Help me install 2nd Winxp on dual HD computer

d3vilr3d · 02-10-2006, 02:37 PM

Hi Guys,

I need help on installing a 2nd copy of winxp on my computer!

I have 2 computers in my house. One is for gaming and one is for office work. Recently the office computer (old one, athlon 1200+) mess up and I had to format the hard drive. The problem is, after formatting it, I cant seem to re-install the windows xp on it. I always get "xxx file is corrupt" error when I try to install. I searched everywhere and most of the source said that I would need to remove all my PCI cards (sound, network, etc) and it'll help but I tried it with no luck.

Now, I unplugged the hard drive from the old computer and connect it to my gaming computer trying to install the OS from there then plug it back into my old computer. I'm very inexperienced with OS installation and do not want to my mess up my gaming computer too. Can you guys provide me with a step by step installation guide for installing a 2nd Windows Xp on a 2ND HARD DRIVE within one computer? Or is there somewhere I can get these type of information?

Thank you guys very much, any response is greatly appreciated.

wwc

Devzero · 02-10-2006, 02:52 PM

You cannot install Windows on one machine and move it to another, unless both machines have very similar hardware. Windows will freak out, and your computer will burst into flames.

If you could post the exact error message you are getting, I could probably help more. When you install Windows, choose to quick format the partition you are installing the OS on, assuming you do not have any data you need to save.

If a format install does not work, your hard drive might be failing, run the Drive Fitness Test (DFT) on it. ^_^

Drive Fitness Test (its t3h w1n!)
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

basketofkittens · 02-10-2006, 02:54 PM

If you keep getting a corrupt data error my first guess would be that it's one or more of the following: bad media, bad ram, or a bad hard drive.

What you want to do with switching drives makes some sense, but with WinXP I would advise strongly against it. WinNT based OS's like 2000 and XP don't generally like being put in another computer after being installed.

If you want to go through with it anyway, all you do is replace the old drive with the one in he new one. So unplug the new drive and plug the ribbon and power cables into the old drive. Make sure it's set to "master" or "single," and boot the XP CD to install (like you've probably been doing on the old computer.) Since you're taking the new drive out of the equation completely, there's no chance of screwing anything up. When the installation is done, just switch them back.

Devzero · 02-10-2006, 02:55 PM

Oh, you wanted a step by step..lemme see...

Get it straight from the source! =D
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ted/intro.mspx

d3vilr3d · 02-10-2006, 03:05 PM

I see, so installing XP from one computer and move it into another is a NONO.

Well, the message I keep gettin when I try to install is something like this. "xxx. file is currupted, press any key to continue." In which, everytime it's a different file that's shown currupted. Then I press any key and computer will restart. And this is before I get an option to choose which drive I would like to format/install. It happens when it's loading files for the installation. Maybe it's my CD-Rom that's failing. Is there an pre-installation environment where it's possible to enable USB support? I have a usb cd-rom as well maybe I can try that.

wwc

hans5849 · 02-10-2006, 03:42 PM

either the CD rom is bad or you have bad ram or even a CPU. From the sound of it its either the ram or the CPU, run memtest 86+ and if you get any errors you have a problem. Start by replacing the ram then the CPU, possibly even the mobo is bad.

You can put the hard drive into another computer to get the files off of it if you need to.

d3vilr3d · 02-10-2006, 04:11 PM

oh ya, puttin file into it

on that note, can i dump the whole xp CD file into the drive and install it straight from the hard drive? If that can be done, what is the procedure for that. I searched the internet, some source said that after file is copied, go into I386 and enter WINNT and that'll start the installation. I tried that but the installation bluescreen asked for where the xp files is located. I wouldnt get pass that screen. Any info on that?

Devzero · 02-10-2006, 06:48 PM

Indeed you can get usb support in dos. You will need a floppy drive to do it, so I hope you have one. Try it with your USB CD drive, it might work. If you copied the I386 folder to your drive, you should be able to point the installer to it. Hmm.. I will have to look into that... ^_^

