[Butcherboy]

Hi geekes This is a brand new hard drive, 300GB Maxtor that im trying to install a fresh copy of XP SP2, first part i can install it, second part after booting, i keep getting " A Read Disk Error Ocurred, Press Ctrl+ALT+Del to restart "...

Also, it only detects 137.4 GB... I really quite forget about how to make xp to detect the 300GB..but i never had that disk error message before. After searching google, results were irrelevent to my case.

Thx for the help...

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Often it is more useful to go to the vendor's site than to seach the whole Internet.

This might help with the testing of the disk, but it is hard to say as the description may not be complete:

http://www.maxtor.co...s&downloadID=58

This looks like the correct tool for testing the disk:

http://www.maxtor.co...&downloadID=113

You need to do a read test on the disk. You might be able to do it from the boot CD using chkdsk. Just because the disk is new does not mean that it is not defective. Anytime you install a new disk it is a good idea to test it, just to make sure that it got to you ok.

For the disk size issue:

http://maxtor.custhe...php?p_faqid=960

I suspect that you will need to keep the first partition smaller, which is a good idea in any case since then you can reload the OS and not lose your data.

Edited by Kemasa, 22 May 2006 - 11:54 AM.

[Kemasa]

Often it is more useful to go to the vendor's site than to seach the whole Internet.

This might help with the testing of the disk, but it is hard to say as the description may not be complete:

http://www.maxtor.co...s&downloadID=58

This looks like the correct tool for testing the disk:

http://www.maxtor.co...&downloadID=113

You need to do a read test on the disk. You might be able to do it from the boot CD using chkdsk. Just because the disk is new does not mean that it is not defective. Anytime you install a new disk it is a good idea to test it, just to make sure that it got to you ok.

For the disk size issue:

http://maxtor.custhe...php?p_faqid=960

I suspect that you will need to keep the first partition smaller, which is a good idea in any case since then you can reload the OS and not lose your data.

Edited by Kemasa, 22 May 2006 - 11:54 AM.

[Butcherboy]

Well, after 12hrs of testing and passing all checks, I still get that error. Could it be the Bios? I dont knwo what coold be the problem.

[Kemasa]

I assume by testing you meant that you ran the diagnostics program on the disk, correct?

If so, then I would assume that the read error is coming from the install media. Is this a copied CD or a real, original CD?]

It could also be that you have a problem with the CD drive. A complete read test of the CD might show where the error is.

Edited by Kemasa, 23 May 2006 - 11:00 AM.

[Butcherboy]

I dont quite understand about copy or original media question but, im installing original XP Pro SP2 ..not pirated. Also, i tried to install an OEM version of same XP but good same problem. As for the CD Drive, its a brand new DVD drive...but hey...i didnt test that ...

Something is telling me its the bios..since this is a kinda old computer...MS7308ET mobo...bios date 11/16/01....CPU 933Mhz. I say this because i swaps hardrives...a smaller one(60GB) and gives me the same error, you understand what i mean? Also, i check cables conections..and swaps new cables back and forth..same problem.

Whats the best diagnost program for a DVD/CD drive....its better ifs free

[Kemasa]

Yes, the question was whether the CD was a copy, which you say it is not, so it should be less likely to be a problem, but not 100%.

Ok, so you tried a different CD and a different hard drive and it still is a problem. While it could be the computer, I would not count on it since you have not ruled out other things.

Can you try a different CD drive?

I don't know of a good testing program for the DVD/CD drive, but the first place to check is the website of the maker of the drive. Often they have diagnostic programs and since they know the details of the specific drive, they can test it better than a generic program.

[Butcherboy]

Well, after reading, reading an re-reading multiples threads in differents forums/site, i will update bios. The other solution that someone told me was an IDE/ATA controller, but that will be my lost resort, not im about to BOOT from Kit CD MAXBLAST 4...i really forgot about that disk, it is to fix hard drive sizes...i wont run test since already did.

Wish me luck....i was told these ol' motherboards get crancky sometimes when flashing bios....