the next post.

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Thanks, read a few about how to install to SATA drives now.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator May 27, 2007 3:20AM PDT

Any Microsoft made XP CD doesn't install to SATA drives in most cases. Try reading a few articles and notice common items like driver diskettes and that all important use of the F6 key.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=HOW+DO+I+INSTALL+XP+TO+A+SATA+HARD+DISK%3F&btnG=Google+Search

You also want the XP SP2 CD. I've run into trouble with the former versions.

Bob

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