Make a USB enabled DOS bootdisk
http://www.datoptic.com/Drivers/DAT.exe

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02-10-2006, 02:37 PM	Help me install 2nd Winxp on dual HD computer	permalink #1
d3vilr3d Junior Member Feb 2006 Last Seen: 02-10-2006 Posts: 3 (#455) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	Hi Guys, I need help on installing a 2nd copy of winxp on my computer! I have 2 computers in my house. One is for gaming and one is for office work. Recently the office computer (old one, athlon 1200+) mess up and I had to format the hard drive. The problem is, after formatting it, I cant seem to re-install the windows xp on it. I always get "xxx file is corrupt" error when I try to install. I searched everywhere and most of the source said that I would need to remove all my PCI cards (sound, network, etc) and it'll help but I tried it with no luck. Now, I unplugged the hard drive from the old computer and connect it to my gaming computer trying to install the OS from there then plug it back into my old computer. I'm very inexperienced with OS installation and do not want to my mess up my gaming computer too. Can you guys provide me with a step by step installation guide for installing a 2nd Windows Xp on a 2ND HARD DRIVE within one computer? Or is there somewhere I can get these type of information? Thank you guys very much, any response is greatly appreciated. wwc

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02-10-2006, 02:52 PM	permalink #2
Devzero Member Jan 2006 Last Seen: 12-09-2006 Posts: 88 (#166) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	You cannot install Windows on one machine and move it to another, unless both machines have very similar hardware. Windows will freak out, and your computer will burst into flames. If you could post the exact error message you are getting, I could probably help more. When you install Windows, choose to quick format the partition you are installing the OS on, assuming you do not have any data you need to save. If a format install does not work, your hard drive might be failing, run the Drive Fitness Test (DFT) on it. ^_^ Drive Fitness Test (its t3h w1n!) http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
	Hail "Bob"!

02-10-2006, 03:42 PM	permalink #6
hans5849 Has Absolutely no life Jan 2005 Last Seen: Yesterday Location: The Gorge, WA Posts: 6,586 (#4) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x58	either the CD rom is bad or you have bad ram or even a CPU. From the sound of it its either the ram or the CPU, run memtest 86+ and if you get any errors you have a problem. Start by replacing the ram then the CPU, possibly even the mobo is bad. You can put the hard drive into another computer to get the files off of it if you need to.
	Driving the bus to hell since 1984.

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02-10-2006, 02:54 PM	permalink #3
basketofkittens Senior Member Jan 2005 Posts: 1,301 (#69) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	If you keep getting a corrupt data error my first guess would be that it's one or more of the following: bad media, bad ram, or a bad hard drive. What you want to do with switching drives makes some sense, but with WinXP I would advise strongly against it. WinNT based OS's like 2000 and XP don't generally like being put in another computer after being installed. If you want to go through with it anyway, all you do is replace the old drive with the one in he new one. So unplug the new drive and plug the ribbon and power cables into the old drive. Make sure it's set to "master" or "single," and boot the XP CD to install (like you've probably been doing on the old computer.) Since you're taking the new drive out of the equation completely, there's no chance of screwing anything up. When the installation is done, just switch them back.

02-10-2006, 02:55 PM	permalink #4
Devzero Member Jan 2006 Last Seen: 12-09-2006 Posts: 88 (#166) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	Oh, you wanted a step by step..lemme see... Get it straight from the source! =D http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ted/intro.mspx

02-10-2006, 03:05 PM	permalink #5
d3vilr3d Junior Member Feb 2006 Last Seen: 02-10-2006 Posts: 3 (#455) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	I see, so installing XP from one computer and move it into another is a NONO. Well, the message I keep gettin when I try to install is something like this. "xxx. file is currupted, press any key to continue." In which, everytime it's a different file that's shown currupted. Then I press any key and computer will restart. And this is before I get an option to choose which drive I would like to format/install. It happens when it's loading files for the installation. Maybe it's my CD-Rom that's failing. Is there an pre-installation environment where it's possible to enable USB support? I have a usb cd-rom as well maybe I can try that. wwc

02-10-2006, 04:11 PM	permalink #7
d3vilr3d Junior Member Feb 2006 Last Seen: 02-10-2006 Posts: 3 (#455) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	oh ya, puttin file into it on that note, can i dump the whole xp CD file into the drive and install it straight from the hard drive? If that can be done, what is the procedure for that. I searched the internet, some source said that after file is copied, go into I386 and enter WINNT and that'll start the installation. I tried that but the installation bluescreen asked for where the xp files is located. I wouldnt get pass that screen. Any info on that?

02-10-2006, 06:48 PM	permalink #8
Devzero Member Jan 2006 Last Seen: 12-09-2006 Posts: 88 (#166) Thanked 0x in 0 posts x0	Indeed you can get usb support in dos. You will need a floppy drive to do it, so I hope you have one. Try it with your USB CD drive, it might work. If you copied the I386 folder to your drive, you should be able to point the installer to it. Hmm.. I will have to look into that... ^_^ Make a USB enabled DOS bootdisk http://www.datoptic.com/Drivers/DAT.exe

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