[JimB]

I am trying to install windows on a computer build. I was partioning the HDD, which was taking forever (I left the machine running overnightand got an error message that: localsec.dll could not be copied. However, I screwed up. When I walked out of the room and turned off the light, I hit both switches, including the one that controls the power for the outlet I have the machine plugged into. I had not yet chosen to try again, skip, or start over. Now, when I restart, screen reads: "NTLDR is missing. Press ctrl+alt+delte to restart" and that's as far as I can get.

A. Do I have to reformat the drive? (because I only have IDE on my other computer)

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you wouldn't neccessarily NEED to reformat the drive...but it wouldn't be the worst idea...since windows never actually made it on the system it might not hurt much....did you make a single partition or a windows partition and another partition? if you made two partitions you would only need to format the windows partition which should take less time as it would be a smaller partition

[dsenette]

you wouldn't neccessarily NEED to reformat the drive...but it wouldn't be the worst idea...since windows never actually made it on the system it might not hurt much....did you make a single partition or a windows partition and another partition? if you made two partitions you would only need to format the windows partition which should take less time as it would be a smaller partition

[JimB]

I only made one partition. I ran the repair windows installation option and followed the instructions about copying d:\i386\ntldr c:\ and d:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\ (http://www.computerh.../ch000465.htm#b), then rebooted.

Reboot brought up the message: disk read error, so I booted off the CD, ran the repair option and wiped the partition again, and reloaded. This time, the windows loading screen came up, but went to a blues screen error message that said

STOP: c0000221 unknown hard error \SystemRoot\System32\ntdll.dll

suggestions?

[dsenette]

• Insert your Windows XP disk into your computer and reboot
• Make sure the PC is set to run from the CD as the primary boot device.
  NOTE: You do this by setting your PC to boot to the CD-ROM in BIOS (enter bios by pressing f1, f2 or del key during memory count up, then search for boot order, and set the CD as the first boot device)
• When the PC boots, it will boot from the CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for Recovery Console. You will be asked to log in.
  NOTE: For Windows XP Home, there is not password, just hit ENTER. For Windows XP pro, ask whomever set up the machine what password they used.

When you see the Recovery console C:\WINDOWS prompt Type

chkdsk /r

Let that run to completion...might take 45 min or so...then report back any errors

[JimB]

currently in process doing chkdsk /r. I will report errors when available (currently at 53%)

[JimB]

done. message states fixed one or more errors on disk.

Do I exit and reboot? or exit and reinstall?

[dsenette]

exit will reboot..this time try to reinstall

[JimB]

no dice. wouldn't copy a bunch of files mainly starting after S- safronCP, sapicpl.hlp, etc.
Still returns to the same screen after reboot. systemroot...

[dsenette]

is this an original cd? with the hologram on it? is it a full version? upgrade? OEM? retail?

[JimB]

bought it from Newegg. XP media center 2005 OEM software. 2 disc w. holograms, 1 media center disc.
Trying wipe, re-install, chkdsk /r, then reboot. Just can't get over the hump to the GUI part of the install.

I decided to throw in Fixboot and fixmbr before chkdsk /r? I did fixboot, and then did fixmbr. At fixmbr I got a message- "this computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record. FixMBR may damage your partition tables if you proceed. This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible. If you are not having problems accessing your drive do not continue."

so i didn't continue that; i went to chkdsk /r instead.

Edited by JimB, 13 March 2007 - 02:51 PM.

[happyrock]

just in case the monkeys busy ...look here...for a guide to get the drive formated and xp installed....you will also want to get the power to your system OFF the light switch or you are going to have lots of problems down the road...OR get a UPS...(uninterrupted power supply)

[JimB]

"Setup cannot read x file" errors are proliferating. It wouldn't copy most of the wdma.whatever files and I quit the setup and went into BIOS

In BIOS, the DVD/CD drive is set as master on channel 4, but the HDD shows as IDE channel 5 Slave. Is that configured incorrectly?

Anyway, when I Exited BIOS, I received this message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll
please install a copy of the above file

What's going on?

Edited by JimB, 13 March 2007 - 05:50 PM.

[JimB]

http://support.micro....com/kb/318728/

can this work around be used with NTLDR for XP?

[Retired Tech]

Is there anything on the drive you need

[JimB]

[bleep] no... and that is just the problem. Each time I go through setup, it stops copying files quicker and quicker. Everything is a ground up build. The HDD was OEM. XP is the only thing I've been trying to put on it. So, no, there is nothing I need on the hdd.

Let me at the nuke button!
If I didn't need XP for the games I play, I'd be a Linux convert right now.