XP Pro install in never ending loop

[rik]

When you are going thru the OS setup does it see both drives?

[mdainow]

I'm only using 1 200gb SATA.

The reason why I've mentioned it is because I read that you should disable it if its not being used.

When I can get to the install, it lists the drive as being about 130gbs which I believe is due to it being the original XP Pro (with no SPs) but its certainly there.

If I select it it informs me that the drive already has an operating system on it and multiple installs could be unstable etc. Replacing the operating system on it has the same effect.

[zipp51]

I'm almost positive it's your power supply.I just took a system back for the same behaviour.This was on an install of XP Home that all of a sudden was missing the MBR intermittently.I tried repairing with the cd and it kaept rebooting.I couldn't get the recovery patition to function either.Couldn't get Dos boot disk to function with fdisk.Changed vid card,HDD,cables,memory,disconnected FDD and cdroms.Then I changed the Power supply and everything worked fine.

[cmputrskillme]

Oh boy, your using a Maxtor Large Capacity Drive ha?

Just went through this with a customers machine. Make sure your disk is XP with SP2 (whether it be home or pro) and go to Maxtor.com and get the BIG DRIVE ENABLER patch and see what happens with your installation.

That Maxtor drive was a pain in the A$$!!!!! Will not read any larger than 130 without the 48 bit LBA support installed and enabled, which comes with SP2. The only way we got it was to use XP disk with SP2. We use OEM disks purchased at a discount that say "dell" on them and ours didn't have SP2. However, our Home disk did!

Hope it helps!

Sharon

[mdainow]

Zipp, I've since posting run a diagnostic tool on both the RAM and HD, neither showed up any errors. (I'm assuming if it was power it'd be failing on something obvious?)

Sharon, thanks. I'm trying to install with an original XP, I don't have anything else.
I'm going to take it to a man who has a much knowledge than me.. I'll suggest that to him.

I've found many posts commenting on how difficult the motherboard can be to use with pratically exactly the same problem,which is slightly reassuring. However, their remedies haven't worked for me.

I'll see what happens with the guy, I'll post back with a resolution if found.. for the archives

[efc]

I know that some of you will think this is a drastic solution. I have had this problem before.

Fixed it by getting drive manufactures diagnostic utilities and wrote "0's" to the drive. After that I did a fresh xp install.

[PIPER]

I know that some of you will think this is a drastic solution. I have had this problem before.

Fixed it by getting drive manufactures diagnostic utilities and wrote "0's" to the drive. After that I did a fresh xp install.

Low level format...........