Help with installing Win XP after formatting hard drive

Question

I made the 6 floppies, thanks to all who responded and told me how to do that.....they load fine, but when I attempt to load Windows XP I get an error: 'file drive index drvindex.inf.......the following value in the .SIF.....etc.  The following value in teh .SIF file used by setup is corrupt or missing: Value 0 on the line section [Source Disks Files] Setup cannot continue'  How do I resolve this issue?  Any help will be appreciated......Franzi

jmwills · Answer

Set your CD-ROM drive to be the first boot device and boot from the CD.  Floppies are not necessary.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

It would be useful if you used the original Post thread which I think is;
http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_harddrive&message.id=58121&highlight=#M58121

I assume you used the Microsoft XP setup Floppy's.?
Never used them so do you use all 6 Floppy's 1st then try XP CD.?

jmwills · Answer

Well actually you could use the six Win2K floppies and I think that's what the poster was refering to.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

Franzi wrote: Thanks for resonding.......yes I did download and use the 6 floppies from the Microsoft site. Since I formatted, I can not get into anything to change from floppy drive to CD drive. It does read my CD drive and wants to start installing Win XP, but then the above mentioned message comes up and I can't get any farther.
I have tried re-booting with the floppies, but always with the same problem........help please.....I now have a wonderfully useless computer sitting at home and I'm at my friend's house trying to resolve this problem.

What is your Computer full model.?
I assume it can't boot from CD-Drive so you have to use the 6 setup Floppy's then it starts the XP CD.?

Are using an Upgrade CD or a full Microsoft XP CD.?

Does your XP CD have SP1 if so you should be using XP+Sp1 setup Floppy's.

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 12-17-2003 11:34 AM

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 12-17-2003 12:17 PM

Franzi · Answer

Thanks for resonding.......yes I did download and use the 6 floppies from the Microsoft site. Since I formatted, I can not get into anything to change from floppy drive to CD drive. It does read my CD drive and wants to start installing Win XP, but then the above mentioned message comes up and I can't get any farther.

I have tried re-booting with the floppies, but always with the same problem........help please.....I now have a wonderfully useless computer sitting at home and I'm at my friend's house trying to resolve this problem. :(

jmwills · Answer

Reboot the machine and notice whihc F* key eneters the BIOS and set the CD to boot first.  The machine is obvipously looking for a boot.ini file which is not present.

Franzi · Answer

Thanks jimwills, I will go home and try to re-install the floppies and see if I can find the Bios key.  Since my system if down, I have to come to my friend's house to read and post things.  Kind of a pain!!!  But thank God for friends :)

Franzi · Answer

Hi gryihnhpe, thanks for your response. Sorry I'm new to this site and didn't think to offer all the info. I'm running Win XP upgrade. I get to the part where it asks for my 98 CD to confirm my rights to this CD and I pass that just fine. Then I put in my Win XP CD when it asks for it again and all the problems come. I don't know if I have the SP1 or not, how would I find out?

OK I went home and re-installed the 6 floppies several more times, now I don't get that error, but it says that my Win XP is corrupt!!!!!!!

Right now my system is totally empty! The only thing on it is the little info from the 6 boot floppies. How the heck do I get past all this.

Oh by the way I have:

Dell Dimensions XPS (I think that's right) T500

redwolfe_98 · Answer

once again, have you tried doing it the simple way? to adjust the bios settings, press the delete key as the computer is booting up, then navigate to the boot panel using the arrow keys, and then move the cd-rom up to first boot device, using the (+) plus key. then put the win xp cd in the cd-rom and reboot. if you have a promise controller card, you will have to load the drivers for it in order for your harddrive to be recognized. just follow the prompts for that, but obviously, you will need the drivers for it on a floppy, which you may need to download from the promise website, or else disconnect the harddrive from the promise card, and attach it to the motherboard. if you format with the harddrive attached to the motherboard, you can transfer the connection to the promise card. (however, it doesn't work the other way around, formatting from the promise card, and then moving to the motherboard).

gryjhnhpe · Answer

The previous message is correct press Delete key at startup & the link below shows to can set to boot from CD-Drive.
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dkub/syssetup.htm

------------------
If you set boot from CD-Drive & still get message XP CD is corrupt , since you have a Microsoft XP Upgrade CD you could borrow an XP CD & if not a DELL reinstallation CD you could change the installed Product Key to to your Upgrade CD Product key , so it will Activate with Microsoft.

Must reboot Windows for change to take effect & re-Activate Windows XP

Auto change Product Key via Activation Wizard with FREE program keyChanger.exe in ZIP Folder with View Product Key Program as well.
http://www.the-innercircle.com/filedump/xpsp1.zip (contains two programs , Changer & Viewer)

Or use Microsoft site info to manually change;
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874&Product=winxp

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 12-18-2003 07:25 AM

Franzi · Answer

Thank you so much for your response.  Microsoft is now sending me a new CD, so I hope all is fixed soon......this certainly has been a hassel, and I can only hope it was worth it.....lol.

Windows General

Help with installing Win XP after formatting hard drive

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