Really stuck - laptop problem

Dollardog

It only said it had found one partition. That was C which it said was (unknown) partition.

It said if I wanted to make another partition to press C, which I did as I was going to make a backup partition, but pressing the C didn't do anything. Can't remember what it said then, but didn't give me the choice you mentioned.

It did say
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.

As there was only the C partition anyway, I just pressed ENTER. and it went into formatting it

closed

start again boot from the CD and post what it says, what model is it, what hard disk is in it (take it out and have a look).

Does this come up if you boot with no cd in, ie booting from hard disk - if so you probably need sata drivers

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

If it comes up booting from cd since you formatted it, something has gone very wrong with the hard disk or bios settings.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Very confusing thread this !, several OEM builders hide a partition and then turn the drives C: & Hidden round so when you see what you think is an empty drive C: it's has a hidden partition within it.

Additionally many OEM's such as DELL / HP etc gerrymander their BIOS so that you can't get any copy of windows other than their own OEM disk to install to the hard drive.

Your symptoms are classic ' RAID install ' problems but I can't believe a lappie has two hard drives.

As Donnie says your starting point is to Format the hard disk and install Windows .

- at one point you say it has a hard drive, then you say it hasn't, then you sy in your 8.28 post it has an ' unknown ' partition

- an unknown partition is a hard drive [ so you do have one ] without a format [ although it may still have a hidden partition ]

- you need to delete ( this will remove the hidden part ) and them format, delete (1) first format (2) second the hard drive

Oscar_The_Grouch

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

you need to delete ( this will remove the hidden part ) and them format, delete (1) first format (2) second the hard drive

From memory of my last re-install of XP, when you get to the "select partition to instal windows" section, you can highlight a partition (it should be automatically selected if there is only one visible partition) and hit "D" - the option to delete the partition. You go through a couple of warnings where you have to do the Microsoft "Yes I really, really do want to do this and of course I know I may lose my data" and then you can "select" the new partition and carry out a full (not quick) format on the next screen.

Dollardog

closed wrote: »

start again boot from the CD and post what it says, what model is it, what hard disk is in it (take it out and have a look).

Does this come up if you boot with no cd in, ie booting from hard disk - if so you probably need sata drivers

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

If it comes up booting from cd since you formatted it, something has gone very wrong with the hard disk or bios settings.

Its a Compaq Evo N1000V don't know what hard drive is in it and wouldn't have a clue how to take it out to find out.

Can't try and boot it again at the moment but this -
Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer
is what it came up when I booted from disc, then it went on to say check connections etc.

When I start it up with no disc in, it just comes up Compaq and underneath it says 'To change settings press F10', then goes to a blank screen with just a flashing cursor in the top left hand corner. If I press F10, nothing happens. I can't get into the BIOS.

Dollardog

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Very confusing thread this !, several OEM builders hide a partition and then turn the drives C: & Hidden round so when you see what you think is an empty drive C: it's has a hidden partition within it.

Additionally many OEM's such as DELL / HP etc gerrymander their BIOS so that you can't get any copy of windows other than their own OEM disk to install to the hard drive.

Your symptoms are classic ' RAID install ' problems but I can't believe a lappie has two hard drives.

As Donnie says your starting point is to Format the hard disk and install Windows .

- at one point you say it has a hard drive, then you say it hasn't, then you sy in your 8.28 post it has an ' unknown ' partition

- an unknown partition is a hard drive [ so you do have one ] without a format [ although it may still have a hidden partition ]

- you need to delete ( this will remove the hidden part ) and them format, delete (1) first format (2) second the hard drive

It is a copy of HP Compaq OEM disc that I'm trying to boot from. I know it does have a hard drive because when I got it, it had some things on it. It hasn't given me the option to format it again since last night, but after it finished formatting it it still said the drive wasn't recognised and it couldn't do the Windows set up.

Dollardog

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

From memory of my last re-install of XP, when you get to the "select partition to instal windows" section, you can highlight a partition (it should be automatically selected if there is only one visible partition) and hit "D" - the option to delete the partition. You go through a couple of warnings where you have to do the Microsoft "Yes I really, really do want to do this and of course I know I may lose my data" and then you can "select" the new partition and carry out a full (not quick) format on the next screen.

It hasn't given me an option again to format the drive, so I don't know how to get back to that again.

Sorry if I'm sounding thick but I really don't know anything about laptops or installing/formatting etc.

Dollardog

Thanks all of you by the way, for trying to help.

Looks like I will end up taking it to a repair shop, or giving up on it. Can't afford to buy a new one, so this was my only hope really.

closed

Take the battery out, and boot it, and hold down F10 permanently after waiting 1 second after switching on.

To take the disk out look for a flap on the right hand side and a securing screw or torx on the bottom, a disk is about the size of a credit card, which should give you an idea of the size of the opening or flap.

Why can't you boot with cd in now? F12 may work. Which key did you use last time, or did you change the boot order in the bios, if you ever got into it

closed

I think it's an ide disk, so the sata stuff is a red herring, assuming it's working, you don't need to take it out.

http://www.impactcomputers.com/303527-001.html

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual&lang=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64179&taskId=101&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=96306