Command for checking MBR health?

[rjc513]

I am trying to load 2000 on my PC. There seems to be a problem with loading it on my hard drive. What would be the best way to do the install? eg. format, partition, etc. and then try to do the install again. Is there any way to check to see if there is a problem with the hard drive itself? I keep getting a message that it couldn't be loaded on the partition that I am trying to install it on. Maybe someone knows a DOS command to do a check on the hard drive itself. Thanks for any input.

 

[stevieblunder]

Check the file system type. I think W2K can read FAT32, but it may not boot from FAT32. I know NT-4 can only read FAT16 and NTFS.

 

[libertytech]

I have found the best way to run a 2k install is to first run "fdisk" from a Win98SE boot disk. Using FDisk, delete the partition(s) on your primary HD. Restart the machine and start the Win2k install from CD. This will ensure a clean install of your Windows. Windows 2000 will ONLY run NTFS file system to my knowledge. If your HD was formatted win FAT32, this may be the reason behind your faulty install attempts.

Hope this helps.

 

[CitrixEngineer]

...or if you've got a SCSI or RAID controller, or the disk is not formatted at all... CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[crisc]

libertytech,

W2K will run on NTFS and FAT32.
If it didn't run on FAT32 then your suggestion of using a Win98 boot disk to format the partition wouldn't be a good idea, since a 98 boot disk can't format NTFS.

 

[libertytech]

you are absolutely right, thanks for pointing out my faux-pas. i was under the impression it read fat32, but was not capable of running it.

and by the way, if you use a boot disk, it uses the kernel in the boot disk, not the win2k kernel, so it really doesn't matter what boot disk you use to run fdisk. it could be from windows 3.11 for that matter.

besides, the boot disk is only for deleting the partition. it is up to the win2000 setup CD to format the drive.

 

[DavidDude]

Make sure you have a the partition formated otherwise you cannot install anything on the computer - after you format it you should be able to install windows 2000
David@Daw Corp, 1999-2002

 

[crisc]

Actually DavidDude, as libertytech correctly pointed out in his preceeding post, Windows 2K setup can format an unformatted partition. It even lets you choose either NTFS or FAT32...