Problem installing XP on Compaq

[mahesh_zn]

Hi,
I have an old compaq PC ( 20GB,750 MHz AMD Duron,192 MB Ram ). I am trying to install Windows XP home edition. The first phase of installation went smoothly where the folders were copied from the CD. In the second phase where the PC would boot from harddisk, I get the following error :
NTLDR: couldn't open drive multi(0) disk(0) rdisk(0) partition(1)

I have extensively searched the web and it seems like this is more of a problem with compaq PCs. Some suggest changing jumper position, some suggest reformatting, some suggesting using FAT32 and I have tried all the options over and over with no success and get the same error message.

Could you help?

Thanks
Mahesh

[Shabow]

First of all welcome to the forum!

Second do not even think about instaling XP on that machine. It is recommended that you run 256 mb of RAM and even then it is slow just downgrade to windows 98 or upgrade to 256 or 512 of RAM. That should be your first priority. Also, to answer your question use FDISK in ms-dos and that will wipe out all of your partitions and data on the hard disk. Then you should have a clean hard drive and just format in the Windows XP installtion disk.

Cheers

[John Prophet]

u have tried just refprmatting and reinstalling?

how r u formatting? Have u tried just booting from the cd and letting ti format it for you?

[mahesh_zn]

Hi Shabow and John,
Thanks for your replies. Yes John, I have tried the windows XP do the formatting for me, both NTFS and FAT32 but none worked.

Shabow, I would like to try out FDISK. Is that utility available for download? And after I get that utility how would I run that?

Thanks guys!
Mahesh

[elroy]

Your system does meet the minimum requirements as stated by M$. It should run XP Home but probably not real well. I would try to totally erase the HD prior to starting installation. Maybe use Killdisk to write zeroes to the drive than partition and start installation.

http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

[Shabow]

It is not a utility just type in FDISK in MS-DOS mode and it's a built in application in MS-DOS. Plus, you have gotta get some RAM!

[rrcn]

mahesh_zn's computer should run XP fine with all the eye candy turned off. I have XP pro running on an old compaq and its fine. Its a 366MHz Ciryx MII (actual is 250MHz) with 64mb of pc100 and a 4GB HDD. I know this isnt a great computer, but it runs XP fine for what I need it to do.

[ajacops]

RAM would be good but, I think that whole system should be upgraded, personally. I would fdisk then install see if that works if not take it into a shop. Or if all else fails go back to your old OS. I know it sux. But sadly not everything is XP compatitable.

[Ritalin Kid]

I had this same problem with a Compaq 7360 AMD K6-2 500. The tricky part about Compaq is that they like the main HD to be install as Disk 0 on the primary IDE controller. It took me about 4 hours to realize this and what made it worse is that IDE2 was white which made me believe I had the HD hooked up to IDE1. Once I took a good look at the print on the board I switched the CDROM and HD around and I was able to install WinXP no prob.

[Starfury_2260]

just go to bootdisk.com and get the Windows 98 SE oem bootdisk (doesn't need 98) which has fdisk on it so you can wipe the hd. or use that killdisk thing.