Windows XP problem

[StarOfAfrica2]

I was running a dual boot system with Win98/WinXP on separate hard drives, the Win98 one being the original it was my boot drive.  I say was.  It went out on me, and now I am having a problem.  I cant use the WinXP drive to boot from.  I ran a HD diagnostic utility on the 98 drive, and it said it was physically OK, so I tried to format it and install XP on the drive.  XP wont install, it keeps encountering an error and tells me to disable caching and shadowing in the BIOS (which I did) and to remove any new hardware (which there is none).  I tried 3 or 4 times to get it done, and no luck.  So I went out and bought a new HD.  Same issue with the brand new one!  I tried to go back and use the Win98 CD, but the computer cant boot from it for some reason, and I currently find myself without a useable boot disk (apparently it is damaged also).  

Has anyone ever encountered this problem installing XP before?  Apparently I'm not going to be able to set it up until I figure this out (the message says something about IRQs).  Alternately, I had XP already installed on my second drive, but it was never setup to be a boot drive.  If I can get my hands on a copy of Fdisk, can I use it to set up ONLY the boot sector (MBR).  I seem to remember doing this before, but my memory is fuzzy as its been awhile.  I also dont seem to have a copy handy, unless its on one of my Linux CDs.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

SA2

[JB73]

first off i would say there is a problem with the IDE cables, or how they are arranged IE master / slave and the bios settings might be looking for a different drive for a boot record.

if you really want FDISK it is on any win98 boot disk, you can DL an *.exe to make on from a few sites, run the prog with a floppy in the drive and it makes a boot disk.

[DAVENRINO]

http://www.bootdisk.com/

[StarOfAfrica2]

Thanks guys.  73, I know Fdisk is on the 98 CD, but I cant boot the computer to get to it.  Also, while I can see a cable going bad, and I replaced it already to check that, the HDs are in the same configuration on the cable that they have always been, and no change in the way I have the jumpers set.  I have tried telling the BIOS to use both of them alternately as boot disks, but the one has nothing on it right now since it was just formatted by the XP installation before it locked up, and the other one was never set up as a bootable disk.  

I'll go through the instructions from the MS website once more and see if I missed something, if not I downloaded one of the bootdisk setups and I'll use that to at least get into the disks.  Thanks again!

[Roscoroo]

ok 1st put in the 98se drive solo in either CS or master
reset your bios to a near stock config or default

Fdisk is on the floppy for 98se

now use the floppy and fdisk then reboot , format ,reboot, install 98se.  now you should have a working system again

now take the win xp drive and install it solo also . see if you can recover it without formating .

if the hard drives are big (over 30 gb) sometimes win 98se gets all fubared and its swapfile/virtual memory wont config correctly .
I always set my primary partition for 98se at 30gb or less .

[StarOfAfrica2]

Got it working (sort of).  Apparently XP doesnt like the onboard sound card/chip.  Disabling it took care of the install problem.  Also, the MBR was hosed, but a downloaded copy of Fdisk took care of that.  

I'd have loved to use the copy on the 98 CD, but it wouldnt boot from the CD for some reason.  And as I had no working boot disk, I couldnt get into the 98 CD to get to Fdisk.  Tossing out all my old floppies and from now on I will test them every so often to make sure they are still good.  

I did manage to save most of my files I didnt want to lose (pictures of planes, AH and my old AW setup).  I still have alot of drivers to update and get everything resembling the way it was.  Appreciate all the advice.

[Roscoroo]

another note : Youve been overclocking lately havent ya ???

Ok sometimes when i oc , I end up wrecking the Ram , the pc will seam to run ok, but programs/drivers wont install correctly and  end up with alot of corruption .

go to the bios and turn on start up memory test /or turn off fast boot. (its one or the other depending on the bios )
you'll then get memory test on boot .if it fails you know that u messed up the ram.

(now ya know why I have a pile of messed up ram )

[eh]

You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair that they made the Jews wear.

And this means what, JB73???????????

[JB73]

Originally posted by eh
And this means what, JB73???????????

it is a quote form the movie "Office Space" where the guy is talking to jennifer aniston about the buttons she is forced to wear at work called "flair"

if you havent seen the movie you wont get the joke

[JB66]

Hahahaha...I loved that movie.  I've taken an instructor that looks and acts exactly like Milton.
73...you might want to qualify that saying to avoid misunderstandings.
 
Oh btw...Hey 73  when are you going to start flying SEA events?

[JB73]

Originally posted by JB66
Hahahaha...I loved that movie.  I've taken an instructor that looks and acts exactly like Milton.
73...you might want to qualify that saying to avoid misunderstandings.
 
Oh btw...Hey 73  when are you going to start flying SEA events?

yo 66 !!!

how you been?

school almost done yet dude?


as far a s SEA goes, sometimes i fly sometimes im not interested... all about the mood of that night. i'll try and make this next one

[Grits]

"I'd say in an average week....I probably do 20 minutes of real work."

[Blue Mako]

Originally posted by JB73
it is a quote form the movie "Office Space" where the guy is talking to jennifer aniston about the buttons she is forced to wear at work called "flair"

if you havent seen the movie you wont get the joke

"Some people wear more than the minimum 15 pieces of flair"

[Blue Mako]

Originally posted by Grits
"I'd say in an average week....I probably do 20 minutes of real work."

"You've been missing a lot of work lately."

"Well I wouldn't say I've been missing it Bob..."