Re: New to XP and confused

From: Colin Barnhorst (colinbarharst(nojunk)_at_msn.com)
Date: 02/18/05 

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 17:22:52 -0700

Boot order should be floppy, cd, hdd.

What is in the D: and E: partitions? Do you have data stored there?

To determine if the OEM cd will ignore what you have done so far (I hope so,
but doubt it):

Put the XP cd in the drive and reboot into the installer. If all goes well
you will reach a screen which lists the partitions on the drive and asks
which one you want to use. Use the first partition, since you want to use
the C: drive. Do a full NTFS format and then proceed.

If you get a message along the way that you cannot use the OEM cd because
there is a copy of Windows on the drive, then we will have to take
additional steps. I don't want to use fdisk unless we have to or you decide
you do not want the present partitioning of the drive (I would not partition
it, but it does not matter). 

-- 
Colin Barnhorst [MVP  Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
"Smoker" <schmo@aol.com> wrote in message 
news:w2aRd.31115$f%5.14306@trndny03...
> Thanks for your response Colin. I'll be happy to start over.
>
> The only drive in the system now is an IDE 80GB Seagate with 3 partitions 
> on it, C - E - F according to XP. The C:\ partition is 20GB.
>
> The CD is an OEM disk for new PCs. I copied it to a partition hoping I 
> could either install from there or at least not be bothered by Windows' 
> request to shove the install CD in the drive every once in awhile like 
> Win98 does.
>
> I have a Win98 CD and Win98 boot disk that I use often when I want to do 
> things from DOS. I can change the BIOS to boot first from wherever you 
> advise.
>
> I have read most everything on this site:
>
> http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps
>
> Seems it assumes you are using a retail version. How do you recommend I 
> proceed? I've never used Fdisk before.
>
>
> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst(nojunk)@msn.com> wrote in message 
> news:eS849hHFFHA.3384@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>I recommend that you start over.  However, starting over with an OEM cd is 
>>trickier than it is with a retail cd.  We probably need to know a couple 
>>of things before we can go further.  There are some issues in getting the 
>>hard drive back to its original condition.
>>
>> What do you mean by "OEM full version"?  (there is no upgrade version) 
>> Does the cd say on it "only for a new computer"?
>> What size is your hard drive and is it on an IDE, SATA, or SCSI 
>> controller?
>> Do you have any other Windows installation media for any other computers? 
>> (doesn't have to be XP)
>>
>> As for XP using 4GB with just the system and a 'few' programs, that does 
>> not surprise me.  It sounds pretty normal, given that you have some 
>> duplicate files.
>>
>> -- 
>> Colin Barnhorst [MVP  Windows - Virtual Machine]
>> (Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
>> "Smoker" <schmo@aol.com> wrote in message 
>> news:wdOQd.59573$g16.7554@trndny08...
>>> I'm having trouble getting used to XP. It's very slow at doing anything.
>>>
>>> I formatted a new hard drive and XP (OEM full version) had at least one 
>>> hickup during the NTFS install. It didn't seem to behave correctly on 
>>> the desktop so I tried to reinstall it ontop of itself which wasn't any 
>>> help.
>>>
>>> I decided to start over by reformatting C:\ and it deleted everything on 
>>> my primary slave D:\ drive! (In DOS mode or whatever, it was obviously 
>>> C:\)
>>>
>>> Now when I boot I get asked which version I want to use... two XPs are 
>>> listed with identical names and they appear to act identical on the 
>>> desktop/operating environment regardless of which one I choose when I 
>>> boot. Except now one won't boot having lost <windows 
>>> root>system32\hal.dll
>>>
>>> XP is using up 4GB of space even though I've installed no programs 
>>> except for small apps like AntiVir, Spybot, etc.
>>>
>>> I went to PC Pitstop and ran the full tests. It said my hard drive was 
>>> running about 1/3 of what it should and it was badly fragmentd. I 
>>> defragged, rebooted and that helped very little. When I click on 
>>> something the mouse cursor turns into the hourglass while I wait for a 
>>> folder or anything else to open. The video is goofy too, sometimes 
>>> dripping down the screen and taking awhile before bringing a window in 
>>> the back to the front when it's clicked on.
>>>
>>> MSCONFIG shows only 7 items starting up and I deleted a few Services: 
>>> Infrared Monitor, Task Scheduler, UPS, & Automatic Updates.
>>>
>>> The BIOS is the next most recent as the most recent one wouldn't let me 
>>> POST. I installed .NET Framework to get my video card drivers updated. 
>>> My hdd is in DMA 5 mode.
>>>
>>> Should I start over and how is that done without erasing everything on 
>>> my other patitions? (I don't trust because it wiped out by D drive 
>>> earl;ier which was claimed to be C.) BTW, with only one hdd in now the 
>>> sequence goes C - E - F drives skipping the D drive that used to be 
>>> there. Is that normal? Trying to find help on Google was futile. Please 
>>> give me some direction, thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> System:
>>>
>>> Win XP home SP2 OEM full version
>>> ASrock K8 Combo-Z mobo
>>> Athlon 64 3000 socket 939
>>> 2x 256MB DDR 2100
>>> Radeon 9550 128MB video
>>> Enermax 431W PSU
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

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