XP Installation problems- please help!

I have a laptop which was runnning Windows 2000 and I'm trying to
install Windows XP on it. I did manage to get it on but I must have
made some mistake somewhere as on startup it was giving me the option
to boot into either XP or Windows 2000.

Before explaining the current status I should just explain exactly
what I'd like to acheive ideally.
One hard drive (C) with the full amount of storage space (10GB)
running Windows XP. That's it! Nothing more, nothing less.

So I have tried to do a few things- deleting partition, re-installing
XP and now I'm really confused!

When I startup now, I get 3 choices from the boot screen:

Windows XP Home Edition
Windows 2000 Professional
Windows XP Setup

If I select Windows XP Home Edition it says:

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware

configuration problem. COuld not read from the selected boot

disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the

Windows documemntation about hardware disk configuration and

your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

If I select Windows 2000 Professional it gets me into Windows 2000. If
I go to Computer Management>Disk Management there it reads:
C: 5GB FAT32 - Primary Partition
Unallocated 4.36GB
Right-clicking on either of these doesn't give me an option to either
delete or format.

If I try Windows XP Home Edition Setup it says:
Welcome to Setup
To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER
Insert the CD labeled Windows XP Home Edition CD ROM
I then put in the disk and press enter.
I then get the following screen:

The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned
space on this computer

9586MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MPR]
C: Partition1 (VAIONOTE) [FAT32] 5122MB 979MB free
Unpartioned space 4463MB

If I press 'D' on C, it says: Setup is unable to perform the requested
operation on the slected partition. This partition contains temporary
Setup files that are required to complete the installation.
'D' doesn't work on the unpartitioned space.

If try to set up on C, it says: The partition you have chosen is too
full to contain Windows XP which requires a drive with at least 1033MB
of free disk space.

I also have the following options:
To repair a Windows XP intallation using Recovery Console,

press R
To quite Setup without installing Windows XP press F3

So, what do I do????!!!

Gorka
Fri Apr 04 02:23:47 PDT 2008

Hi Steven

You should do the following:
1- Boot your computer from Windows XP installation CD.
2- If you boot the computer with the installation CD installed, it should
boot from it, you will get a message like "Press any key to boot from cd..."
3- If not, during the boot process, enter the BIOS. Usually you have to
press DEL key during startup process.
4- On the BIOS, find boot options and configure it to CD-ROM drive be the
first one.
5- Once you have started from the CD, perform a clean installation formating
the hard disk, but be aware that you are going to lose all the data you have
on the hard disk, so be sure of backup them.

Regards.

Gorka Miranda

"01steven" <01steven@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:6aa8a484-b3e9-4be5-a625-08f006f2045a@m71g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>I have a laptop which was runnning Windows 2000 and I'm trying to
> install Windows XP on it. I did manage to get it on but I must have
> made some mistake somewhere as on startup it was giving me the option
> to boot into either XP or Windows 2000.
>
> Before explaining the current status I should just explain exactly
> what I'd like to acheive ideally.
> One hard drive (C) with the full amount of storage space (10GB)
> running Windows XP. That's it! Nothing more, nothing less.
>
> So I have tried to do a few things- deleting partition, re-installing
> XP and now I'm really confused!
>
> When I startup now, I get 3 choices from the boot screen:
>
> Windows XP Home Edition
> Windows 2000 Professional
> Windows XP Setup
>
> If I select Windows XP Home Edition it says:
>
> Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
>
> configuration problem. COuld not read from the selected boot
>
> disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the
>
> Windows documemntation about hardware disk configuration and
>
> your hardware reference manuals for additional information.
>
> If I select Windows 2000 Professional it gets me into Windows 2000. If
> I go to Computer Management>Disk Management there it reads:
> C: 5GB FAT32 - Primary Partition
> Unallocated 4.36GB
> Right-clicking on either of these doesn't give me an option to either
> delete or format.
>
> If I try Windows XP Home Edition Setup it says:
> Welcome to Setup
> To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER
> Insert the CD labeled Windows XP Home Edition CD ROM
> I then put in the disk and press enter.
> I then get the following screen:
>
> The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned
> space on this computer
>
> 9586MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MPR]
> C: Partition1 (VAIONOTE) [FAT32] 5122MB 979MB free
> Unpartioned space 4463MB
>
> If I press 'D' on C, it says: Setup is unable to perform the requested
> operation on the slected partition. This partition contains temporary
> Setup files that are required to complete the installation.
> 'D' doesn't work on the unpartitioned space.
>
> If try to set up on C, it says: The partition you have chosen is too
> full to contain Windows XP which requires a drive with at least 1033MB
> of free disk space.
>
> I also have the following options:
> To repair a Windows XP intallation using Recovery Console,
>
> press R
> To quite Setup without installing Windows XP press F3
>
> So, what do I do????!!!

