How to install xp over W2K

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ray K
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Ray K

I have an OEM version of XP Home, SP3, which will not install over W2K
because it's only for use in new computers. How do I format c: to wipe it
clean for XP?

When W2K was working, my primary hard drive (500GB) had five partitions. One
of those partitions, 50GB, was c:. My second hard drive has two partitions.
Both are IDE devices. It's okay if I lose the data on the other four
partition on the primary drive, but all I really want to do is format the
50GB partition and install XP there.

The XP installation disk will not do it. When I select quick NTFS, I get an
error message "Setup was unable to format the partition. The disk may be
damaged."

If I try using the software that came with my hard drive to format, I get an
"Error loading operating system" message.

I do have a USB floppy available. So if I need to use DOS, I can do it.

Thanks,

Ray
 
I've successfully installed XP.

I used the W2K install disk to format c:. Then I shut down the computer and
booted from the XP disk. When it asks where to install, the trick is to
first delete all partitions on the drive, so at the end you're left with
just one Unpartitioned Space.

See http://www.tech-faq.com/format-hard-drive.shtml

Then format the Unpartitioned Space, choosing whatever size you want for the
partition, and proceed.

Went smoothly. So far, I haven't had to go through any kind of activation
process. Just had to type the Product Key.
 
Ray K said:
I used the W2K install disk to format c:. Then I shut down the
computer and booted from the XP disk. When it asks where to
install, the trick is to first delete all partitions on the
drive, so at the end you're left with just one Unpartitioned
Space.
Click to expand...

Reminds me of offering to help an opponent during an online game...
In Warcraft II, there was the one that blew up the opponent's
selected building... "Holding alt while pressing delete will make it
build faster!" Then, there was the "barracks in the mine trick" but
that is going further off topic.

You need one formatted partition to set up Windows XP. There is no
reason to delete all partitions. In fact, deleting all partitions
would be problematic on some systems.
 
Jan said:
As far as I'm aware one cannot upgrade W2K to XP. Prepare for a clean
install by backing your data in W2K and then deleting the partition,
creating a fresh partition and formatted and installing XP fresh.
Click to expand...
Clean install is really the way to go....however:

Win2k can be upgraded to XP
but I always recommend a clean install, as upgrades generally wind up
with problems
 
Clean install is really the way to go....however:

Win2k can be upgraded to XP
but I always recommend a clean install, as upgrades generally wind up
with problems
Click to expand...

I don't think you can upgrade W2K to XP Home, you need XP pro for upgrade.
 
John said:
Reminds me of offering to help an opponent during an online game...
In Warcraft II, there was the one that blew up the opponent's
selected building... "Holding alt while pressing delete will make it
build faster!" Then, there was the "barracks in the mine trick" but
that is going further off topic.

You need one formatted partition to set up Windows XP. There is no
reason to delete all partitions. In fact, deleting all partitions
would be problematic on some systems.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I don't remember the error message I got when I tried
leaving the other partitions intact. I really didn't want to delete them.

Anyway, everything is okay now. I lost a few email messages, but that
the extent of the problem.

Ray
 
Ray K said:
John Doe wrote:
....


Unfortunately, I don't remember the error message I got when I
tried leaving the other partitions intact. I really didn't want
to delete them.

Anyway, everything is okay now. I lost a few email messages, but
that the extent of the problem.
Click to expand...

FWIW. The only important concerns AFAIK... You might need to have the
Windows XP partition in the first physical location. And the other
partitions should not be installations of Windows.
 
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