[yorobbie]

This takes some expaining, so bare with me. I've benn building a new system(see sig) and I started with a WD SE16 320GB and XP 64bit. I quickly realized that OS was a mistake. I deleted the partition, formated, and installed XP Pro from my old CD. It has a few scratchs. After the final reboot of install, I got a BSOD saying UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME. I deleted the partition again, and then I only had 131gb of space as opposed to the original 305. So that drive went back to newegg. Next up a Maxtor Max11 400GB. Using me old XP Pro disc again, I made a partition, formatted, and installed the OS. After final reboot, same thing, BSOD about umountable boot volume. So 2nd try, new partition, at end of formatting it says drive unformattable. WTF? 3rd try same result, Maxtor goes back to newegg. In meantime I take a empty older drive laying around and install from same XP Pro CD onto the excisting partition. No problems, that's what I'm using at this moment. So today, HD #3, I try the same WD model a second time. Using same old XP Pro, final reboot of install, BSOD-UBV. Try again, now duning final phase of installing devices from CD, it says it needs me to put in the CD so it can get files it needs. Even though it was installing from CD, all of a suddenly it cant find it, and I cant help it. Finally I I decide there's nothing I can do and tell install to skip it. I know that's not going to be good and of course< I still get the same BSOD. So now I believe my disc is too scratched. But my question, finally, is do you think the HD is screwed too? If I get a Fresh copy of XP and format and such do you think this drive will be fine. Or do you think I just have shite luck and need to get yet another HD along with the OS. Could the scatched disc be killing these drives. I know I just saw Maxtor released a firmware update to fix a issue the drive I had, had with my NForce4. If your still here, thanks for listening,and I look forward to hearing your opinions.

[H3X4D3C1M4L]

Sounds to me like your mobo. Did you read the instructions and install any drivers when the "Press F6" prompt came up? And was the old drive PATA or SATA?

[yorobbie]

I also posted this thread at HardOCP, and over there I learned my old (pre SP1) doesn't support the size drives I've been using. I'm going to try making a new boot disc w/ SP1&2 already in it and try again. I will post my results when I'm done.

[yorobbie]

I made a new disc with Nlite and all is well. I expected better help here, but "oh well", maybe someone can learn something from this.

[H3X4D3C1M4L]

Originally Posted by yorobbie

I expected better help here, but "oh well"

...I asked a question and you went over to HardOP instead of answering what I asked so how was I supposed to help?

[The_Neon_Cowboy]

You left that part out about you not useing SP1 or Sp2 ,

(wich is obvious what your issue was one you know that but then
again we have to ask other wise some of us may assume you knew
better)

You also left out weather your useing ATA or PATA. You can't figure
it out with out knowing some more information then you gave....It
made it sound like you board might be bad to me 2.

oh well least you got it figured out.

[swimtech]

Long story short on this, I hope...

If you're not using XP SP2, the Windows partition and format software isn't able to set up a drive larger than 137Gb as one volume.

The partition and format software that comes with most drives will format drives larger than 137Gb however, and Windows will recognize it, as will XP SP2.

The firmware update for the hard drive with regard to the mainboard with that particular chipset (NForce 4) was a separate issue altogether.

[yorobbie]

Don't get me wrong I appreciate everybodys input. I prefer DH, to HardOCP, the knowledge just flowed a little faster over there this time. For the most part(not really) everything is fine, but a few new questions have come up.

Before I start let me say tha that the begining of installing yesterday I was confronted with a new question, I've never seen. Was I installing on a Standard PC or Other. I choose Standard PC. I did use F6 and gave it the first two drivers at the begining, RAID and Mass Storage. It asked fro the floppy again after format and I let it take what it wanted. In device manager under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers I have, 3-Primary IDE Channels, 3-Secondary IDE channels( the last one has the yellow exclamation and says"This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. (Code 12)
If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system." And 3- Standard PCI IDE controllers. I see those are the one that have the NCQ setting but none of them show any devices. and finally a Standard IDE/ESDI hard disc controller. The primary and secondary channels all show things are n PIO mode, not DMA.

So

Can I get this straightened out without another install? Where did I go wrong? During boot
I'm also experiencing a extra long delay between Windows screen and final Logon screen, the mouse is dead during this delay, when the mouse lights back up loading also finishes. I expect this is probably related.

Please help!


P.S. C:drive,the WD is on SATA 1, after instal was complete I plugged old 120gigSamsungSATA1.5 on SATA 2, and my Plextor DVD-RW on SATA 3. My DVD-rom is primary on secondary IDE.

[yorobbie]

I made another boot disc with Nlite, and this time disabled WFP, and integrated NV Raid drivers and everything is much better after a new install. Thanks again !