New Windows Install

[richiebee]

So, I finally got round to buying Windows XP Home and a new drive but can't get it to install.

I formatted the new drive shut down, and connected the new drive with the cable that was connected to my old Windows drive (which still works). I booted up, went into BIOS and my new drive is there, reporting the correct information. I exit the BIOS and start the install process from my windows disc, it loads a bunch of drivers, then goes into the initial set up. Here its supposed to show a choice of locations for my install. Nothing. It says there's nothing there.

Any ideas?

[brandondrury]

This is a very strange one.

It sounds like the BIOS is detecting the drive but Windows isn't. I really wouldn't know where to start. In these kinds of cases, I try changing random things to see if I can get different results.

I guess I would try putting the drive on a different ATA or SATA cable although I realistically can't think of that would really do.

Of course, I'd make sure there are is no conflicting hardware, but I'm sure you've done that.

When the BIOS says one thing and Windows says another...hmmm. You've got me.

Brandon

[richiebee]

After more research, it seems you often have to load a RAID driver when your hard drive uses SATA.

Things took a turn for the worse last night. After spending the day researching the RAID driver, I took home a floppy drive from here ready to install the RAID driver onto a floppy disk (Apparently the ONLY way to get it to load - how stupid is that - no computer comes with a floppy drive these days!). Anyway, Windows wouldn't boot. I have no idea why - it got so far then just hung. It's never done it before. Anyway, after trying a whole bunch of things, I had no option but to do a recovery. During the early stages of this, it told me that I would have to install all my applications again, but that my data would be safe. It lied. All the applications are there, but the data is all gone. I lost about six months of sequences and several unfinished projects. I guess I've learned NOT to use the desktop for storage, and of course to waste a day a week backing everything up.
Tonight I'll figure out how to get the damn RAID driver.

Any idea what I need to look for?

At least I have nothing more to lose. I think when I've backed up everything that isn't currently backed up, I'll do a completely clean install of XPMCE and keep it clean for MCE crap, then install XP Home as dual boot with MCE. I avoided this originally so that I wouldn't have down time during the transition, and potentially face data lose, but I've already lost the data now.



R.

[brandondrury]

After more research, it seems you often have to load a RAID driver when your hard drive uses SATA.

Is this a motherboard specific issue?

I've only built one system with SATA (I've slowed down my computer building the pasted year) and I haven't dealt with RAID in 4 years. I'm sure there a billion systems and they are all different, but what a pain in the as this is.

After spending the day researching the RAID driver, I took home a floppy drive from here ready to install the RAID driver onto a floppy disk (Apparently the ONLY way to get it to load - how stupid is that - no computer comes with a floppy drive these days!).

I hate dealing with sub-operating system level. I fried the BIOS on a computer years ago doing this and have managed to stay clear of it, somehow.

All the applications are there, but the data is all gone.

This is a red flag. Applications are just data....it's just that this kind of data can perform actions of some kind. It doesn't make sense to me that your programs still exist on the hard drive, but your data does not. It seams like it would be empty or it would be back to normal, more or less.

Before you give up on 6 months worth of work, there are ways to get data off of these drives even when it seams impossible. I had a mega nitemare a few years ago where I thought I had lost about 2 months of studio files. It used a $50 program called "File Recovery Pro" and it was a life saver. So, depending on the value of the files, you may be able to get them back even if Windows can't find them. Just make sure you don't defrag or format the drive that still has stuff on it.

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I'm a bit confused as to what really happened here.
You mentioned in your first post that you had a new drive which you formatted in Windows. You then shut down your computer, yanked out the C: drive and then put the new hard drive in the same cable as the C: drive was. From there you ran into problems.

I'm confused about the part where you had to do a system recovery. I'm guessing you put your old drive back in. That's how you experienced the potential data loss and such. Is that correct?

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As to solving your problem in regard to the RAID thing...
It does not make perfect sense that you would require a RAID driver unless you were indeed using RAID of some kind. I've only setup one system with RAID and it ended up being a much bigger pain in the ass than it should have been Since then, I've stayed away from it.

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Hang on, I'm confused again. You said when you swapped out the C: drive with the new drive that you used the same cable. So, I guess it's safe to assume that your old drive was a SATA drive. So, why would the new drive require a special RAID drive to work, but your original C: drive did not? hmmm.

I smell foul play. Although I have idea what that means.

[richiebee]

The issue is not motherboard specific, though I guess it could be brand specific (it's an ASUS motherboard). Anyway, I hooked up a floppy drive and got it all working. In fact, I now have the dual boot system that I was hoping for and all seems to be fine. I'm still installing applications, but it seems to be good now.

When I said ALL my data was gone, it was an exaggeration. What I meant was all my data on the desktop was gone. Well, guess what, this is where I store all my projects, in neatly labelled folders. Anyway, its all gone, I did a very thorough check last night before installing XP home. I could have tried recovery, but to be honest, I didn't think it was worth it.

I'm not sure why the original C drive got corrupted in the first place. I really have no idea. I can't see how its related to me plugging another drive in. I did everything by the book - unplugged power and all that before switching cables. It must have just been coincidence. The original drive came with the RAID driver installed. When you do a restore using the backup disks, it installs the RAID driver. That's why I didn't need it separately. Oddly though when I installed XP Home with MCE already on another connected drive, I still needed the RAID driver on floppy. Weird. I don't get it, but at least it worked.
I'd say by the end of the weekend (busy times, I don't have much computer time this week), I'll be happy with my set up again.

[brandondrury]

I could have tried recovery, but to be honest, I didn't think it was worth it.

Yeah right! Your epic masterpiece that was going to make you billions was in there. You didn't realize how awesome it was at the time.

I'm glad the BIOS / floppy thing is resolved. Anything involving BIOS and floppy disks is like the 27 things that go wrong on the Apollo 13 movie. Anytime I pull out the floppy and mess with the BIOS, it reminds me of some guy in the NASA control room saying "Hey astronaut guys, we want you to try this little procedure that we just made up on the spot that may kill you".

The original drive came with the RAID driver installed.

Ahh. Strange. Interesting.

I'm glad I get to learn the lesson from this without going through 20 billlion hours of hell!


Brandon

[jamesspencerhale]

This same exact problem happened to me and it was extremely aggravating. What you need to do is to open up your tower and disconnect all cables and plug them all back in according to the layout specified by the mother board manufactures instructions. What the problem is, is that the power supply is being bogged down and not getting enough energy to the hard disk, the mother board, or something else. If everything is daisy chained off of one power cord, split it up to several if possible, if that doesn't work, get a new power supply.