Unformatted or Damaged Disk in W2K Install on GATEWAY Machines

[doglet]

I have some Gateway PC's (E-3200 D/Top & ALR-7200 servers), that will not allow me to install Windows 200 Pro or server on them?
When it tries to format the disk, it reports back that it is damaged or unformatted.
Tried many disks, same result. Try the same disks in other machines, like HP, no problems?
Any ideas?

Thanks,

Peter

 

[KimberTech]

Set up the disk in the bios manually, not auto.
Try it again...I have run into this with different OS and different machines.
I would try this first.

If that doesnt work let us know and we can try some other options. Kimber

The more I learn, the more I realize how much more there is to know!

 

[doglet]

I have tried doing it manually.
Still no go?

 

[wolluf]

You could try creating and formatting a FAT32 partition with win98 boot floppy & see if win2k install will use that.

 

[doglet]

Thanks, but I have tried formatting using everything from WinNT to DOS.
All other operating systems work perfectly but not Win2K on any disk with these Gateway PC's?
I have managed to do it once before several months ago on a Gateway E-3200 using Win2K Pro & made a Ghost image of it, which I can use on that same PC, but that image does not work on any other Gateway PC?
After the successful restore of the image, it reboots to a blue screen stating INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE.
I can then enter successfully using SAFE MODE and the disks report that they are healthy system, but when you reboot to normal mode, it gets the BSOD again.??
This only happens on Gateway PC's.

 

[jeremybarker]

Does the bios have a virus checker? Windows 2000 can error on install if you have a bios virus checker. Disable it and retry the install.

 

[doglet]

No virus checker in BIOS.
I have disabled the CACHE & I can then format the drive, but it then cannot continue with the install & hangs until I turn the cache back on. Then I get the original error about the damaged or unformatted disk again.?

 

[wolluf]

You say all other os systems work - including XP? If XP does, here's a notion. Perhaps win2k with SP2 or 3 would install. You can now slipstream those service packs into an original install set of files, creating a SP2 or SP3 install -

http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/winxp-sp1-bootcd.html

or

http://www.bink.nu/bootcd/