How to determine if HD is OK for Win XP?

Dan Wallace

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Nov 10, 2012, 6:59:10 PM11/10/12

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Hi guys
I have a couple old Toshiba A3Xs which I can't install Windows XP pro sp2
on. The two hard drives concerned are 40 Gb and 80 Gb. Both run fine when
used as an external USB drive (in an enclosure) and have been used to store
video files +PVR.
However both drives are second hand and might have been installed with a
later operating system (vista, etc.) and this might be why I can't install
XP.
On the XP installer I delete the partition(s) and try NTFS (quick) or normal
NTFS and the formatter gets to 20% after a little while and then bombs out
with installer saying 'can't install to this drive'.
Can you please tell me how I can truly find out if these drives are OK for
installing XP?
I have ultimate boot cd but there are so many applications on it that I
don't know what the appropriate program will be for the above problem. If
you could suggest something for that I would appreciate it.
Thanks, Dan

Computer Nerd Kev

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Nov 10, 2012, 7:23:07 PM11/10/12

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I recommend you try the relevant diagnostics tool from the
manufacturer of your drives. eg. SeaTools for Seagate HDDs. All
the major ones appear to be on the "Ultimate Boot CD".

You can find out the maker of the HDDs using other software on
that CD. "DISKINFO" will probably tell you the information you
need, but I know that the more universal tool, AIDA (also on the
CD) should definitely give you the manufacturer after you wade
through all the other info.

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#_ < |\| |< _#

mike

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Nov 10, 2012, 9:37:19 PM11/10/12

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I don't know exactly what's on which version of ultimate boot cd you have.
You're looking for something that creates/modifies partitions.
Check to see if you have any hidden partitions.

You can boot the xp CD in repair mode and try chkdsk.
Run chkdsk c: to see what that tells you.
Then try chkdsk /F c: to see what that tells you.
Then run chkdsk /R c:. That attempts check every sector and recover
the disk. It takes a while. That should tell you if you have any
bad sectors on the drive. Of course, you'll have to format the partition
first. Use the format command from XP recovery mode, not the one in
the install sequence. Or try something from the ulitmate boot cd.
or download the live gparted CD.
You can use dd to wipe the boot sector. Then the partitioning
programs see it as an uninitialized drive and let you initialize
the drive. Default type is usually what you want.

The history of your drive matters. Some vendors have custom something
on their drives to prevent you cloning or updating without paying
for their specific expensive drives.

Check jumper settings.

My nemesis is the TIVO pvr. They're free to $1 at garage sales and have
40-320GB hard drives. Some will run linux just fine, but I can't install
XP. Others install XP, but have weird symptoms. chkdsk /F hangs.
Disk imaging programs hang when run from the hd, but work fine if
you boot their rescue cd and backup from there. But normal use
of windows seems to work fine.

There's something intentionally different about these drives and I
haven't been able to determine what or how to fix it.

You probably want a more focused newsgroup like one with "storage in the
name".

Bob_Villa

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Nov 11, 2012, 8:17:34 AM11/11/12

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Back when we had FDD's didn't we run Fdisk 1st? Then the Windows format...

Dan Wallace

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Nov 11, 2012, 4:20:14 PM11/11/12

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"mike" <ham...@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:k7n32m$60k$1...@dont-email.me...

Thanks Mike. I will try this and report back. The tip about the format
command from xp recorvery mode is a good tip - I'll try it.
If anyone else has anyone other tips and how to make these strange HDs 'xp
compatible' that'd be great too.

SG1

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Nov 11, 2012, 5:06:39 PM11/11/12

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"Dan Wallace" <dan.w...@mys-rv.net> wrote in message
news:fEUns.843$Ow3...@viwinnwfe02.internal.bigpond.com...

I have a floppy drive in all my older machines and use a W98 startup disk to
fdisk 'em. As in remove partitions and set the disk to blank. Works well
except modern MBs don't have floppy ports anymore.

>
>
>

Mike S.

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Nov 13, 2012, 8:20:01 PM11/13/12

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In article <gTBns.832$Ow3...@viwinnwfe02.internal.bigpond.com>,

To add to the commonsense suggestions already posted - try a Linux CD
designed for disk management like PartEdMagic. Boot it and use gparted to
examine the disk structure. In particular, select the partition you intend
to install XP to and ask gparted to check and repair, then "apply" the
"changes".