wont install

[no-nowt]

I have a 20 gig slave drive in XP system that I want to put into different PC, that will be running ME.

Dont know if this is the way to do it but I formatted it while still in XP system to FAT 32 with allocation unit size at default.

Upon booting with boot disk I keep getting boot disk failure.

Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?

[Miz]

Did you re-jumper it to "master" before putting it into the ME machine?

If that's not the problem, perhaps booting up with a Win98 boot disk to do another fdisk/reformat is the only solution.

[no-nowt]

Its set as master.
The thing is I cant get the option of fdisk or anything else, just keep getting the boot disk failure thing.
I downloaded 98 boot disk and ME, its still the same.

[KHT]

Formatting with XP or W2k to FAT32 is a quick\easy way to partition\format a drive prior to installing W9x\ME. I do it all the time. Check in your BIOS to see which drive is set as first boot device.

If you are trying to boot to a floppy then floppy should be first, CD-ROM, etc.

It sounds as if the HDD is set as first boot device.

[no-nowt]

Floppy is first boot device.
I think I got it sussed though.
Error checked floppy drive and it says error in sector 18 cannot repair.
So that must be the problem, I'll have to get another drive.

[KHT]

If you have another floppy cable try that first and make sure the floppy is connected to the end of the cable with the twist which tells the system which is the A:\ drive and that the red stripe is aligned with the 1 pin. Maybe the floppy disk itself is bad. I throw away bad floppy disks constantly.

edit: And another thing. When you created the partition, did you create a primary partition and set it active? (as opposed to an extended partition)That is required to install W9x.

[no-nowt]

edit: And another thing. When you created the partition, did you create a primary partition and set it active? (as opposed to an extended partition)That is required to install W9x


I dont think I did, I just formatted it with partition magic. Didnt know that had to be done. Thanks, will try later.

[reboot]

Windows ME will ONLY tolerate one hard drive with a primary active partition on it. If you fdisked the drive as a primary, it'll never work. Refdisk the drive as a logical drive, and you might get it back.
Try it by removing all partitions (or zero fill the drive), then mount it in the ME computer, and then fdisk it as extended/logical. Start the computer and it should then show up in Explorer and you can format it.

[KHT]

Unless I grossly misintepreted the original post I assumed he was partitioning and formatting a drive in XP to put into another computer to *INSTALL* ME.

Yes, W9x\ME will only tolerate one primary partition set active but it needs a primary partion set active to install.

[no-nowt]

Originally posted by KHT Unless I grossly misintepreted the original post I assumed he was partitioning and formatting a drive in XP to put into another computer to *INSTALL* ME. Yes, W9x\ME will only tolerate one primary partition set active but it needs a primary partion set active to install.

Yes thats what I'm wanting, it was the boot disk failure thing.

See how it goes when set primary and active.

[KHT]

Don`t forget the other suggestions about the floppy. We`re still trying to solve a boot disk error message.

[no-nowt]

Did the floppy thing still the same.
What I did do though was to put the drive I'm trying to install ME on, back into XP system.
Disconnected XP C: Drive and booted with boot disk and it started to work.

I was thinking, would I be able to disconnect my C: drive and install ME on the drive, then take it out, and into the other PC?.
Or would it have adverse affects on mine, if I did?.

[KHT]

Uhh, yeah there is a way, it`s called the ENUM trick.

However, since you were able to (I assume) boot to a floppy and start to install ME in your original machine, indicated to me that there is a problem with your floppy. It may be the floppy drive itself or the cable, try pulling the cable from your XP machine and putting it into the target machine so we can at least eliminate that.

When you start the intended ME machine, does it detect the floppy drive during post?

I`m also assuming the intended ME machine has the master drive connected to the primary IDE controller and not to a controller card which would (hopefully) solve some problems.

[no-nowt]

Yeah it detects floppy drive,
solved problem, substituted FDD with mine and all installed OK.