Can't install XP Home

[yippiekyyay]

Hello,

When I bought my computer it was running windows 98 (the guy gave me a copy and boot disk). I went out and bought the full version of XP Home right away and formatted the hard drive in preparation.

It needed a boot disk so I used the WIN98 one the guy gave me. Then I tried using my new WINXP disc but it wouldn't take! - I ended up having to install the illegal copy of 98 and then installing XP from within 98!

I'm in a position now where I need to format my hard drive again. This time I have a boot disk created from my WINXP installation. Should that resolve my situation from earlier, or is it likely that I'm going to run into the same problem again? (ie is XP even able to install from the DOS prompt?)

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

-Sean

 

[allteltec]

Did you try seting you CD Rom as first boot divice in the bios, you should be able to boot start your CD XP disk from your CD rom.

 

[yippiekyyay]

I have done this since actually. But once I format my hard drive, will it still be able to run the CD rom?

 

[d3crypt4]

If you set your BIOS to boot from CD and you have a fairly new CD-ROM, then it will boot straight into XP setup. Yuo can test this before wiping your hard drive by changing the BIOS and putting your CD into the drive - just quit setup after it starts (or keep going, wipe the drive, reinstall and job done!).

 

[yippiekyyay]

Great - thanks guys!
-Sean

 

[linney]

"(is XP even able to install from the DOS prompt?)"

Yes if you use the 98 startup disk which has CD-ROM drivers on it.

HOW TO: Start Setup from MS-DOS in Windows XP (Q307848)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q307/8/48.asp

 

[rattlemouth]

try creating a new set of XP install boot floppies (6 diskettes) from this page

http://www.bootdisk.com/original.htm

& see if you can boot from those to run an XP