01steven
Fri Apr 04 03:39:47 PDT 2008

Hi
Thanks, but as mentioned in my message this doesn't work for me- I've
already set the BIOS to boot from CD first and I get the messages as
written.

On Apr 4, 10:23 am, "Gorka Miranda" <gorka_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Steven
>
> You should do the following:
> 1- Boot your computer from Windows XP installation CD.
> 2- If you boot the computer with the installation CD installed, it should
> boot from it, you will get a message like "Press any key to boot from cd..."
> 3- If not, during the boot process, enter the BIOS. Usually you have to
> press DEL key during startup process.
> 4- On the BIOS, find boot options and configure it to CD-ROM drive be the
> first one.
> 5- Once you have started from the CD, perform a clean installation formating
> the hard disk, but be aware that you are going to lose all the data you have
> on the hard disk, so be sure of backup them.
>
> Regards.
>
> Gorka Miranda
>
> "01steven" <01ste...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:6aa8a484-b3e9-4be5-a625-08f006f2045a@m71g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
> >I have a laptop which was runnning Windows 2000 and I'm trying to
> > install Windows XP on it. I did manage to get it on but I must have
> > made some mistake somewhere as on startup it was giving me the option
> > to boot into either XP or Windows 2000.
>
> > Before explaining the current status I should just explain exactly
> > what I'd like to acheive ideally.
> > One hard drive (C) with the full amount of storage space (10GB)
> > running Windows XP. That's it! Nothing more, nothing less.
>
> > So I have tried to do a few things- deleting partition, re-installing
> > XP and now I'm really confused!
>
> > When I startup now, I get 3 choices from the boot screen:
>
> > Windows XP Home Edition
> > Windows 2000 Professional
> > Windows XP Setup
>
> > If I select Windows XP Home Edition it says:
>
> > Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
>
> > configuration problem. COuld not read from the selected boot
>
> > disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the
>
> > Windows documemntation about hardware disk configuration and
>
> > your hardware reference manuals for additional information.
>
> > If I select Windows 2000 Professional it gets me into Windows 2000. If
> > I go to Computer Management>Disk Management there it reads:
> > C: 5GB FAT32 - Primary Partition
> > Unallocated 4.36GB
> > Right-clicking on either of these doesn't give me an option to either
> > delete or format.
>
> > If I try Windows XP Home Edition Setup it says:
> > Welcome to Setup
> > To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER
> > Insert the CD labeled Windows XP Home Edition CD ROM
> > I then put in the disk and press enter.
> > I then get the following screen:
>
> > The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned
> > space on this computer
>
> > 9586MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MPR]
> > C: Partition1 (VAIONOTE) [FAT32] 5122MB 979MB free
> > Unpartioned space 4463MB
>
> > If I press 'D' on C, it says: Setup is unable to perform the requested
> > operation on the slected partition. This partition contains temporary
> > Setup files that are required to complete the installation.
> > 'D' doesn't work on the unpartitioned space.
>
> > If try to set up on C, it says: The partition you have chosen is too
> > full to contain Windows XP which requires a drive with at least 1033MB
> > of free disk space.
>
> > I also have the following options:
> > To repair a Windows XP intallation using Recovery Console,
>
> > press R
> > To quite Setup without installing Windows XP press F3
>
> > So, what do I do????!!!

