Computer Emergency

[Camarath]

i can't even get to that point now, man...

Is your computer failing to boot from the installation disk?

both of my hard drives are Maxtor Drives... It didn't occur to me to try using those as a boot disk....

Sorry I think I was unclear I mean use a floppy disk to reformat your hard drive. Did either of your hard drives come with an installation disk (floppy)?

 

[Camarath]

If you have multiple hard drives you could try installing windows on another hard drive. You would want to be sure and not reformat the drive if it has data you want to keep on it.

 

[Buddha the DM]

My D:\ drive has stuff on it that I want to save... Both maxtor drives came with a 3.5" floppy...

 

[Camarath]

I suggest that you physically discontect the drive that has data on it before you use the floppy disk to reformat the drive you want to reformat because it is not always easy to identify which drive is which especially if they are the same size. If you can get the the Recovery Console I would suggest you try that first using the guide on the earler site or the one on this site from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822800

Edit: I hope this post made sense.

What I am suggesting is
1. Try and use Recovery Console from Windows installation CD
2. If that fails turn off computer and disconnect Hard Drive with the data you wish to keep
3. Start up using the floppy that came with your drives
4. Reformat the drive (I do not believe the file system matters at this point)
5. Remove floppy, reinsert Windows installation CD and try and install Windows (if you want to at this point if your file system is FAT32 you should be able to reformat to NTFS)

 

[Buddha the DM]

how, under winxp, do i create a floppy that is capable of booting the computer, and letting me run a windows installation?

 

[Camarath]

how, under winxp, do i create a floppy that is capable of booting the computer, and letting me run a windows installation?

The floppy that came with your Hard Drives should be bootable and contain a reformating program. I think that after you do that your Windows CD should be able to install windows. I assuming that the Windows CD is not able to boot. Is that correct?

 

[Camarath]

how, under winxp, do i create a floppy that is capable of booting the computer, and letting me run a windows installation?

In answer to your question I think this is how you make a boot disk in XP. http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305595

Create a Boot Floppy Disk with a Windows XP-Based Computer
1. Format a floppy disk by using the Windows XP format utility. For example, with the floppy disk in the floppy disk drive, type format a: at a command prompt, and then press ENTER.
2. Copy the Ntldr and the Ntdetect.com files from the I386 folder on the Windows XP Setup CD-ROM, Windows XP Setup floppy disk, or from a computer that is running the same version of Windows XP as the computer that you want to access with the boot floppy.
3. Create a Boot.ini file (or copy one from a computer that is running Windows XP), and then modify it to match the computer that you are trying to access. The following example works for a single-partition IDE drive with Windows XP installed in the \Windows folder, but the exact value in the [operating systems] section depends on the configuration of the Windows XP computer that you are trying to access: [boot loader]
timeout=30
Default= multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows="Windows XP"

If your computer boots from a SCSI hard drive, you may need to replace the multi(0) entry with scsi(0). If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file, copy the correct device driver for the SCSI controller in use on the computer to the root of the Setup disk, and then rename it Ntbootdd.sys. Change the disk(0) number to represent the SCSI-ID of the hard drive you want to boot to. If you are using multi(x) in the Boot.ini file, you do not need to do this.
4. Start your computer by using the floppy disk, and then log on to Windows XP.

 

[Buddha the DM]

I got on IRC, and asked the same question.. master0fmonks was kind enough to tell me what I needed to do.. if what he told me to do works i should be on my computer later today..

 

[Camarath]

Good, I am glad you found someone who had dealt with this problem before to help you. I hope it turns out well.

 

[Buddha the DM]

k i'll let you know...