Problems installing OS: setup cannot locate the windows installation..

[NEM25]

Setup cannot locate the windows installation you want to upgrade. Contact your system administrator."

Due to problems I've been having recently, I'd decided to re-install my windows 2000 pro. But when the system boots up I get the above message, and then have only one option, which is to abort setup. I also get the same message if I try to repair the system.

Can I get around this problem, or would a clean install (complete format) be a better idea?

 

[wolluf]

'Due to problems I've been having recently' - could you explain these please. It sounds possible you have a hardware issue of some kind.

 

[NEM25]

The main problem is that I cannot re-install the drivers for my digital camera or memory stick. Well, they actually seem to install properly, but I am told (if I go to Device Manager) that the device is not working properly.

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;242066

As a guess, you are using the wrong CD and the PID of that CD does not match the PID of the installed Win2k version on your machine.

 

[NEM25]

It is actually the exact same CD from which I installed windows. Could it be possible that some important system files have become corrupt, meaning that the Windows Setup cannot recognise the system?

By the way, what does PID stand for?

 

[bcastner]

PID = Product ID

It determines whether you have an OEM, VLK, Open License or Retail product version.

But see the other suggestions and workarounds in the link I provided above.

 

[wolluf]

Nem25

What exactly are you running. You said in original post that you'd decided to reinstall 2k. How were you doing this (eg, starting install off from within 2k, trying a repair reinstall -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;292175&Product=win2000).

You then said 'I cannot re-install the drivers for my digital camera or memory stick'. Were you trying to reinstall these individually or hoping the reinstall would sort it out?

Did these devices stop working in the first place - prompting the reinstall - or something else (as well).

I'm asking these questions as its not at all clear to me what has happened - its difficult to suggest how to fix what you don't know!

 

[NEM25]

OK
I'll try and make myself clearer.

I am using Windows 2000 Pro.
The reason for wanting to re-install windows is two-fold:

1.The fact that, for some unknown reason, the drivers for my camera (which I installed from the camera CD) aren't allowing me to download photos to the hard drive. If I check in device manager, I am told that basically the "device will not start". I had the same problem when trying to use a friend's USB memory stick.

2. I tried to re-install windows (not format, but just the "upgrade" option), starting in windows. Initially I got a message saying that another application had not finished installing yet, and so I was unable to continue with the re-install. I managed to fix that problem with a reg-fix provided by a member of Tek-Tips. I therefore started the process off re-installation again. I started the process while I was already in windows. The process continued fine, and then started to reboot. The problem then occured once the system had rebooted and had loaded the files necessary for the upgrade. The message told me that the system to be upgraded could not be found. I got the same message when I tried the repair option, but this time booting directly from the CD.

But...when did the problem first arise?

I think it could have been when I removed some codecs. I had tried to upgrade my codec pack, but after experiencing problems with video/audio playback, I removed them.

Any ideas???

 

[wolluf]

Wondering if you've got:-

1. Hardware problem - either something going/gone bad or a conflict.

2. Filestore or driver corruption problem.

I'd try disconnecting/disabling as much hardware (cards, CD/DVD drives, USB) as possible. If you've more than 1 memory stick, try one at a time as well during this process.

Now - can you get into recovery console (may not be able to for similar reason repair not working - but often different result) - and run chkdsk? (

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;229716).

If not, just carry on.

Then try booting again & see if reinstall finds itself (or try starting repair reinstall again if that is no good).

If none of this works, you could try a parallel install of 2k (eg, to \winnt2). As well as giving you access back to drive (though not to apps) if it works, it should tell you if you have a hardware problem or not (if it works, suggests not).

I suspect you will need to do a clean install at some point, once you've established what caused the problem - or that it doesn't reoccur with different install, so if you have data to back up a parallel install might be a reasonable way of doing this too.

Hope this helps - good luck.