can't boot XP Install Disk - But linux works

[Steve413z]

I built a low budget computer almost a year ago, that i was gonna use as a linux server, I no longer need the linux server so I decided i would convert it to a windows desktop. I originally put windows on it and it installed fine, but i then installed linux on it. Now I can't boot the Windows XP install CD when the hard drive is plugged in, if i unplug the hard drive, the CD will boot but what good is that if I can't install to anything. Linux boot CD's run fine.

If the hard drive is plugged in i get to this screen http://www.theeldergeek.com/images/XP Pro Setup Graphic/AA.gif (the first screen you see before it turns blue) and then the screen just goes blank and doesn't do anything.

now if the hard drive is unplugged it boots the CD fine except that doesn't help anything.

I've tried 2 Windows XP install CD's (The XP Pro CD i got for this computer) (and an XP Home OEM CD i had for a difforent computer) both have the same problem. Also, linux install CD's have no problem booting and starting the install process.

I fooled around w/ all the ribbon cables and master/slave jumpers, messed around in the bios, reset the bios, but nothing is working. What would you guys recommend, should I somehow format the hard drive before i put in the XP install CD (i usually just format using the XP CD)


oh and i'm using this motherboard: http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWeb/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=381
and an AMD Sempron 2600+ 64bit

 

[Veurruckte]

Try formatting the hard drive to vfat.

mkfs -t vfat -v /dev/hdaPARTITIONNUMBER

That is messed up if Microsoft intentionally won't let users switching from linux to windows install windows. Isn't that the opposite of what they want?

 

[Steve413z]

That was my next idea, I'll try it tmrw.

That is messed up if Microsoft intentionally won't let users switching from linux to windows install windows. Isn't that the opposite of what they want?

LOL I thought the same thing. I'm going to pull that hard drive and put it in a difforent computer and see if it's actually the hard drive, because I have a feeling it's just because I have a cheap ass motherboard, because I've had computers where I swapped operating systems before, Windows > Linux > Windows > Linux, with no problems. Go figure, cause I was able to install windows on this PC before. Oh well