philo
Fri Apr 04 04:24:59 PDT 2008


"01steven" <01steven@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:6aa8a484-b3e9-4be5-a625-08f006f2045a@m71g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> I have a laptop which was runnning Windows 2000 and I'm trying to
> install Windows XP on it. I did manage to get it on but I must have
> made some mistake somewhere as on startup it was giving me the option
> to boot into either XP or Windows 2000.
>
> Before explaining the current status I should just explain exactly
> what I'd like to acheive ideally.
> One hard drive (C) with the full amount of storage space (10GB)
> running Windows XP. That's it! Nothing more, nothing less.
>
> So I have tried to do a few things- deleting partition, re-installing
> XP and now I'm really confused!
>
> When I startup now, I get 3 choices from the boot screen:
>
> Windows XP Home Edition
> Windows 2000 Professional
> Windows XP Setup
>
> If I select Windows XP Home Edition it says:
>
> Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
>
> configuration problem. COuld not read from the selected boot
>
> disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the
>
> Windows documemntation about hardware disk configuration and
>
> your hardware reference manuals for additional information.
>
> If I select Windows 2000 Professional it gets me into Windows 2000. If
> I go to Computer Management>Disk Management there it reads:
> C: 5GB FAT32 - Primary Partition
> Unallocated 4.36GB
> Right-clicking on either of these doesn't give me an option to either
> delete or format.
>
> If I try Windows XP Home Edition Setup it says:
> Welcome to Setup
> To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER
> Insert the CD labeled Windows XP Home Edition CD ROM
> I then put in the disk and press enter.
> I then get the following screen:
>
> The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned
> space on this computer
>
> 9586MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MPR]
> C: Partition1 (VAIONOTE) [FAT32] 5122MB 979MB free
> Unpartioned space 4463MB
>
> If I press 'D' on C, it says: Setup is unable to perform the requested
> operation on the slected partition. This partition contains temporary
> Setup files that are required to complete the installation.
> 'D' doesn't work on the unpartitioned space.
>
> If try to set up on C, it says: The partition you have chosen is too
> full to contain Windows XP which requires a drive with at least 1033MB
> of free disk space.
>
> I also have the following options:
> To repair a Windows XP intallation using Recovery Console,
>
> press R
> To quite Setup without installing Windows XP press F3
>
> So, what do I do????!!!



What you need to do is start over and delete *all* partitions,
then recreate one single partition, format it and install XP there

01steven
Fri Apr 04 04:40:48 PDT 2008

Please can you explain step-by-step how I delete all partitions.
I can only access Win2000 right now

01steven
Fri Apr 04 04:42:01 PDT 2008

All I have now in Win2000 is a primary partition of 5GB and 4.36GB of
unallocated space.
I can't delete either of them from within the Win2000 Disk Management
application.

01steven
Fri Apr 04 06:35:52 PDT 2008

I somehow managed to create a new partition and reinstalled XP.
So, now I have XP running and in Disk Management it shows me:
C: Primary 5GB FAT32
D: Logical Drive 4.35GB FAT 32
Right-clicking on either of these doesn't seem to offer me any
'delete' options, just open, explore, change drive letter and paths,
properties and help.
When I boot up the laptop from cold, it still gives me the option to
boot into 2000 or XP.
How do I get rid of Windows 2000 and have one 10GB space?

John
Fri Apr 04 06:41:38 PDT 2008

You have to follow Gorka's advice and boot the computer with the Windows
XP installation CD, then you will be able to delete all the partitions
and create new one(s) and install Windows XP. You can't do this from
Windows 2000, Windows 2000 will not allow you to delete the partition it
is using, it will not commit suicide! There is no sense keeping on
going down this road, you *must* boot the computer with the XP CD or you
*must* boot it with another method (floppy) to delete all the partition.
There is not much else that we can do to help you with the problem.

