Help Me With A Winxp Pro Installation

[DarkReality]

OK here's the story. I went to install a Windows 2003 Server 3-in-1 I got from Sharereactor/eMule, and during install (when I had gotten to the GUI part of the installation) it asked for NT5INF.CAT. I figured since it was a 3-in-1 it might not be in the root directory. So I put it in my Laptop (where I'm posting from) and searched for it. There was no such file.

So I said F it, I'm going back to Windows XP. By the way, the one with integrated Sp1 that I downloaded does not boot. But I'll bitch about that later. No, I'm just installing the WinXP Pro Corp.

So I figured, fuck a full ntfs format on my 80gb; I just did that, and instead opted for the quick format. Install got to the same point and gave me the same error 2003 had given me! And I've installed from this WinXP CD at least five times in the past (also I am no n00b to clean format/installing) and did not get this error until ANOTHER Windows CD did it to me. But I formatted since then!

I Google'd it and found Win2k users were having this problem. But nothing on Windows XP.

If the file exists, can someone email it to me at [email protected] so that I may add it to the ISO I have and burn it again, to shut that error message up?

[muchspl2]

try this
To fix this you will need to have a CDR.
After that, download the latest service pack (Network Installation) for Windows 2000.
Extract SP files using command line parameter -x: W2KSp4.exe -X
You will be prompted for extract folder. Create one and extract...W2KSP4
Copy files on your windows 2000 CD into a W2K folder on your hard drive.
Now, you are going to update your W2K installation files so that the service pack
is pre-installed:
Run:
"C:\Documents and Settings\James\Desktop\w2ksp4\i386\update\update.exe" -s:C:\W2K

Once that is finished burn a new CD. Again, you now have a W2K install that has SP4
(or whatever is latest) pre-installed. Its a real timesaver if you have a few installs
to do.

***Note***
You can use the updated CD to get past that error. You do not have to start over.

You can read more about pre-installing service packs to installs in Microsoft's Service
Pack documentation. This process also works on XP and 2003 server.

from here
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum...00/r1065590734

[ck-uk]

Mate it could be where you're tring to install different o/s's and its not being formated enought in-between.Tri formating a few times and then install one of them.Or somekind of formating tool.

[DarkReality]

MuchSpl2 - None of that applies to me, though. That was actually one of the things I found that didn't help me, but thanks for trying.

Ck-uk that's what it would have to be right? I mean, it shouldn't affect a blank disc. Maybe I'll install Windows 98 tomorrow, format it FAT32. Maybe changing the format, since Win98 can't read NTFS data, this might help me as any redundant data would be NTFS right? And then I'll go from Win98 and use Evidence Eliminator to wipe the drive 9 times over with random bits (better than DOD detection let alone a normal computer) and then wipe it with a WinXP install.

[ck-uk]

Its up to you mate..but imo its pointless installing 98..Just put the xp cd in and use repair then format a few times.,,then tri to install xp.Or you could use ballams favorite toy..kill disk.

[MUSLEMAN]

do a full format then install your xp boss

[Virtualbody1234]

Do a full format and install and if that doesn't work then use something like killdisk to be sure your drive is blank. Also be sure to power down completely before booting the CD. You might have something in resident RAM that is causing the troubles.

[DarkReality]

Virtualbody1234 - Thank you, that is a very good tip. I had never thought of that and am not sure I ever powered down as opposed to rebooting.

How can I run a program like Killdisk when I have no OS on the system? To do it I would require a bootable CD (no floppy on my laptop just cdrw) that booted enough OS files to run the program. Is it that good?

[DarkReality]

bump

I'm running Killdisk Free version. I hadn't installed K-Lite on the Laptop (running a fresh WinXP Pro+SP1) so I didn't bother looking for it.

Say, can I copy my Windows installation to my other computer, for example make a disk image and let it figure out the different drivers on first boot?

Is it possible my hard drive may be defective? I have formatted it several times.

I could always go back to Windows 2000 Server and upgrade to Service Pack 4. Though it's an NT5 Windows as well and I'd have to throw a hissy fit if I couldn't run Windows 2000 Server.