[brizzle]

I am trying to reformat and install Windows XP onto my aunt's comp which had Windows ME. I set the comp to boot from the CDROM drive in the bios, and disabled all the others. But when it reboots, it keeps asking for the floppy drive (A). When I am in the BIOS and selecting how to boot the computer up, these are my options; Floppy, ARMD-FDD, ARMD-HDD, IDE-HDD, ATAPI CDROM, Disabled.

Then I heard about a boot disk. I put Win 98 SE on it and set the bios to boot from floppy. That didnt work. I put Win ME on the disk after i erased it, that didnt work. It still says Invalid boot diskette in A: And it wont let me type anything either
Any help is needed. Thx

Edited by brizzle, 11 July 2005 - 02:53 PM.

[Advertisements]

theoretically (i've never followed through with the process) you can put the xp cd in while logged into me and it will upgrade from there.

[dsenette]

theoretically (i've never followed through with the process) you can put the xp cd in while logged into me and it will upgrade from there.

[brizzle]

i tried that, but it says that the version on the comp is newer than the win xp disc

[dsenette]

well that's a lie....hmm now we are in a quandry

[brizzle]

i was thinking maybe i could use an upgrade disc from win me to win xp. and then reformat it from there?

[dsenette]

if you have such a disk...yes you probably could (a legal one of such a disk)

[brizzle]

i do..maybe ill try that then

[dsenette]

yeah...because....xp doesn't need a boot diskette at all...it just boots from the cd. you said you disabled your floppy? try enabling it but just setting the active cd drive as the first boot device

[brizzle]

my friend was mentioning something about doing the DOS command, anyone know anything about it...something to do with hitting f8 when the comp restarts...

Edited by brizzle, 11 July 2005 - 05:15 PM.

[Tyger]

You're better off to make a completely clean installation of XP, or any other operating system, than an upgrade, unless you absolutely need to save your settings. But there are some serious questions here. Are you using a generic XP disk or an OEM install? If you're trying to use an OEM installation disk you'll have no end of problems if the disk doesn't match the computer, and even the type of hard drive. Most of the OEM installations work by writing images of folders to the proper address of the folder, where the generic installation extracts cabinet files. The latter method is much more adaptable and will work with almost any machine.

Also, XP and ME use different file systems, have different DOS. etc..

[brizzle]

well i have the update xp in the cd rom, and after fiddling with the comp some, it will now boot from the cd. and its reformatting now

[makai]

Tyger

If you're trying to use an OEM installation disk you'll have no end of problems if the disk doesn't match the computer

This is absolutely not true.

The disc doesn't care what computer you put it in.

Most of the OEM installations work by writing images of folders to the proper address of the folder, where the generic installation extracts cabinet files. The latter method is much more adaptable and will work with almost any machine.

This is not true either.

The only difference between a RETAIL version of XP and and OEM version of XP is that the OEM disc cannot be used as an upgrade disc.

In other words, if you have an existing OS on the machine (98 or ME), and stick an OEM disc in the cdrom while you are in windows, the XP installation will not launch.

If you stick a RETAIL XP disc into the cdrom, the XP installation will launch.

makai

[Tyger]

Tyger
This is absolutely not true.

The disc doesn't care what computer you put it in.
This is not true either. 

The only difference between a RETAIL version of XP and and OEM version of XP is that the OEM disc cannot be used as an upgrade disc. 

In other words, if you have an existing OS on the machine (98 or ME), and stick an OEM disc in the cdrom while you are in windows, the XP installation will not launch.

If you stick a RETAIL XP disc into the cdrom, the XP installation will launch.

makai

We'll try that and see. But the disks I checked out didn't have any cabinet files in them and had the addresses of folders to write the files to.

[stevecraig12]

i got that same error, but I cant load my os...it cant detect my hard drive, let alone copy the files needed to install an os on it...i wonder if theres a connection...have you opened your computer lately and added any memory, hard drives, drives, anything relating to plugging cables in and out...let me know, so I can know if i have to buy a new hard drive....