Laptop Windows Install Problem

Zensuji · 2 Jan 2010 at 10:42

Hey guys,

Really need some help here.

I bought an acer aspire laptop last year. Tried to install XP from vista and it loads the drivers at the start of the install and it blue screens before it even gets to the partition/install screen.

It says something abut it being a hard drive problem and that I should run disk check and scan for viruses. Done both

i've actually had to install linux now which install and runs fine but I keep running into the same problem when trying to installing XP.

I'm nearly at the point where I'm going to buy a new hard drive so just wanted to know if there's anything else I could try?

Many thanks for your time

J.B · 2 Jan 2010 at 10:53

Its probably XP not having the right drive controller driver. It might be worth streamlining an XP CD using nLite with the correct driver.

Alternatively you could try disabling excess hardware in the BIOS like the NIC and soundcard etc.

My moneies on the HDD controller not having a driver. IIRC you can press F2 (maybe F6) to install a hard drive controller driver but I think it can only be done from a floppy drive.

I've used nLite to do it before on my GFs laptop.

Shane5578 · 2 Jan 2010 at 11:01

i had this prob on my laptop too.

it is the hardrive controller, just install windows 7

J.B · 2 Jan 2010 at 11:19

Shane5578 said:
just install windows 7

This is actually better advice than what I said.

Zensuji · 2 Jan 2010 at 11:37

So why would window 7 work guys?

many thanks to you both

J.B · 2 Jan 2010 at 11:42

Windows 7 will have the hard drive controller (probably a SATA controller chip) included in its PE (preinstallation environment).

People ofthen think drivers are needed for when the OS is installed but it still needs drivers to install the OS.

When XP came out SATA wasnt really in use so there aren't many drivers included in XP.

Zensuji · 2 Jan 2010 at 11:48

J.B said:
Windows 7 will have the hard drive controller (probably a SATA controller chip) included in its PE (preinstallation environment).

People ofthen think drivers are needed for when the OS is installed but it still needs drivers to install the OS.

When XP came out SATA wasnt really in use so there aren't many drivers included in XP.

Thanks guys, you just saved me time and money :cool:

windows 7 here I come.

J.B · 2 Jan 2010 at 11:54

No problemo, its a far superior OS as well.

Zensuji · 5 Jan 2010 at 13:40

Thanks guys....got win7 installed and running like a dream!

evoyear · 5 Jan 2010 at 15:26

good to hear, enjoy the win 7, is really a good os

Zensuji · 5 Jan 2010 at 18:11

Cheers mate....will do!