R31--Please Help with WindowsXP Installation

[Arjit]

Please Help me

I am having problems installing windows XP on my R31. The reason is after formatting the HDD, it stuck to the point where XP says "Setup is starting Windows"

It was working before Formating,but really slow and Recovery option was not working.

I have tried replacing 'WinXP Installation Disk' and 'Hard disk'.

dono what to do with it.

My Original description is: PIII-M 1.13GHz (512KB), 128MB RAM, 30.0GB HDD, 14.1 XGA
(1024x768) TFT LCD, 8x-3x DVD-ROM, Modem(CDC), Ethernet, TV out, Li-Ion battery,
WinXP Home

[vanaya]

What program did you use to format the hard drive? Was the MBR erased? I usually use Darik's Boot and Nuke, autonuke and have not had any issues loading WinXPP. I have read other post of users not formatting completely and having trouble installing os. Have you tried diagnostic tests for the hdd? Do a quick search for hdd and fitness tests and you will find Hitachi DFT and Seatools to name a few. Make sure your drive is healthy before you load all your valuables and find out the drive is on the way out the door.

BTW, Welcome to the forum!

[Arjit]

Thanks Vanaya

HDD was formatted using Partition Magic(Hiren's Boot CD). Tried diagnostic tests for HDD and even replaced HDD but still same.

dono much about Darik's Boot and Nuke.let me check it(Downloading...) out.

I might be back for more questions.

Thanks for reply

[Marin85]

Did you try the long format option presented during the XP setup (right before starting the actual installation)?

[GoraNz]

hi, i'm italian so i will try to express my problem but sorry for any grammar mistakes. I have the same problem but i have a thinkpad r61. I installed on my notebook Gentoo Linux when i bought it, and uninstalled Windows Vista. But in this moment I need a windows platform so i want to install windows xp. But when i put the cd of installation in my notebook and start it at boot, the cd seems to be started but it didn't, and in the monitor nothing appears and it is empty. I try to start the bios and change the sata driver to compatibility but the cd doesn't start. What can i do? sorry again for my english and thanks a lot for any answer.

[Marin85]

@GoraNz:

Welcome to the forum!

Are you sure your XP installation media is not defective somehow?

[GoraNz]

yes i've installed another personal computers with this cd and i haven't had any problem. i think the problem is the cd reader and i try to boot cd from an usb device reader but i've had the same problem. thanks for the answer


EDIT: it is windows xp with service pack 2 integrated, is it ok?

[Marin85]

The other thing I can think of is to put the CD drive or the USB CD drive, which you boot from, in the first place in the boot sequence (BIOS -> startup).

[GoraNz]

the cd reader is already on the first boot, in fact the cd start and in the first time on the screen appear the message: start of the hardware configuration(...), but then the "noise of the cd's rotation" stop and the screen becomes empty and black. Is this possible?

[ajkula66]

Try pulling out the mini-PCI card and any extra RAM that you might have in there.

Good luck.

[GoraNz]

i can do this in the bios, right?

[ajkula66]

No.

I meant physically remove.

[GoraNz]

fisically, i can remove only the cd reader, i think. is it wrong?

[Marin85]

You will have to remove a few screws on the bottom of your machine and then remove the keyboard. There you should be able to see the mini-pci card (that´s the wireless card) as well as the RAM modules. -> R61 hardware movies

[GoraNz]

appear the same problem. I will try to download another cd and try to install. Are you sure the notebook don't need a special version of windows xp for installation?

[Marin85]

appear the same problem. I will try to download another cd and try to install. Are you sure the notebook don't need a special version of windows xp for installation?

No, it doesn´t. Both XP with SP1 included and XP with SP2 included (and even XP with SP3 included) should be able to install. There must some other problem preventing the installation.

What is your BIOS version? This is from the changelog of the latest BIOS update for R61 15'' (non-wide) and 14.1'' (wide screen):

Code: Select all

[Problem fixes]
- Windows XP installation may stop responding on the way.
- System reboot should be done for all Physical Presence I/F command execution.
- The computer with Smart Card Reader resumes normal operation from sleep state
  unexpectedly.
- The computer with RICOH CardBus Controller has slow data transfer performance.

EDIT: You can find all Lenovo updates/drivers for the R61 series in the R61 driver matrix.

[GoraNz]

i think this is the solution. thanks a lot i controll the version and install the latest. another question: where can i find a faq to upgrade the bios?

[Marin85]

i think this is the solution. thanks a lot i controll the version and install the latest. another question: where can i find a faq to upgrade the bios?

I believe you can find the instructions how to flash the BIOS on the site I linked above. Since you don´t have any windows currently installed on your ThinkPad, you will have to flash the BIOS by using the bootable .iso image provided on Lenovo website. If you still have Gentoo installed, you should be able to burn the .iso image on a CD as image, not as a file without additional software, then you will have to follow the instructions on the website.

[GoraNz]

thanks a lot i try and then i comment here.

[GoraNz]

i've just updated the bios but the problem seems to be unsolved. what can i do?

[Marin85]

Go back to ajkula66´s suggestion. Also, run memtest86+ to test RAM and DOS bootable PC-Doctor to test the hardware.

[GoraNz]

i will try this way. is it possible that the pc with linux works without problem and for the windows installation it shows all this problems?

[GoraNz]

I run the normal test with thinkpad PC doctor and it failed only in "linear verify" and "rea surface" in the fix disk test. is it a problem?

[ajkula66]

Your hard drive is shot, get a new one.

Good luck.

[GoraNz]

the problem is the hard disk. i plugged out it and i boot the windows xp installation cd and all works without problem. I would try to make a low level format, you think it could makes happy? the problem could be the unix operation system and i could format only, right? or is the hard disk broken?

[Marin85]

Well, at least you could attempt the low-level format, but I don´t think it will help much... No, I don´t think the problem is the Gentoo linux, it´s just an OS that uses its own filesystem. The PC-Doctor test is a hardware test, so basically, yes, your HD is broken (more or less). Even if you manage to achieve something by low-level formatting, it´s highly recommended to not use this drive. It´s on its way and the danger of data loss or corruption is too high IMO.

Marin

[ajkula66]

Agreed with Marin, do not use this drive, it's defective.