[pfrad]

I installed new HD, instaleed XP, when it prompts to reboot after installation I get message, fails to load OS

Any Ideas bad HD Mayby?

Thanks

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New but faulty hard discs are not uncommon, but in such cases Windows will (usually) not install and instead report a fault during installation.

One thing that springs to mind is if it's a SATA drive and you don't install the SATA drivers during the early part of XP setup, the PC will not be able to find an operating system when XP setup has completed.

[pip22]

New but faulty hard discs are not uncommon, but in such cases Windows will (usually) not install and instead report a fault during installation.

One thing that springs to mind is if it's a SATA drive and you don't install the SATA drivers during the early part of XP setup, the PC will not be able to find an operating system when XP setup has completed.

[pfrad]

Indeed it is a sata HD, how would I then add these drivers during setup?
Thanks

One thing, if it is a driver problem how was I able to partition/format and start the install process?

Edited by pfrad, 05 December 2007 - 12:58 PM.

[The Skeptic]

Could be an unsuccessful installation. Try again.

Could be faulty disk, run a full scan of the HD with a bootable cd containing the diagnostic tool of the HD manufacturer. If you can't find the tool please write down the make and model of the HD and will find you a link.

[pfrad]

Thanks Skeptic
its a 250 gig saegate

[The Skeptic]

Please use the link in my list of programs below. Download Seatools from my link named Seagate Tools and prepare a bootable cd. The file is most probably an ISO file which needs to be burned as such to a disk. The easyiest, by far, free, tool to burn ISO files is BURNCDCC. It only burns ISO files. If you have other programs that you are familiar with such as Nero or Roxio set it properly to burn ISO files.

Edited by The Skeptic, 06 December 2007 - 12:33 AM.

[pfrad]

Thanks Skeptic
Ran Seatools-no errors
Reinstaled Os 4 times now same result------Clarification on error---Error (not Failed) loading operating system (upon reboot)
this has me stumped

[The Skeptic]

What letter does window assign to the new disk?

Is it the only HD installed in the computer? If not, try to disconnect the others temporarilly. If not successfull, try to install windows again with only the new disk connected (I know, it will be the fifth time. Very frustrating).

Check in the BIOS that the new disk is the first boot device. Also, look in the BIOS for everything which is related to SATA and make sure it's enabled.

I tend to agree that this is not a sata driver problem because xp contains SATA drivers and should recognize them without any problem, but when it comes to a mix of IDE and SATA things can get confused because the BIOS goes first to IDE.

Please write down the specs of your motherboard. I would like to look into the user manual and see if they have any special instructions. Also, I will look if Seagate has any drivers, or instructions, that can help with this problem.

[pfrad]

Ok
letter assigned is C
It is the only HD ,unpluged the other.
I will check BIOS for SATA enabled
ASUS Mobo P5NDSLI

FYI- The old HD was WD, I have reformated this drive in the past with no problem same 250 gig.
Thanks for responding

[The Skeptic]

I looked in Seagate but couldn't find anything of importance. I'll look in Asus. Please keep looking in the BIOS.

My impression is (it's a speculation only) that something may be wrong with the definition of the the partition, in which windows is installed, as the active partition. The active partition is the one into which the computer looks for the operating system after running BIOS.

I have no explanation for the problem at the moment but I can tell you that I had several cases in which the only solution was to format to FAT 32 under DOS (running DOS diskette or CD, performing fdisk command, deleting everything and recreating the partitions, defining C as the active partition. Then you have to reboot by ctrl+alt+del and format the disk using the format c: command). Only after this could I install windows without problems.


EDIT: I looked in the ASUS manual and could only find that SATA ports are disabled by default. Please enable them in the BIOS.

Edited by The Skeptic, 06 December 2007 - 11:56 AM.

[pfrad]

Finally!!

Ok went and checked BIOS again, the only thing I changed, and I really dont uderstand why it makes a difference was--
under first sata master changed from auto to LARGE

away we went

thanks for your help Skeptic perhaps we both learned something here

[The Skeptic]

Thanks for letting us know. I DID learn something just as I do every day. After all, this is one of the main resons I am on the forum.

Regarding BIOS: It amazes me how many variations you find in this most basic of all programs, sometimes stupid beyond belief. For example, lately I dealt with an MSI motherboard in which every component was disabled by default. I just couldn't believe when I saw that nothing is working (no Lan-on-board, no USB of any kind, no sound-on-board, nothing). It's worst when it comes to hard disk definitions, especially when you have IDE and SATA on the same computer. Honestly, when I see that all my disks are recognised and working I thank my good luck that saved me tons of frustration.

Cheers.