John

01steven wrote:
> Please can you explain step-by-step how I delete all partitions.
> I can only access Win2000 right now

Daave
Fri Apr 04 07:59:14 PDT 2008

01steven wrote:
> All I have now in Win2000 is a primary partition of 5GB and 4.36GB of
> unallocated space.
> I can't delete either of them from within the Win2000 Disk Management
> application.

Once more, you need to make sure you are booting off the CD! See these
instructions:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Pay special attention to steps 1-4.

philo
Fri Apr 04 12:52:21 PDT 2008


"John John (MVP)" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:uwdoOmllIHA.5956@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> You have to follow Gorka's advice and boot the computer with the Windows
> XP installation CD, then you will be able to delete all the partitions
> and create new one(s) and install Windows XP. You can't do this from
> Windows 2000, Windows 2000 will not allow you to delete the partition it
> is using, it will not commit suicide! There is no sense keeping on
> going down this road, you *must* boot the computer with the XP CD or you
> *must* boot it with another method (floppy) to delete all the partition.
> There is not much else that we can do to help you with the problem.
>
> John
>
> 01steven wrote:
> > Please can you explain step-by-step how I delete all partitions.
> > I can only access Win2000 right now
>


Correct! ...set the bios of the machine to boot from CD first

Bruce
Fri Apr 04 18:12:54 PDT 2008

01steven wrote:
> I have a laptop which was runnning Windows 2000 and I'm trying to
> install Windows XP on it. I did manage to get it on but I must have
> made some mistake somewhere as on startup it was giving me the option
> to boot into either XP or Windows 2000.
>
> Before explaining the current status I should just explain exactly
> what I'd like to acheive ideally.
> One hard drive (C) with the full amount of storage space (10GB)
> running Windows XP. That's it! Nothing more, nothing less.
>
> So I have tried to do a few things- deleting partition, re-installing
> XP and now I'm really confused!
>
> When I startup now, I get 3 choices from the boot screen:
>
> Windows XP Home Edition
> Windows 2000 Professional
> Windows XP Setup
>
> If I select Windows XP Home Edition it says:
>
> Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
>
> configuration problem. COuld not read from the selected boot
>
> disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the
>
> Windows documemntation about hardware disk configuration and
>
> your hardware reference manuals for additional information.
>
> If I select Windows 2000 Professional it gets me into Windows 2000. If
> I go to Computer Management>Disk Management there it reads:
> C: 5GB FAT32 - Primary Partition
> Unallocated 4.36GB
> Right-clicking on either of these doesn't give me an option to either
> delete or format.
>
> If I try Windows XP Home Edition Setup it says:
> Welcome to Setup
> To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER
> Insert the CD labeled Windows XP Home Edition CD ROM
> I then put in the disk and press enter.
> I then get the following screen:
>
> The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned
> space on this computer
>
> 9586MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MPR]
> C: Partition1 (VAIONOTE) [FAT32] 5122MB 979MB free
> Unpartioned space 4463MB
>
> If I press 'D' on C, it says: Setup is unable to perform the requested
> operation on the slected partition. This partition contains temporary
> Setup files that are required to complete the installation.
> 'D' doesn't work on the unpartitioned space.
>
> If try to set up on C, it says: The partition you have chosen is too
> full to contain Windows XP which requires a drive with at least 1033MB
> of free disk space.
>
> I also have the following options:
> To repair a Windows XP intallation using Recovery Console,
>
> press R
> To quite Setup without installing Windows XP press F3
>
> So, what do I do????!!!


It's not possible to upgrade from Win2K to WinXP Home, as you
apparently tried to do.

Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

Have you made sure that the laptop's hardware components are
capable of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Windows Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx) Additionally, run
Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any incompatible
hardware components or applications.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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