I'm trying to install XP Pro onto a new hard drive but have hit a snag. I've run FDISK to create just one large drive. I've also run FORMAT C: to format the drive. I've loaded the CD-ROM drives onto the hard drive from the drive floppy. I'm now trying to install XP Pro from the command prompt by typing SETUP.EXE but an error message keeps coming up saying - CANNOT RUN THIS PROGRAM IN DOS.

I've done this procedure many times before with no problems. The last time I did this was a while ago so I've obviously missed something out.

I've also tried using both WIN 98 / WIN ME bootup floppys to see if it makes any difference, no joy.

Any ideas???

Craig.

 

You don't run setup, (that's for running in windows).

Change into the i386 directory and type winnt.exe

 

What you describing is not how to install XP - but 98/Me


Go to bios, set CDROM as primary boot drive, followed by IDE 0
next switch on power or reset with XP cd in drive - allow to boot from CD by pressing a key when prompted.

You will eventually by automatically taken to the partitioning screen, then the formatting screen.

Then it sets itself up - simple as that.

 

Or just boot from the XP CD....

 

Actually, you can install XP quite easily by booting to dos, changing into the i386 directory on the cd, and typing winnt.exe. Of course this will only work for FAT and FAT32 partitions however.

The boot from CD is a better option as it will allow you to partition the disc, and format the boot partition as NTFS, but not every bios supports the boot from cd feature (especially older ones), and so the dos boot is sometime the only way of doing it....

 

I realise this - but why would you put XP on a compter that has a bios so old as not to support CD boot

 

I've had to do it a few times here at work...

 

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

I am more familiar with the older OS's as you can see. I've had no joy with trying to boot from the CD-ROM. When I start the PC I only have a choice of F2 - SETUP or F11 - BOOTMENU. I can only get to a command prompt by using an old WIN 98 / WIN ME bootup floppy, what am I doing wrong. I must be able to start the XP Pro install disc somehow from the position I'm in. Can you explain the I386 and winnt.exe method more clearly as it means absolutely nothing to me.

Many thanks,

Craig.

 

Press F11 that should allow you to boot from CD !

Dave.

 

Dave,

Tried that, it says that CD-ROM not found and then trys to boot from floppy. The CD-ROM drivers were installed successfully (according to PC) and the CD-ROM is recognised in BIOS and during initial bootup.

Craig

 

Normally there is a setting in the bios that will allow you to disable boot from floppy ... have you found that ?

Dave.

 

Have you made a set of XP Boot disks?

Vanilla XP Pro - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...7-4FED408EA73F
XP Pro with SP1 - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...2-631504EF5E26
XP Pro with SP2 - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

 

Once you've booted from the floppy and loaded the CD drivers, you need to change to the letter corresponding you your CD - d:\ or whatever. Now change to the directory \i386, then type:

winnt

and press return. One catch. If you fire up this way, Windows expects to have SMARTDRV running - and it won't be. The file is hidden on the disk in a compressed file too, so you can't find it, and without SMARTDRV it can take a long time to load all the files Windows needs. However, IIRC there's a copy of the file somewhere in Windows 98SE. Copy it to a floppy, then run it (type smartdrv +<enter>) before you change drive selection to d:\


M

 

Thanks for the replies.

ChrisB's 6 disc answer was the way ahead, worked a treat.

Cheers,

Craig.