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Fresh Install Problem

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by Barry, 2004/11/25.

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  1. 2004/11/25
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I'm trying to do a fresh install of Windows XP on my hard drive. After formatting the initial partition, it tells me to insert my Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 1 CD. I only have Windows XP on my CD. SP1 is on a separate CD. I've installed this CD 3 times before with no problems. What is the hang up this time? How can I get it to install without SP1?
     
  2. 2004/11/25
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I fixed my own problem. Apparently, booting with the floppies requires SP1, but when I restarted it and booted from the CD all went well.
     

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  4. 2004/11/25
    surferdude2

    surferdude2 Inactive

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    Have you tried booting to the CD and installing by following the directions from it? I don't see how it could then ask for an SP1 CD since that wasn't released yet when your install CD was made. You must be booting from some other media that was created after the fact. :confused:
     
  5. 2004/11/25
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I wasn't able to boot from the CD the first time, so I used the floppies I had created earlier from the CD. How the floppies, created from that basic CD came up with SP1 I'll never know. At least I know I can use the floppies till it asks for the CD, then restart it with the CD at that time.
    I did run across one issue with the install, though. I had read that I was to format the first partition for the OS and then I would be able to format the rest of the drive later, yet nowhere did it ever give me a chance to format the rest of the drive. I used my Eraser 5.7 program to shred the unused disk space, and all seems to work well, but, though I won't start all over on this drive (Microsoft thinks I'm installing XP on multiple computers), I'd like to know for future reference how to format the entire drive.
     
  6. 2004/11/26
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    During the initial stages of the installation, partitions can be removed and created but only the system partition onto which XP gets installed can be formated. Once the installation is completed, use Disk Management from within XP to format the other partitions. I actually only create and format the system partition during the installation. I create and format the rest from Disk Management.

    Christer
     
  7. 2004/11/26
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks Christer,
    It worked fine. I guess I made the mistake of not changing the letter of the boot drive from C, and it won't let me change it now. Just for clarification, these partitions are connected, so I don't have to have separate copies of antivirus or firewall? And I don't have to manually determine which partition data is sent to?
    Thanks for the help,
    Barry
     
  8. 2004/11/26
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I'm a little confused as to how to handle these two partitions. After installing my programs on the boot partition, it keeps telling me that I am running out of memory. Should I just have the OS on the boot drive and install everything else on the other partition? If so, how do you recommend I do this? I've already put my documents (including pictures and music) on the other partition. Should I have my desktop and programs there also?
     
  9. 2004/11/28
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Hi Barry,
    I've been out of town during the weekend, separated from computers:

    The AntiVirus and FireWall protect incoming and outgoing. In some cases also files that are opened locally on the computer are checked. All disks and partitions that are detected by the BIOS and Operating System are protected by the installed AV and FW.

    Windows always defaults to put the My documents folder and other user folders on C:. More "advanced users" who decide to partition will have to move the locations of the user folders themselves.

    On this webpage , scroll down to Effects of Image Restoration and follow the steps to move the user folders.

    Is that the wording or did You confuse "memory" with "disk space "?

    My system partition is 12 GB and I keep everyting there, including programs but excluding user data (My documents, Favorites, Address book, E-mail storage and other user data folders) which have been moved to D:. I am currently using 4 GB out of 12 GB on the system partition.

    A friend of mine has a miscellany of Photo and Video editing software. He uses 12 GB out of his 16 GB system partition.

    You haven't mentioned the respective sizes of the partitions but in Your case, with 2x512 MB RAM, XP alone will need some 3 GB. With e.g. Office XP, Adobe Acrobat and the Norton stuff, it will need some 4-5 GB.

    It is possible to install programs on e.g. D: if space on C: gets scarce but on a fresh installation, it is better to plan the space used for the system partition.

    I am now leaning back in anticipation of other posts saying that a dedicated programs partition is the way to go but ...... :p ...... then the user data should be moved to a partition other than D: ( and C: ). Separating the user data from the system and programs will make backing up, both the system, programs and user data, much easier.

    No matter what You decide on the programs, I think that the desktop belongs on the system partition.

    The link I posted is to a Ghost site and to use Ghost (or any other imaging software) efficiently, the user data has to be separated from the system and programs. If the programs are separated from the system, then two images have to be created and both restored "in parallel" for it to work. Using an image of the system partition from one date and an image of the programs partition from a different date will not work (or is not guaranteed to work).

    If You don't use any imaging software, should Windows crash and have to be reinstall, the registry would know nothing of the programs on D: and in concequence, these would have to be reinstalled too.

    That's why I recommend keeping the system and programs together on C: and using D: for user data.

    If You find out that the system partition is too small, then either start over and choose the sizes according to Your expected (not necessarily current) needs. If You are uncertain, make the system partition bigger than You think You'll ever need. Adding a new harddisk for data storage is simpler than resizing a system partition.

    Resizing will require a program like Partition Magic. I have never used PM but someone else will chime in if You should decide to go that route.

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2004/11/28
  10. 2004/11/28
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Christer,
    You were right. It was disk space, not memory. I have about 20% free disk space at this time (4.87GB total on C and 32.39GB total on G) . (I'm learning which programs need to be on C and which I can uninstall, put on G, then put a shortcut on my C desktop. The suggestion of putting email storage onto G sounds good. I use two hard drives, so I always have a backup computer if I need it. When I redo that drive, I'll make the OS partition larger, in order to handle all the programs also. I don't want to redo this one, as Microsoft is already on my case about installing too many XP programs. They think I am putting it on multiple computers rather than just learning how to fine tune the one I have.
    Thanks for the help,
    Barry
     
  11. 2004/11/28
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Barry,
    You're welcome ...... :) ...... !

    Christer
     
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