Help installing windows

Wes

Wes

Wes

Associate
Joined
12 Mar 2005
Posts
41
Location
[Manchester, UK]
Hi, I bought a new pc today and put it all together. Thing is when I try to install windows, I am having a slight problem.

It formats the HD fine, then it copys the windows files onto the HD then it says to contiune it has to reset. So it resets, then upon booting again it wants to format again, then copy the files on again then reset. It's an endless cycle.

Any help?

(Genuine WinXP by the way)
 
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Meths said:
You're not booting from the cd the second time around are you?
Click to expand...

I have tried booting from HD 2nd time round and CD neither work.

Beserker said:
What happens if, as soon as it says it's going to reboot, you eject and remove the CD?
Click to expand...

I havn't tried that yet, but I figure it will still just reboot.
 
I am on MSN pretty much all day, if anyone has any ideas, please add me. :)
 
Berserker said:
What happens if, as soon as it says it's going to reboot, you eject and remove the CD?
Click to expand...
It just sits there and does nothing, it's just acting as if nothing has actually happened to the HDD...

(I built the PC with him btw)
 
Seems obvious and probably is, but check the boot options in the BIOS. Make sure it's set to actually boot from the HDD (before the CD).
 
Might help if you posted what the actual hardware set up is, then we might be able to spot any hardware issues.

EDIT: I had a similar problem some time ago with an XP install, turned out to be a known problem with the hard drive and controller not being compatible.
 
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Berserker said:
Seems obvious and probably is, but check the boot options in the BIOS. Make sure it's set to actually boot from the HDD (before the CD).
Click to expand...

This sounds likely.

CD 1st
HDD 2nd

After it's scanned the cd, it will give you an option to boot from the cd, you ignore it - and eventually it will try and boot from the HDD.
 
Oh god, I do hope that is not whats wrong..

Edit: Nope. :(

KingAdora said:
This sounds likely.

CD 1st
HDD 2nd

After it's scanned the cd, it will give you an option to boot from the cd, you ignore it - and eventually it will try and boot from the HDD.
Click to expand...

It flashes up boot from CD then automatically does it..
 
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Set your bios to boot from CD, but after the installer restarts the 1st time just dont press anykey to boot from CD and it will then boot from your 2nd bootable device which should be your HDD

Or can you enter a boot menu to just boot from cd that one time?
 
Here, I just recorded this with my webcam, look how quickly it makes the decision to boot from CD and this is the 2nd boot device. (I don't press any buttons).

Link
It then goes on to format etc.
 
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Sputnik II said:
Might help if you posted what the actual hardware set up is, then we might be able to spot any hardware issues.

EDIT: I had a similar problem some time ago with an XP install, turned out to be a known problem with the hard drive and controller not being compatible.
Click to expand...

Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9 NF4, S939, PCI-E (x16), DDR 400, SATA I, SATA RAID, ATX (MoBo)

120 Gb Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (HDD)

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (CPU)
 
I THINK it's something to do with disabling some kind of RAID thing in the BIOS under advanced options (had the same problem with my Gigabyte)

So advanced options > then the fifth/six one down should be something to do with RAID, disable it.

But I have no clue really. Worth a try though.
 
Certainly have to disable the RAID thats whats causing the F10 Utility, trust me.

Then it looks as if the HDD is not set to Ist boot device

Going by that video.
 
I think you might be onto something here, I'll post back after the file copying completes..

Edit: Yeah thanks a lot guys, disabling the RAID worked. It's now happily booting.

wesdone8kk.jpg
 
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