HDD Question

Bajadan236

New Member
[SOLVED THANKS]HDD Question

i was installing windows Xp when i steaped on the power cord and the system shut down. I am unable to boot from the disk ( i dont know why ) and i cant boot from the HDD (b/c i dint install my OS completely). I need to know how i can reformate my HDD so i can make a clean and fresh install of windows Xp. How to i :

1) how do i Formate a HDD
2) what do i need to format a HDD

If i just buy like a 30Gb HDD can i install Xp on that and once i get that i can reformate my 500gb HDD and then down load games? Im not well expereienced with this stuff, but i want to learn. if you can be kind enought to give me step by step instructions and full details on what to do i would be very thankfull.

Thanks

Dan


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thanks for the post guys.

go here>

http://www.computerforum.com/100891-thanks-all-advice-d.html

thanks agian

Dan
 
Last edited:

Hsv_Man

New Member
Ok to format your hard drive you will need the windows xp home or pro disk whichever one you have then you will need to go into the bios and set the first boot device to cd/dvd once this is complete save settings and then it will come up press any key to boot from cd once you have pressed a key you will get to a blue screen where you will see loads of information which will guide you through the format and re installation process. To answer the 500 Gb hard drive question yes you can do that if you set the 30 Gb drive to master and the 500 Gb drive to slave you won't have a problem. I hope this answered your questions.
 

Bajadan236

New Member
how to i set up another HDD? Plug the power and SATA cables in and bo into bios....(fill in the blank)

Thanks for posting

Dan
 

b3rt_d4ni3l

New Member
Well, you don't really need to get another hard drive. The one you have right now is fine. When you boot into BIOS, change the boot order so that the CD/DVD drive is first in the list. You can even remove all other boot options if your BIOS allows you to do that.

After you save the settings and exit, your computer will restart and the windows installation process should start. re-format the hard drive again as normal and leave it running.
 

Hsv_Man

New Member
If you put the correct ports in the right places the system should automatically detect the changes and load up the 500 Gb Hard Disk Drive as a storage device and thats all you will have to do.
 

Bajadan236

New Member
i cant boot from my Cd!!! I get an message : "error loading operating Syastem" And i cant boot from HDD b/c i did not fully install windows! so any advice would be helpful. BTW how would i go to install another HDD. I built comps b4 but never with 2 HDD so how do i do that and what do i need to change in order to have the 30gb HDD run my OS, XP SP2, and the 500Gb to run games, app., everything else? Thanks in advance

Thanks

Dan
 

mep916

Administrator
Staff member
i cant boot from my Cd!!! I get an message : "error loading operating Syastem" And i cant boot from HDD b/c i did not fully install windows! so any advice would be helpful. BTW how would i go to install another HDD. I built comps b4 but never with 2 HDD so how do i do that and what do i need to change in order to have the 30gb HDD run my OS, XP SP2, and the 500Gb to run games, app., everything else? Thanks in advance

Thanks

Dan

Look, you don't have the boot order correctly set in the BIOS. The computer is attempting to boot from a hard drive that does not have an operating system. You must figure out how to set the CD/DVD drive first in the boot priority - in the BIOS - in order for the computer to read the installation disk. When you figure that out, reply to this thread and we can help you install the OS - Step by Step.
 

mep916

Administrator
Staff member
I built comps b4

I doubt that you've built a computer before. This is either a really bad joke, or you are lying. The problems you have described in this, and other threads, are easily solved by the most inexperienced people. Take a picture of your PC like I requested.
 

Bajadan236

New Member
im sorry but:
YOU LOOK, i cant boot from the CD Boot Disk! I get an error message saying " Error loading Operating System" Im sorry to be mean but I CANT BOOT FROM THE CD!

Quote"i cant boot from my Cd!!! I get an message : "error loading operating Syastem" And i cant boot from HDD b/c i did not fully install windows!"end quote
quote by: Bajadan236

I already stated this in early post. one more time... I CAN NOT BOOT FROM THE CD

Forget this post and the exchange in "words"

Can you tell me what i need to do in order to install another HDD. Step-by
-step. And how to have my OS on one drive and everything else on my other HDD. For the Os i want to use a 30gb, if not smaller HDD, and use my 500gb HDD for everything else. How would i go by setting this up. Step-By-Step? once again sorry for what i said. thanks

Thanks

Dan
 

b3rt_d4ni3l

New Member
Hmmm... If you can't boot from CD, I doubt putting in another HD would allow you boot from the CD either.

Anyway, to answer your question, if your HD is a SATA HD, then you just simply connect it to the SATA port, connect the SATA power cable to the HD and you should be done. You can proceed with the installation now.

Otherwise, if your HD is IDE HD, then your would need to set the 30GB HD as the master and the 500GB HD as slave. Put the 30GB HD at the end of the IDE cable while the 500G in the middle. Connect the power for both HD and continue with your installation.

Hope this helps. :)
 

Bajadan236

New Member
Thanks bert, now y woulnt the other HDD work? Is my problem that the 500gb HDDcant boot windows cuz its half way installed? If that not the problem then i dont know what is...do you have any idea what the problem is....
 

b3rt_d4ni3l

New Member
Well, in my opinion, your problem would probably lie in the boot order. Because if you are installing halfway and the installation is interrupted, all it would do is corrupt the data in the HD. And your CD should still be fine. Could you go to your BIOS and look at what is the boot order for your computer?

My guess is when the power got cut-off, the BIOS reset itself (not sure if it is even possible) and the boot order got messed up.
 

Bajadan236

New Member
it got changed, but hanged it back. that was one of the 1st things i did, and it still dose not wanna install. my boot order it"

1-CD-Rom
2-HDD
3-CD-Rom

Still wont boot. im going to call newegg to marrow to see if they can help or i can get a new HDD... i just want it to load.....:(
 
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