2000 Pro install. problems

[mailman2983]

I can get to the first reboot in the setup which brings you here where you're supposed to wait and not press anything for Windows 2000 Pro to start up:

http://www.windows2000.windowsreinstall.com/installnewhdd/Image20.jpg

But instead of starting up it just says something like Disk read error press Ctl+Alt+Delete to restart. If you restart it brings you to the same spot over and over and over again.

What's going on? I have a Dell 1ghz, 256mb ram, 20GBhd computer that has been formatted in setup (then put Windows 2000 on it and ended up at the problem.)

[street1 (RIP)]

You have a 20GB hard drive if you have it ID'd go to the manufacturers
website and download the diagnostic tools.

The below site may help with that.

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

[mailman2983]

Hmm.. thanks I'll try this when I get home, but the thing is I had the HD working with Windows 98 on it earlier in the week.. so unless formatting it messed the HD up.. I dunno. Can I use one of these diagnostics without an operating system though?

[ale52]

I think you may have something with the hdd messing up after the install.  Did you do a clean install or an upgrade?  My luck with upgrades isn't all that hot    I prefer to copy all pertinent data to another media, reformat and reinstall the OS.  Cleaner / neater / and for me better all around.

Usually you will be able to boot to the program prior to the OS installing itself.

Alan <><  

[mailman2983]

I'm in the process of trying to do a clean install. But when it says to reboot it does, then says there was a disk read error. Anyways I'm gonna try that diagnostic thing, hopefully it'll work.

[mailman2983]

I've read that I need to return my BIOS to default, but there's no option for this on my PC. Is there a special button combonation to do this?? Or did I just miss it in the BIOS?

[patio]

Carefully clean that CD off using a lint free cloth...is this a copy or does it have all that shiny Geniune Windows MS crap on the front ? ?

[mailman2983]

It's a store-bought copy of Windows 2000 Pro. There is no problem with the hard drive (I've tried 2 and get the same result), but here's something for you.

When I try and install using NTFS file system, when I reboot to start Windows 2000 Pro, it says there's a "Disk read error, press ctrl+alt+delete to restart"

When I try and install using FAT32 file system, when I reboot to start Windows 2000 Pro, it says "Disk error, press any key to continue." Then when you press a key it reads from the cd again and waits to see if you want to boot from it.

???This is really starting to piss me off, I've tried everything and nothing works...I hate computers!!

[Fed]

Did you try the HDD diagnostics, you don't need an OS to do it.

[mailman2983]

I tried using the site street1 suggested and made a diagnostic disk. I ran it and guess what? ERROR! I'm going to tech this overnight and come back in the morning with my findings. Thanks for the help so far guys.  :-/

[GX1_Man]

Free diagnostics can be downloaded from the appropriate hard drive maker's site. They can be run from a floppy or a CD. No OS is required.

[ale52]

If you're getting a disk error with the diagnostic software...both NTFS & FAT type partitions, sounds like you have a hard drive problem.

I'd partition the hard drive.  That's one way to know if you have issues with the disk surface.  20 gig isn't so   big so you can watch the partition process.  If you get an "allocation error" dump the disk.  

No reset the BIOS to the default?  Strange...

You might remove the battery to the motherboard & leave it out for a few minutes.  That should drain the CMOS chip of its stored settings.  Reinsert the battery and reconfigure your BIOS.

Alan <><

[mailman2983]

I got it working by draining the battery, thanks Alan, and everyone