Really stuck - laptop problem

Dollardog

Hi, I'm still having problems trying to get an operating system on my laptop.
Donnie very kindly sent me the disc to do it, but still having no luck. Not very technically minded.
The laptop had belonged to a friend who died. When I got it, it had an unlicenced version of Windows XP - Vista style.
I've tried to get a licenced copy on to it as I'd wiped the old one.
I can't get it to go into the Bios screen on start up either, no matter how many times I press F10, which it tells me to do.

I can get it to come up - Press any key to boot from disc, but nothing happens when I do.
I did get it to boot from disc last night though. It came up that it was setting up Windows (XP Pro), said it was checking the disc and found partition C, which it said C drive(Unknown) partiition (or words to that effect anyway). Then it went through reading and loading the things off the disc and then said it was formatting the drive, it took ages - half an hour or so - then said it was unable to set up Windows as the drive was not recognised.

Can anyone help before I have to go and find a repairer to take it to?

mongoose2009

sounds like the harddrive may have a problem?
heres a install guide with pictures

http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm

mongoose2009

its for XP home but Pro is the same

KillerWatt

Either the hard drive has a problem, or you need to install disk controller drivers when prompted during the first part of Windows setup.

bskelhorn_2

Hi Dollar,

On boot up try hitting F2 or the DEL key and see if that takes you into the BIOS - 9/10 times this will. If you do get in that way check for a S.M.A.R.T option and turn it on. This will check the hard disk for internal errors.

Let us know how you get on.

Dollardog

Your box pm box is full.

I didn't 'wipe' the old OS as such, it disappeared when I tried to install OS I downloaded - I think - or at some point anyway, it disappeared.

Dollardog

bskelhorn wrote: »

Hi Dollar,

On boot up try hitting F2 or the DEL key and see if that takes you into the BIOS - 9/10 times this will. If you do get in that way check for a S.M.A.R.T option and turn it on. This will check the hard disk for internal errors.

Let us know how you get on.

Just tried the F2 at start up, that worked to start Windows set up.
I said it was loading the files then said

Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer.

Could it be that the driver for the hard drive is missing?
If so, how can I get it re-installed?


It doesn't seem to take much notice of the keyboard either, its telling me to press F3 to quit, but it didn't do anything when I did.
TIA

mongoose2009

i would say that you need a disk with the SATA drivers in it thats why you cant see the disk drive

Dollardog

bskelhorn wrote: »

Hi Dollar,

On boot up try hitting F2 or the DEL key and see if that takes you into the BIOS - 9/10 times this will. If you do get in that way check for a S.M.A.R.T option and turn it on. This will check the hard disk for internal errors.

Let us know how you get on.

Hitting those keys didn't get me into the BIOS screen though

Donnie

I assume these problems are because this laptop was set to boot from Floppy Disc and then the Hard Drive. Though not quite sure of the circumstance of no hard drive being visible. Perhaps you have taken the HDD boot out of the relevant boot order.
Certainly not worth taking the thing to a repair shop, they are likely to charge you more than it's worth.

When you got to this point, which did you choose?:

Format the hard disk and install Windows XP
Use the ARROW keys to select the partition where you want to install Windows XP, and then press ENTER.
Select the format option that you want to use to format the partition. You can select from the following options:

Format the partition by using the NTFS file system (Quick)
Format the partition by using the FAT file system (Quick)
Format the partition by using the NTFS file system
Format the partition by using the FAT file system
Leave the current file system intact (no changes)

Dollardog

Hi Donnie, It didn't come up with that, so I didn't have to choose.