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Error while trying to install Win 2k Pro (cannot install boot loader)

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bdf24

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2001
Location
Harford, WI.
Everytime I try to install from the disk I get this error(cannot install boot loader). What does it mean. I'm trying a clean install not an upgrade. The drive is formated.
Any Idea's?
 
Tried another set of startup disks?

That and the "Can't copy file XXX.XXX" are the first signs for bad boot disks for me and I've replaced mine a dozen times over the past couple years.
 
If you have a bootable CDROM, no. If you are getting the error when using the CDROM, I would first point my finger at a dirty/scratched disk then at the CDROM itself.

You can creat the boot disks from the install CD or you can download floppy images from BootDisk.com.
 
The Win 2K disk is a bootable disk I made with nero. So that may be the problem. I'll try making the bootable disks from the cd once to see if that helps. One thing though. I get the error when it's trying to install the files. It says to make sure the harddrive is formated and not damaged.
 
You could try using a Win98 startup disk and run CHKDSK on it...maybe SCANDISK too.

If you let Win2K partition and format it then I could see no problems with the hard drive itself...it has a pretty powerful disk utility built in.

Sounds mainly to me like the disk you're using is just corrupted.
 
i got problems during W2k setup with boot floppy disks made under W98 system. it wouldnt always be able to copy one of the installation files to the hard drive. once i made the floppies under W2k system everything worked fine. anyway id recommend you to make a bootable CD with the OS. its a lot faster to boot, a lot more practical. you can find a comprehensive tutorial for that here: http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/
good luck.
 
I did make a boot cd with the operating system on it. But it would'nt work. It does transfer files if I start it from within windows 98, But it won't let me use the Winnt.exe to do a fresh install. I think Jon's right the disk is scratched to bad or curropt.
 
I hope your not trying to use the Win 98 disks.. Because the Windows 2K Install cannot be ran from Dos it has to be ran from its own 4 disks.
 
Ok then thats what my problem is. Thanks. I sort of figured that that was it. I did try and make the four disks but I did'nt format them only deleted the previous files on them. They must have become curropt some how. they would'nt work. I'm just about done installing win Xp on it now instead. I'll try Win 2k on my machine soon.
 
Ok, an update. I remade the 4 boot disks. Started the pc with them fine. But once it got done loading all 4 disks it asked for the Win 2K CDrom. I put it in and it says it cannot locate the EULA (End User License Agreement) Then quits the setup. So what's that all about. I don't think the files on the disk are corrupt. Cause I can install from within windows. Just seem to be having a problem doing it from a dos prompt. And a clean fresh install is what I want.

Any ideas?
 
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