XP installation from DOS mode

[34534534534555]

Hi

I am running the XP installation from DOS mode, but it is just sitting, with the message on the screen: Please wait while setup copies files to your Hard disk. It has been sitting for 20 mins now.

It did do some copying but then got to this screen and halted ever since, the cd spun down ages ago and the hdd light is permanently on. I am not using the smartdrive suggestion by MS because i don't know where to find it.

I have also tried re-starting once and doing it again , but to no avail.

Any ideas?

TIA

 

[smah]

How are you getting to DOS - a win98 boot floppy? This should work. Another option would be to boot directly from the XP cd (may need to change boot device priority in your bios).

 

[34534534534555]

smah

Yes, i am using a 98 boot disk.

I cannot make the computer boot directly to the XP cd because i cannot see in the bios where to do it. ( i am having to use a temp pc whilst mine is being fixed).



Any ideas as to why iy might have halted anyone, or where to find this smart drive..

TIA __________________________________
Create like a God, Command like a King, Work like a slave..

 

[wolluf]

Try Google for smart drive - lots of hits.

What about using the 6 XP boot floppies instead to start the installation. Links to various versions (Pro/Home/SP1) on this page

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

 

[34534534534555]

Thanks wolluf

I now have XP running from the cd from boot . (i found the option in the BIOS) only now it says EULA not found cannot continue installation?

Any ideas ?

TIA __________________________________
Create like a God, Command like a King, Work like a slave..

 

[cottonmouth]

I ran into this problem too. As I recall, you have to delete the "Windows" folder created during the first attempt at installing. The subsequent installation will then proceed normally. By the way, do not interrupt the "copy files" part of the install. It does take a long time. By interrupting, you created the initial problem ... creating the "Windows" folder.

 

[Comtech]

The only time I got an error "EULA not found", was when using a priated, burned, illegal copy of XP. Cheers,
Jim

http://members.cnx.net/reboot/

 

[34534534534555]

Jim

I hope you are not impling anything underhand; FYI my copy is proper.

I have now researched that error message and it appears when using a FAT 32 file system and the hdd was not formatted by XP.

Thanks for your replys


1 last question i have XP on another hdd, but it wont start and all the options about safe mode and last good config don't work. When i out this hdd as master and the cd still bootable it wont load the cd or the fdd it just goes to the XP i am buggered black screen. There is an option on the XP cd to repair the XP installation that is why i want to get to it. Any ideas ?

TIA __________________________________
Create like a God, Command like a King, Work like a slave..

 

[linney]

When you put the XP CD in are you getting the message "Press any key to boot from CD"?

If you are, you may be able to use the Recovery Console.

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

http://www.mediaworkstation.com/htm/homeset1.htm

Click on Tutorial then the Charlie White article on XP crash.
This is a laymans version of Q307545 in simple language.

 

[34534534534555]

thanks linney

it didnt actually work i still got the same screen and halt. Not to worry i am going to format and start again. thanks for your help.

At least the webpage was complimentary about my latest purchase..... __________________________________
Create like a God, Command like a King, Work like a slave..

 

[tommya300]

It appears that nobody has a direct answer to this.
I setup XP by migrating to it from win98.
I have had the same problem as you do and I left the machine run for a half of a day in the copy mode and it frustrated me to no end.
So I loaded 98se back on the mac OH I DID FDISK and formated DOS used MAXTORS EZ DRIVE on a 120 gig IDE UDMA

THAT WAS MY LAST RESORT but unfortunatly I am on a FAT32 and not NTFS

 

[gamelin56]

tommya300,

I suppose by this, you mean your post. And thus we arrive at the general recommendation: do a clean install. Your problem is probably related to the fact that WINXP wants to get rid of EZ-DRIVE. I'm supposing that the machine meets HCL (Hardware Compatability List) in other respects. You need to get rid of EZ DRIVE, obtain the XP boot diskettes, or boot from the XP CD, and bob's your uncle. One thing you can't fault Microsoft for is technical support. If you have a legal non-OEM copy I'm sure they could help you.

 

[smah]

There is another possible cause to the problem. Make sure your virus protection is disabled in the bios. This type of virus protection usually prevents writing to the boot sector of the hard drive. I'm not sure at what point during the installation that the boot sector is written to though, so this may or may not be the problem.