Argh! - Can't re-install XP on Netbook.

[witchy]

This should be simple but it's just not working.

My netbook came with XP installed.

A few weeks ago I decided to install Ubuntu 10.4, just to play about with.

My Son is the main user of the netbook and he has moaned like hell and wanted it put back to XP.

So last night, I formatted the HD using Gparted on a bootable USB drive, I deleted the .ext4 partition, scrubbed the drive and reformatted the drive to FAT32.

Then I installed XP onto the USB stick and started the installation.

Things go smoothly while it's loading stuff into RAM, but as soon as it triesto talk to the HDD the computer BSOD's.

I've double checked that the drive is FAT32 (even tried NTFS - makes no difference), the drive is alive and healthy but I keep getting this fecking BSOD. I downloaded a different version of XP and mounted that on the USB stick but same thing happens at the exact same moment during installation.

I'll do it once more and take note of the action exception.

 

[biffo1]

witchy mate whats the make of your netboot , will see if i can download the verson as theres lots knocking around worth a try

 

[Utopie]

Harddrive related XP installation issues : XP can't recognize hard drive for OS install [Solved]

Try a few of those suggestions... Must be HD related config problem... is it a solid state drive? non OEM copies of XP may have issues installing with SSD! Just a thought...

 

[witchy]

The machine is a Compaq Mini CQ10.

I wish it had a SSD, but it's just a normal HD.

I'll have a look at some of those solutions, thanks guys.

 

[edcase]

Is it a sata drive? Do you have the sata drivers slipstreamed in.

Also I have had the same problem (BSOD) with some dell lappys unless the install disk was slipstreamed with at least SP2.

 

[biffo1]

have a look around now mate , has this not got a hidden boot partition ?

 

[witchy]

have a look around now mate , has this not got a hidden boot partition ?

It did have until I butchered it

The drive is totally clean now mate.

I'm 100% certain that it's the SATA driver that's missing.

I've downloaded a chipset driver from compaq but it is a self-install package which installs the drivers automatically into whichever OS it is run on.

I just need a way to isolate the extracted files then pop them onto a usb stick and install them via the F6 option.

 

[Messa]

Had this same problem with desktops a few times pal, my solution every time has been to use a version of XP without and SP's slipstreamed into it.

I know that is contrary to what seems to be logical (drivers etc) but it has worked for me.

Let me know if u need a 'clean' xp as I struggled.

 

[witchy]

I ended up just putting Win7 on it, he's delighted with it, lol.

 

[Utopie]

You had Windows 7 all a long? Shitttt knee-grow*, that's all you had to say!!







*describes the growth of knees.