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can't format HD to install windows xp

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Jumper

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Jan 6, 2001
Tried to format the HD. After it reports 100% formatting a blue screen says that a partition could not be formatted and windows can't be installed (says the disk might be damaged, not turned on, etc.). I've tried 3 different hds and now a new mb to no avail??? Any ideas? Thanks,
Jumper
 
did u try a new IDE cable or anew IDE channel ? or new SATA cable ?

try one stick of ram if you have 2....
 
Jumper said:
Tried to format the HD. After it reports 100% formatting a blue screen says that a partition could not be formatted and windows can't be installed (says the disk might be damaged, not turned on, etc.). I've tried 3 different hds and now a new mb to no avail??? Any ideas? Thanks,
Jumper


I assumed you did this, but I will mention in case you didn't.
You have to make a partition first, then format the raw partition, then install XP. Not sure if XP would even try formatting a non-partitioned disk, but just an idea... :shrug:
 
try to create a small partion and then format it rather than formatting the whole hdd as a one partion. (Eg : if it is 120 GB or more) you can do this is the windows XP instalaltion process.
 
All 3 HDDs have been previously used so I simply selected the reformat prompt at the beginning of the win xp installation. I don't know how you partition a HDD?
 
I would get a win98 boot disk, delete the partition and create a new partition with FDISK, restart the computer and format the HDD using the boot disk.

If you can partition and format using FDISk, then it is your XP CD, if you get an error with FDISK, check the IDE cables, if that dont help, RAM, if that dont help, buy a new comptuer ;)
 
in the installer of XP it asks you to make or delete partition - choose to create one, choose the size you want.

if you already have a partition you need to delete it (if it is your C drive you press D / ENTER and then L to confirm then C to create and it will ask you the size you want to make it.

Have you tried doing a "quick format" - i have had this work - but then it turned out the HD had bad sectors.
 
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