Partition Windows XP problem

[BlackMagic]

Need a little bit of help here.

I have a old pc laying around here that is giving me fits.
I am trying to get it running right.
I can get it running but it's not right.

It gets complicated (for me).
The machine has a registered copy of Windows XP on it. It is activated on Microsoft. I assume it is all very legal, as I bought and paid for the machine.
As I bought the machine used at a garage sale it didn't come with a CD for Windows XP.
I went back to the person I bought it from, he has no clue as to where the original disk might have went.
He wasn't sure it even came with a CD, he said it might have been pre-loaded software from Compaq.
Anyways, on to the problems.
Someone has played with this pc and goofed it up badly.

Right now when it boots up I get a "choose system" menu.
The choose options are:
1) Windows XP
2) Windows XP
3) Windows

I have to choose the second option = Windows XP and it will start and run.

If I choose 1) Windows XP it will not start, it just reboots.
Same with the third option, reboot.

So I fired it up with option 2), went to System Tools, Computer Management, Disk Management.
What I see there is a mess.

The pc has (2) physical IDE harddrives in it. (old stuff, eh')

Disk 0 Basic IBM-DHEA-38451 is 7.84GB (Disk1_VOL1 (C 2.00GB FAT Healthy (System) ((Primary Partition)) / (E 5.82GB NTFS Healthy ((Logical Drive))

Disk 1 Basic Seagate ST3160021A (D 143.89 GB NTFS Healthy (Boot) ((Logical Drive)) / 5.15 GB Unallocated

Now this comes the mess part...
* C: is formatted FAT, the rest is NTFS. wth?
* D: is a Logical Drive? What...not a Primary Partition?
* No Primary Partition on the Seagate drive...? Great, now what do I do?

What I want/need to do is get the System files transfered off C: and onto D: drive. But I believe I need to make a Primary Partition on the (D Seagate first?

I will call Microsoft if you guys can't help me, but I wanted to try here first.

update:
I called Microsoft and got ahold of a nice person. He said he would send me a new Windows XP cd for $26.00 plus shipping if I could provide an original receipt for the machine which shows it came with Windows installed.
I don't have the original receipt, only a hand written receipt from the prior owner. I drove all the way over to the prior owners home and he doesn't have the receipt.
Figures...

So, I'm stuck. All I really need to do is transfer the SYSTEM files from C: to D:, I think.
I just am not sure how to do it.
Then I could disconnect the C: drive (throw it in the garbage) and rename D: drive to C: drive in Windows Computer Management?
Man, this is starting to confuse the hell out of me.
HELP@@#&%$

 

[DRDNA]

Sounds like you need some kind of ghosting software..to make a copy of the OS on the larger harddrive you have...I think Western digital has a free ghosting application if you have a western digital harddrive its free from them.

 

[95Viper]

If it has the tag on it with the OEM key, then just get another copy of that version of Windows and re-load it. Or, if you want Compaq's version get it from them. Ordering recovery discs from HP in the United States and Canada
If it is OEM, MS will propably direct you to the OEM...

If the person you got it from never made a recovery disk set, then you may be able to.

Looks to be some failed or screwed up installs.
And, it has the boot manager loading. Boot editor (like EasyBCD) may help straighten them out.

 

[BlackMagic]

Sounds like you need some kind of ghosting software..to make a copy of the OS on the larger harddrive you have...I think Western digital has a free ghosting application if you have a western digital harddrive its free from them.

Yea, I tried that. Doesn't work, only works if you have at least one WD drive in the machine.
Thanks anyway.

 

[BlackMagic]

If it has the tag on it with the OEM key, then just get another copy of that version of Windows and re-load it. Or, if you want Compaq's version get it from them. Ordering recovery discs from HP in the United States and Canada
If it is OEM, MS will propably direct you to the OEM...

If the person you got it from never made a recovery disk set, then you may be able to.

Looks to be some failed or screwed up installs.
And, it has the boot manager loading. Boot editor (like EasyBCD) may help straighten them out.

I tried EasyBCD as you suggested.
I grabbed the latest version and it wouldn't run. Tried 4 older versions too, they all will not run?
But thanks for trying to help me.

 

[brandonwh64]

IF the PC has a windows Key on the case then you can borrow someones XP CD and reinstall using YOUR key and it will be legal

 

[BlackMagic]

If it has the tag on it with the OEM key, then just get another copy of that version of Windows and re-load it. Or, if you want Compaq's version get it from them. Ordering recovery discs from HP in the United States and Canada
If it is OEM, MS will propably direct you to the OEM...

If the person you got it from never made a recovery disk set, then you may be able to.

Looks to be some failed or screwed up installs.
And, it has the boot manager loading. Boot editor (like EasyBCD) may help straighten them out.

IF the PC has a windows Key on the case then you can borrow someones XP CD and reinstall using YOUR key and it will be legal

I was thinking along the same lines as this, so I went to my neighbors (who I knew ran XP Home Edition) a bit ago. He loaned me a CD and it did reinstall Windows for me.
Problem is, his CD does not BOOT, yet it does both full installation or upgrade.
I choose full and it worked. It re-installed Windows.
But I still want to toss out the IBM harddrive.
I can't because that is the C: drive that holds the "System" files.
The D: drive holds the "Boot" files and Windows.
I need to make Windows look for the System files on D:, not C:

 

[newtekie1]

You might have to go into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot from the CD.

