Windows XP (and other versions of windows) not installing

[Geek-9pm]

It doesn't say that Linux always has to be removed.

That is true. It does not say always. Did you read the article? Fully?

How can I illustrate this? The is a rule that says 'If something bad can happen, it will happen'. That means that in technology we can not ignore a harmful bad event that only happens once in awhile.  Saying something can happen is not saying is always happens. But when it happens, it really happens. Like the rain in California. When it rains, it pours. (What song was that?)

The OP indicated that he hand tried again and again and it did not work for him. So somebody give the lick to the spacial case documented in the MS KB . The OP could follow the instructions in the MS KB and see if that works. If there was a 'shortcut' for the problem, MS would have given it

BTW, it does mention DOS 5.0, but that is not found on the XP CD.
The article assures that you only have the XP CD and the Linux CD. many novices would not even think about using some other method to zap the Linux partitions.
Link repeated here for reference. Thanks to  zeroburn for posting it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314458

[patio]

It doesn't say that Linux always has to be removed.

Thank You...

[BC_Programmer]

I'm not surprised it says Linux has to be removed. it is titled "How to remove Linux and install Windows XP" for which one could surmise removing Linux might be one of the steps. A analogy might be if somebody asked if you had to remove pepperoni from a pizza before putting ham on it, and then you referenced a article titled "how to remove pepperoni from a pizza and put ham on it" and then declared that it meant you had to always put ham on first.

One of the instructions states: "Start your computer with the Linux Setup floppy disk"....

I'm not sure where the OP is having trouble though, I've installed dual-boot systems between Linux and a number of Windows systems; the order only really mattered to choose the boot loader you wanted to use.

[zeroburn]

I have successfully ran dual boot systems before, but for some reason, now it is failing.

Now, im thinking into small details, would the system clock effect anything? such as it being set to the universal coordinated time or whatever it is, versus the local time?

i know that an option is to do a virtual machine, but its not an option i see fit, as i am trying to run a music studio computer, and the virtual machine, im sure wont pass midi or quality sound well enough for my applications.

I have tried installing windows with linux completely uninstalled from the machine. Still ran into the same failures. the only thing i havent done to delete the disk is to run one of those disks like DBAN, or other eraser software that runs the entire hard drive writing every bit on then on then off several times.

so, any idea why this is happening at least?

[Geek-9pm]

Sorry jason2074, it was you that gave the link.

Dear OP. Get a drive that can be read by windows and you can install XP.

You are using SP2, -Right?  The problem should not happen with SP3.

[zeroburn]

Alright. i believed that you can get a .ISO file free that will install SP3 from Microsoft somewhere, but needs the SP2 cd to be verified and whatnot

[zeroburn]

Now, im really not caring about keeping linux on it, All the programs i need are also for windows, except aurdor, but i will live just fine.

Just, lets please get this figured out so i can continue to use this computer.

Complete deletion of hard disk to install windows # 4, Successful windows installation, 0

[Geek-9pm]

Now, im really not caring about keeping linux on it, All the programs i need are also for windows, except aurdor, but i will live just fine.
Just, lets please get this figured out so i can continue to use this computer.

Well, I tried, but the 'experts' do not understand. Windows XP SP2 requires that the hard drive be readable by XP before your can proceed. If it is a UNIX or BCD drive, XP can not read it. You can make a bootable version of GPART or use any 'Live' Linux that has it. Using GAPRT,  delete all partitions, mark t the drive as a MS-DOS  type, and create a NTFS partition.

After that boot your XP install CD and it will 'see' the drive.

gpart is a software utility which scans a storage device, examining the data in order to detect partitions which may exist but are absent from the disk's partition tables.

Puppy Linux has a suitable version of GPART.
 http://puppylinux.com/download/

[zeroburn]

Um, already tried this. unfortunatly, it has led me to the same problem. In fact, i tried it again not more than 15 minutes ago.

However, i am not sure as to what effect you are meaning as "mark the drive as a MS-DOS type"

If this is about XP being aple to "see" the drive, it does show me at the beginning of install (when the CD does not just crash before that) the unpartitioned space after i do delete all partitions, or it shows NFTS if i formated the partition as such from GPARTED

so... i believe i am still in this perdiciment

[Salmon Trout]

Is your XP install disk a genuine pressed Microsoft version, or a "Sharpie" (burned) one? I ask this not in order to play the "illegal, can't help" game, but rather because I see quite early in this thread you talk about the install crashing out quite near the end with a message about a missing or uncopiable file.

[zeroburn]

This is the genuine disk. such as the following


with the appropriate windows sticker with the 25 number and letter key

Not the exact disk i have, i just googled and found a image. dont want to go host a photo somewhere at the moment

seccondly, most of the time, the install does not even get to that point, it usually stalls out and crashes before that, either after the "loading files" and at the "starting windows" of the disk, or shortly after i start the install or partitioning if i started out with unpartitioned drive

I could use a vista restore disk that came with this computer, but i am NOT a fan of vista. the thing just would'nt stop crashing on me, that instable OS. Originally the reason i went to linux.

also have one of these, but the purple one for xp home (not the restore disk for the computer, just a random one), and i have a vista one too. Instead, its brown and SP1 that came with this computer

[Salmon Trout]

Don't know if this helps: I just noticed you said that the target computer is a Dell Inspiron 1526. This is a post-XP laptop. As such, you may encounter various issues. Specifically drivers. Dell never sold this machine with XP.

A quick Google for "install XP on Inspiron 1526" told me quite a lot.

Some detailed accounts of successful disk preparation, driver searches and installs:

http://www.notebookforums.com/t/213350/trying-to-install-win-xp-on-inspiron-1526-please-help-major-pita

A Google search for "Inspiron 1526 XP drivers" got 70,800 hits.

[Salmon Trout]

seccondly, most of the time, the install does not even get to that point, it usually stalls out and crashes before that, either after the "loading files" and at the "starting windows" of the disk, or shortly after i start the install or partitioning if i started out with unpartitioned drive

I could use a vista restore disk that came with this computer, but i am NOT a fan of vista. the thing just would'nt stop crashing on me, that instable OS. Originally the reason i went to linux.

seccondly, most of the time, the install does not even get to that point, it usually stalls out and crashes before that, either after the "loading files" and at the "starting windows" of the disk, or shortly after i start the install or partitioning if i started out with unpartitioned drive

I could use a vista restore disk that came with this computer, but i am NOT a fan of vista. the thing just would'nt stop crashing on me, that instable OS. Originally the reason i went to linux.

also have one of these, but the purple one for xp home, and i have a vista one too.

Have you considered a hardware problem?

[zeroburn]

i have, but i mean, why would linux work just fine and dandy, but windows XP wont.

Understandably, windows XP was not ment for that machine, but windows 7 wont install on it either. And i am trying to refrain from vista, because i hate vista.

The machine ran perfectly fine about 3 months ago before i switched to linux on that particular machine.

And as for drivers, i have not had yet to install drivers before the OS. i believe the os would at least work partially after i install it, then i could install drivers.

So, i may need an article describing how to install drivers on OS install

[Salmon Trout]

i have, but i mean, why would linux work just fine and dandy, but windows XP wont.

Because Linux doesn't use a RAM cache during install like Windows does? There are lots of differences in the way Windows and Linux detect and use hardware (that word again!)

Did you read through the forum threads I linked to?