win2k install failing

[mcslack]

howdy all, this rookie needs help. i just built my first computer and can't load the OS. everything is recognized in BIOS. first i tried installing WinME from CD and got as far as formatting the HD when i got a message saying "will not work, contact your computer manufacturer". disk is from/for Dell.

so i installed w2k on my laptop, (120 day evaluation copy), created an "emergency repair disk" and tried to boot from that. also created 4 boot disks. also tried booting from win2k cd but i always get the same message: boot record not found on CDROM, boot record not found on on floppy, IDE-0 (my HD) invalid system disk, replace disk and press any key.

did i miss something?

[J Phillies]

Originally posted by mcslack
howdy all, this rookie needs help. i just built my first computer and can't load the OS. everything is recognized in BIOS. first i tried installing WinME from CD and got as far as formatting the HD when i got a message saying "will not work, contact your computer manufacturer". disk is from/for Dell.




you probably wont be able to install on a new build with a dell disk.... they generally dont allow that.... since installing your os all over the place is illegal...

[ZANEY123]

what are you specs?
is the HD from dell like what it sounds?

[mcslack]

yeah, i thought so. the WinME disk came with my laptop. that's why i upgraded my laptop to an evaluation copy Win2k Pro, made a set of boot disks and tried to load those on the new machine. but still no go. the boot files aren't found on either the floppy or CD drives and then i get an 'invalid disk' message about my HD. i just downloaded different boot disks and will try those.

[mcslack]

specs:

ECS k7s5a mobo
amd xp 1.4 ghz
20 gb HD (IBM, not Dell)
Crucial 256mb DDR Ram
pioneer 16x dvdrom
3.5 floppy

[ZANEY123]

sounds like all you need is a legal copy of a OS. That cd is a recovery cd and wont work like j phillies said..

once you do that i think it will boot up fine.

Zaney123:) :D

[mcslack]

will the (legal) evaluation copy not work? it's 120 day tial of 2000 Pro that i just installed on my laptop, upgraded from the WinME that came with it. the new machine can't find the boot files from either drive.

[ZANEY123]

you can try that to make sure it works but i am not familiar with the legal issues. i dont think it would be a promblom .if anything just go out and get a new OS later and use the 2000 to test it right now.

Zaney123

[mcslack]

i'm gonna try the boot disks i downloaded, maybe that's the prob. anyhow, thanks for the input.

[ZANEY123]

have you tried just booting to the win2k cd?

[mcslack]

yeah, i get a message saying "no boot record found" and then it looks on the empty HD.

[ZANEY123]

try the boot disks then.....

[glc]

Folks - this is a hardware issue at the present time, and there is a thread going in Assembly, let's continue there.