Then boot from the Windows XP CD. Delete all the partitions(this will destroy all the data on the machine!), then install Windows on the drive you want, partitioning it if you wish.

 

[BlackMagic]

You might have to go into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot from the CD.

Then boot from the Windows XP CD. Delete all the partitions(this will destroy all the data on the machine!), then install Windows on the drive you want, partitioning it if you wish.

Hi newtekie,
I tried that, no go.
It will not "boot" from the cd. I don't know if the cd I borrowed is no good? It does indeed let me do a full install, which I did already.
I wanted to delete all the partitions on both drives and start from scratch, eventually only using the NTSF drive.
What to do...what to do...

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Jus curious - whats the spec of the old pc?

 

[Completely Bonkers]

I would physically remove the old IBM drive.

Set the JUMPERS on the Seagate to Primary (remember those? jumpers).

Set the jumpers on the CD to Primary (but on a SEPARATE IDE channel).

Set the BIOS to boot from CD.

If still no go, then does it have USB ports? You might be able to WinSetupfromUSB. Google it.

****

There are many other ways to get this going... but ask yourself, is it really worth the time and effort? A basic Atom system off ebay will run circles around your old dinosaur and pay for itself by the end of 2011 in saved electricity bills. It will be a lot quieter too.

 

[jsfitz54]

Why don't you disconnect old small drive (IBM) then put that IDE end on the Seagate drive. After that make sure bios is set to boot from CD. When you get to Windows you will have option to do a FULL FORMAT in NTFS then it should continue on to load windows. If it is not XP with SP2 it will not see all available space and primary partion will be limited to 132GB (some where in that range). You could slipstream SP2 with Original Disk, making a new disk ISO image. Then install.
You should get all your drivers first saved to... a flash drive.
What other system files were you looking to save?

If you don't care about what is on Seagate drive now, go to disk management and reformat entire drive to NTFS by doing a FULL Format. Seagate has a utility DiskWizard to CLONE IBM drive (C)to the new disk (Seagate) then change drive position and jumpers. You can get directions and Utility from Seagate. Best to set all jumpers to CABLE SELECT vs Master and Slave.

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.j...toid=d9fd4a3cdde5c010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD
http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=196291&NewLang=en

When you get done you can reformat the 10GB IBM drive to NTFS or FAT32 and keep it for your tool box.

 

[95Viper]

I tried EasyBCD as you suggested.
I grabbed the latest version and it wouldn't run. Tried 4 older versions too, they all will not run?
But thanks for trying to help me.

Just a little thing to add. If you are running AV software, try turning it off while you use EasyBCD.

I have to dis-able mine, there is a thread in the EasyBCD forums about it.

________________________________________________________________________

Also, does that old PC have a floppy drive, because:

"Who should download the Setup disks?"

"You should download the Setup disks if all the following conditions are true:

You are installing a new, full retail version of Windows XP.

Note An upgrade installation of Windows XP does not require the Setup disks.
You have a working CD drive, but you cannot start your computer from your CD-ROM.
You can start your computer from a floppy disk drive."

How to obtain Windows XP Setup disks for a floppy boot installation.
"You can obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks from Microsoft, but only by download. We provide the Setup boot disks so that you can run the Setup program on computers that cannot use a bootable CD-ROM. If you can start your computer from a CD-ROM or from a network-based installation, we strongly recommend that you use those installation methods instead."

Justing putting this out there 'cause some older PCs could not boot to the cd drive.

 

[Mussels]

my advice: use some tools to recover the CD key, download a legit, non modified windows XP SP3 ISO from somewhere (if you cant find one, PM me and i'll help you find one) and then just reinstall windows, and wipe out those weird partitions while you're at it.

 

[BlackMagic]

Just a little thing to add. If you are running AV software, try turning it off while you use EasyBCD.

I have to dis-able mine, there is a thread in the EasyBCD forums about it.

________________________________________________________________________

Also, does that old PC have a floppy drive, because:

"Who should download the Setup disks?"

"You should download the Setup disks if all the following conditions are true:

You are installing a new, full retail version of Windows XP.

Note An upgrade installation of Windows XP does not require the Setup disks.
You have a working CD drive, but you cannot start your computer from your CD-ROM.
You can start your computer from a floppy disk drive."

How to obtain Windows XP Setup disks for a floppy boot installation.
"You can obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks from Microsoft, but only by download. We provide the Setup boot disks so that you can run the Setup program on computers that cannot use a bootable CD-ROM. If you can start your computer from a CD-ROM or from a network-based installation, we strongly recommend that you use those installation methods instead."

Justing putting this out there 'cause some older PCs could not boot to the cd drive.

Thanks for all your help. I did d/l the setup disks from Microsoft Windows.
Finally everything is working.

my advice: use some tools to recover the CD key, download a legit, non modified windows XP SP3 ISO from somewhere (if you cant find one, PM me and i'll help you find one) and then just reinstall windows, and wipe out those weird partitions while you're at it.

Finally the wierd partitions are now gone.
And it's all working ok now, the machine is good.
Got rid of the FAT partition, formatted it NTSF and re-installed Win on it.

THANKS GUYS!!!

my advice: use some tools to recover the CD key, download a legit, non modified windows XP SP3 ISO from somewhere (if you cant find one, PM me and i'll help you find one) and then just reinstall windows, and wipe out those weird partitions while you're at it.

Jus curious - whats the spec of the old pc?

It's a Compaq Presario S6500NX.