Install XP cd not bootable

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ninad Bapat
  • Start date Start date
N

Ninad Bapat

Hi

I have the following problem.

1> My XP install is totally corrupted

2> I dual boot with Linux
3> Initially Xp was working but giving errors.
4> So I tried to repair this installation. Unfortunately the CD which I
have is not bootable (i.e. when the CD was made only a copy of the
setup files was made and hence it does not boot even though the option
in BIOS is set to 1st boot from CD).
5> I looged in to XP and ran the setup from the cd. Everything went
fine when the repair stage came it gave a message "C: is corrupted and
cannot be repaired"
6> In the above process I lost my GRUB menu. Could boot XP but my
resolution had changed and I could not rectify it. Could not boot Linux
7> I reinstalled GRUB to bring back the Win XP menu
8> GRUB menu restored but it cannot boot XP

Questions
I need to get a XP bootable CD (very difficult).
I have a Win98 bootable floppy. I could boot into DOS but could not
access CD rom.
If I want to create a bootable winxp floppy or floppy set how can I do
it
Please note I am not able to boot in to Windows.
I am able to boot into Linux

Any other alternatives for re-installing Win XP

Thanks
Ninad
 
Hi,

Get another Win98 boot floppy, one that includes CD support. You should be
running the winnt.exe file from the I386 folder to start setup.

If C: is corrupt, then I would first use the WinXP boot floppy set to see if
running "chkdsk c: /r" helps - but there is an equal chance that it will
not. If this is the case, the only real alternative will be to delete the
existing C: partition and recreate it from the resulting free space. Format
and do a new installation, repair grub afterwards to regain the dual boot.

Using the WinXP Boot floppy set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Hi

Thanks for the reply
Infact yesterday I tried to make a Xp boot disk by first
booting through my win 98 bootable floppy.
After booting I tried to access cd drive but could not. The mscdex
command was already loaded.
I copied the contents to d: and formatted the floppy from DOS
Then I copied
boot.ini
ntdetect.com
ntldr
to the floppy and tried to boot from the floppy.
But It gave a non-system disk error.

Do I need to include system files when formatting. Or am I missing
something else

Thanks
Ninad
 
Hi Ninad

I think you misunderstand what Rick said. You should download the XP boot
floppy set. The file you download will create a set of floppies that will
boot you to the recovery console. You can then access your CD and install
XP, formatting the hard drive during the install process.

Using the WinXP Boot floppy set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy
 
Hi

Yes I can download the same. But currently I have access only to linux
and cannot boot windows

Will the downloaded file run in DOS

Thanks
Ninad
 
Hi Ninad

I think you misunderstand what Rick said. You should download the XP boot
floppy set. The file you download will create a set of floppies that will
boot you to the recovery console. You can then access your CD and install
XP, formatting the hard drive during the install process.

Using the WinXP Boot floppy set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy
Click to expand...

Another example of MS non joined-up thinking - you can ONLY create these
boot disks IN WINDOWS! the OP can't BOOT to Windows, so he can't create
the floppies! WOW! Does being the richest corporation in the world mean
that common sense goes right out of the window? (pun intended). Why on
earth weren't they created as a ZIP file so those people like the OP can
actually create them without having to use Windows?
 
Do you know someone who can make the discs for you? If not, download a
bootdisk from online. I'm sure you can find a suitable one here.

Boot disc
http://www.bootdisk.com/

Amazing what typing "boot disc" into google comes up with.
 
Ninad Bapat said:
Hi

Thanks for the reply
Infact yesterday I tried to make a Xp boot disk by first
booting through my win 98 bootable floppy.
After booting I tried to access cd drive but could not. The mscdex
command was already loaded.
Click to expand...

Either there is a problem with your Windows 98 boot disk or your CDROM
is not working properly.

Get a new Windows 98 Boot Disk image from www.bootdisk.com and use
that to boot the computer.

You should then be able to access the CDROM and run the SETUP.EXE
program from the i386 folder on the CD,

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."
 
Hi

One observation I have made from the replies is that everyone is
assuming that I can boot into Windows. This is not the case and I can
only boot into Linux.
Actually Gordon has pointed this out.

Anyways. This is what I did.
I tried booting from the Windows 98 boot up floppy which had worked
earlier when I wrote and to my surprise the floppy had become corrupted
and the booting was slower.
I reached the DOS prompt, tried to access cd rom drive but in vain,
fiddled around with commands for MSCDEX, still no luck.
Suddenly I remembered that I had a Win98 CD lying around from my
earlier old computer (did not know whether it was bootable) and
searched and found it.
I could boot through it and I formatted my C drive.
Everything went smoothly. I accessed my CD drive and ran Winnt.exe
Now again problems started
1. WindowsXP asks for smartdrv and also give an option to continue w/o
smartdrv.
What implications does this have.
2. After selecting continue w/o smartdrv it gave the message setup is
copying files and it copied files. Now here it hanged and I waited for
something to happen but nothing happemed and I had to reboot my
computer.
Why is this happening
3.Another surprise was that even after formatting my C: the GRUB
install from Linux was intact.
Does formating the c: drive remove the MBR?

I havent continued installing after this but will post any updates very
soon.

Thanks
Ninad
 
He *can* boot to linux, and should be able to create the floppy set there.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Hi

I have finally installed XP.
Now I am trying to configure broadband connection (ppp OE)

Thanks
Ninad
 
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