[chipsetmatch]

I wiped my hard drive on my dell dimension home computer for a clean xp install on the hard drive.So I used dariks boot & nuke to wipe it, then I downloaded the six boot discs from microsoft and proceeded to put in the first one upon startup. That works fine and brings me to the windows install screen and asks for floppy #2.I put that in and soon after get the error message "error code 7", then it just reboots after i hit enter.What is causing this I guess is my question, am I missing a step.

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Is there a reason for not using the XP CD to install

[Retired Tech]

Is there a reason for not using the XP CD to install

[chipsetmatch]

If i put in the xp cd itself and restart the computer i get this message "strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility. I went into setup and put cd as first to boot up and that did not work after start up and even in any other boot configuration. This is my first clean install of windows so im not real knowledgable on a lot of it.any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Retired Tech]

Apologies if you have already done this part, but after changing the boot order, did you press F10 to save the change then type Y to confirm then press enter, as it was booting with the XP CD in the drive, did you see press any key to load from CD

[chipsetmatch]

That did not work. This will sound stupid but I need the xp cd to format the newly wiped hard drive, right?

[Retired Tech]

XP will want to format the drive as part of set up, however, if the drive is already clear, it should go to set up

What happens exactly when you boot the PC with the XP CD in the drive

As you have got part way through using the set up discs, those files may be stopping the XP CD seeing it as a clean drive, so you can use boot and nuke to wipe the drive

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

After this has run, boot the PC with the XP CD in and use the default NTFS format, not quick, check it is creating partition1 on C RAW, if it is different, press the reset button and it will default to C

[chipsetmatch]

well im still waiting on boot n nuke to finish its been going since 1:00 today.After i'll try cd and see what happens.

[Retired Tech]

What does it say onscreen, which pass number

[chipsetmatch]

Ok for some rediculous reason boot n nuke was still going today at 11:30 a.m. when I checked it. It was only on pass number 6 at 66% at 23 hours of time in use. First time it only took over night but what ever, I pulled it out and rebooted with the xp cd in and put the cd as first in the boot sequence in the bios. All I get is "hit F1 to retry or F2 to go to setup".

[Retired Tech]

What make and model is the hard drive?

[chipsetmatch]

after taking it out it says on the bottom label "NEC". model # NR-9100A

[gronka]

I dont know if its just DELL systems or all but with your dell in order to boot to CD.. (in my experience this hass been easiest)
-Insert Windows XP installation CD into the TOP drive of your computer.
-Press F12 twice at the DEll splash screen (You will see www.dell.com at the top of the screen on a blue line or a large blue dell icon in the center of your screen)
-This brings up the boot device menu. Select the option that sas Onboard or USB CDrom.. or IDE cdrom device. Some list this differently but as long as it says CDROM in the line your good. Highlight your option then press enter.
-the next screen with briefly flash "Press any key to boot from CD" Dont read it just do it!

This should load the windows XP setup. Continue installing windows from here. Sometimes it takes a couple tried to get the timing right.

While doing this if it brings the options F1 to continue F2 to enter setup press F1 then F12 if you havent been to the boot device menu yet. If you see this after you select the IDE CDROM device then press F1 then wait till you see press any key to boot from CD and press a key.

Edited by gronka, 19 March 2006 - 02:15 PM.

[chipsetmatch]

I did all that and when I chose the ide device in the boot device menu it brought up the press F1 /F2 thing like you said.So i pressed F1 over and over and no screen popped up saying press any keyto boot from cd.So I just held down F1 and it made the cd spin in the drive and even after a coupe seconds of holding it down continously it kicked up the speed faster.But from there it wont go any further and as soon as I let go of F1 it stops spinning the cd.

[chipsetmatch]

BUMP. does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this.Maybe Im missing a step after boot n nuke not mentioned above.Any ideas would make my day.

[Retired Tech]

The model number is for the CDRW drive, you need the make and model of hard drive

Download and install Everest Home Edition

Run the programme, click + next to computer then summary

Look on right for storage / disk drive, the one below floppy should be the hard drive