Problems installing WIndows XP on Compaq 7360

[idtheftvictim]

I have been trying to install windows XP on a Compaq pesario 7360. I have not been able to.

I have the primary partion set to active(I think). It start the initial install, then tries to reboot, upon re-boot. I get the error:

Couldn't open drive multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)
NTLDR: Couldn't open drive multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)

I don't know what to do, I have tried everything. When I try to FDISK, I get a divide error???? It won't even load.

I pulled the HD into my other XP computer, and formatted and made the partition primary active, still wouldn't load XP.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!!!

[doubledragon5]

Is this a copyed disk or a real one? I ask this because a friend of mine had a similar problem, but he was trying to use a pirated one, which is illegal...

[idtheftvictim]

this is a real copy, not pirated.

[rjfvillarosa]

First off make sure nothing other than the keyboard, mouse and monitor are plugged into the machine, also don't worry too much about FDISK just follow the guides from the XP install and allow the setup application to format and create the partitions for you.

[idtheftvictim]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa First off make sure nothing other than the keyboard, mouse and monitor are plugged into the machine, also don't worry too much about FDISK just follow the guides from the XP install and allow the setup application to format and create the partitions for you.

I have tried this MANY MANY times....and nothing...still the same message.

[rjfvillarosa]

Have you made any hardware changes to this machine?
Also not sure if this should make a difference but XP won't see any DOS partitions so you might be better off doing a zero fill with the hard drive manufacturers diagnostic utility.

[idtheftvictim]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa Have you made any hardware changes to this machine? Also not sure if this should make a difference but XP won't see any DOS partitions so you might be better off doing a zero fill with the hard drive manufacturers diagnostic utility.

How can I find out who made the hard drive, and how would I do a zero fill to it?

Not trying to sound stupid, but I have NEVER had to do this crap before...

Thanks for all the help so far!

[glc]

Open the machine up and read the label on the hard drive. The drive manufacturer's setup or diagnostic utility should have a zero fill or low level format option, and it will be a free download.

[rjfvillarosa]

Your not sounding stupid, it's just something you haven't come across before, open up the machine and identify the hard drive manufacturer (nice white label on the top of the drive), now at the manufacturers website you should find a link to downloads or utilities, go there and download the diagnostic utility. This can be unpacked to a floppy, just double click it with a fresh clean floppy in the drive and direct the program to the floppy drive when you are prompted. Now all you have to do is reboot the machine causing you the trouble with the floppy you just made and you will be given some options to run tests on the hard drive, run all the tests (which is not a bad idea anyway) and check to see if there is a low level format or zero fill option, this will delete all the partitions on the drive and write ones and zero's to the whole drive making it as clean as the day it was made.
Some times the zero fill option is a separate download but the diagnostics are a good idea anyway, when you select the zero fill be ready for a bit of a wait because depending on the size of the drive this can take a while.

[idtheftvictim]

I finally figured it out!

I don't know why I didn't check this earlier, but guess what it was...

The Hard Drive was set to cable select, and for some reason the stupid compaq bios was setting up the Hard Drive, as Drive 2....I switched the HD to Master, and the Bios set the hard drive up as Drive 1....which then it worked like a charm!!!

Thanks everyone for your help....I don't think I am EVER going to work on a compaq again!

[rjfvillarosa]

I am really pleased you found the answer and took the time to come back and tell us, a lot of people find an answer here or by themselves and don't come back and say anything, and without knowing it they could have helped somebody out even with a not so obvious answer like yours. Don't be so quick to diss Compaq's they aren't very good but I am knee deep in them down here and make a quiet little living out of it.

[doubledragon5]

Congrats on solving your problem....

[idtheftvictim]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa I am really pleased you found the answer and took the time to come back and tell us, a lot of people find an answer here or by themselves and don't come back and say anything, and without knowing it they could have helped somebody out even with a not so obvious answer like yours. Don't be so quick to diss Compaq's they aren't very good but I am knee deep in them down here and make a quiet little living out of it.

The reason I came back and described how it was fixed, is just for the reason you mentioned. Just in case someone else out there has the same problem I did, they know how to solve it, or to at least try it....

Yeah, I shouldn't complain about the Compaq anyways, because I actually got it completely free....so....a free 500Mhz computer....not bad...I will set it up as a router or something to use as a test machine....