Formatting XP to NT

[sperring]

I've just bought a new computer which is running XP pro. Due to software issues I need to format this to run NT. I've tried booting the NT start up disc from CD which brings up the blue screen and it looks like it going to work but then stops and restarts the machine.

Any thoughts??

 

[G0AOZ]

Try booting with a DOS floppy and then use FDISK to wipe the partition(s).

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[wolluf]

Sounds like your new machine's hardware is not compatible with NT (I presume it does run XP ok?)

PS. Have you tried using XP's compatibility mode to run the problem software?

 

[crutch006]

ive had this issue before, you may need to disable CPU id in your bios settings to run NT on your machine, otherwise a bios update may fix problem.

this was with IBM thinkcentres and is a known issue with their tech support

you may also have problems with the HD drivers not working when booting the NT installation disk. i think you need to specify additional drivers and get an updated atapi driver.. (SP4 is high enough i think)

hope this helps

 

[ShadowSpeak]

I have Windows XP on my computer. I am trying to format the drive it is on, so I can install Windows 2000 instead. The machine previously had 2000 installed on it, so I am not sure I need to update the Bios. I cannot open the install disc because XP gives me a message that the disc has an older operating system, and the setup capability will be disabled. Any help?

 

[wolluf]

You needto boot from the 2k install CD - then use its formatting options to remove the curent XP partition and create a new one for 2k. Should be straightforward after that.

Don't forget to backup what you need to save first (as drive will be wiped) and to have 2k drivers handy.

 

[ShadowSpeak]

I tried to boot from CD, but it wont load the Windows 2K from cd. It just gives me an error that says to reboot with bootable media. I installed 2000 with this disc before, so I dont know why it isnt working. is there a way to multiboot, so i can boot with 2K then format the XP drive?

 

[wolluf]

You could try using the 4 bootable floppies to start the 2k install if the machine won't boot from install CD (run makeboot or makebt32 from the bootdisk folder on the install CD or download them from

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

for example).

 

[ShadowSpeak]

Well, i thought about that, but the Computer doesnt have a Floppy disk drive.

 

[G0AOZ]

If you still have XP installed and running on the machine, put the W2K CD in and just see if you can copy a few random files off it using Windows Explorer. At least that will tell you if your CD drive can read the disk ok.

Have you tried setting the boot sequence in the BIOS to boot off the CD first? Often, the default is boot first off the hard drive...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[ShadowSpeak]

G0AOZ, I can copy files from the disc to any drive on the computer. However, all setup functionality is disabled as soon as XP reads that the disc is for an older operating system.

 

[tazuk]

Goto the hard drive manufacturer's website and check their downloads section. Most manufacturers supply formatting tools that can be run off a boot disk. Use this to wipe and format the drive (much faster than a Windows disk format too).

HTH

TazUk

Blue-screening PCs since 1998

 

[wolluf]

Well, i thought about that, but the Computer doesnt have a Floppy disk drive

Does it have a floppy connector on the mobo? If so, just connect a floppy from another machine temporarily?

On the subject of booting from the 2k install CD. If it won't boot, there must be something wrong with the drive or the install disk. You say drive is working ok (have you another bootable CD - eg, XP install disk - you could try to see if drive is ok booting?) - so likely 2k install CD. If you've a CD writer you can create a new 2k install CD from original (and slipstream SP4 if you want) - eg

http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49

or

http://old.bink.nu/bootcd/.

 

[sulumnad]

Can you disable the hard drive as a boot option and choose CD to make sure it boots from it. Otherwise try to format from a 98CD or something like that and FDISK, then if it deletes the partition or if you can use the XP disk tools to delete the partition you may be able to use the Win2K CD again to create the new partition. I had that do that with XP, or just use another computer to create a blank Ghost partition which will bypass the install over a newer OS error. Yeah thats crazy but I did a similar thing by putting the hard drive as a slave to another PC and erase that way as well. -Marc State MI IT