I had originally posted about upgrading from 98SE to XP. However, I've decided to go fresh and do a clean install with XP Pro. Only concern is using a program called Wipe Drive the way to go in wiping out everything or is there another way that is better? Just want to be thourogh and to top it off when I tried using it, I cam to a prompt about "Drive #0" being disabled, which brings me to my next set of question.
I read and apologize for being not up to par on the terms but I read something about layering your drives or something so that if one crashes it does not take them all out. I had somebody put this computer together for me and appears that's the case of what he did based on above. Any instructions or advice how this can be accomplished and/or if I should worry about this "Drive #0" being disabled when using this WD program? Or should I not be concerned at all?
Final questions I had, is that when I ran the Advice Upgrade program at Microsoft it only found that my AC'97 Audio, sound, game controller was not compatiable. Is there a way to download this after I get XP on my computer or is this something I absolutely need to do during? And when does this take place during XP setup then is so? Any direct links to these drivers so I download or use the right one?
It is a lot above I know but appreciate any help!!! It appears I'm not the only with worries about wiping a drive here! Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Full Version: Using WipeDrive software & layering?
Your sound card drive will be able to be downloaded after you install xp. XP just does not have drivers built into it for it.
There is no need to use a program like wipedrive. When you install xp it will detect your existing partitions . If you want a completley clean install (and have backups of all your data), then delete that partition, make another and install into it. That should be more than fine.
The fault tolerant thing with the drives is called RAID. Do you know how many hard drives you have installed?
There is no need to use a program like wipedrive. When you install xp it will detect your existing partitions . If you want a completley clean install (and have backups of all your data), then delete that partition, make another and install into it. That should be more than fine.
The fault tolerant thing with the drives is called RAID. Do you know how many hard drives you have installed?
Thanks Grinler!! I'm very unfamilar with everything so as to deleting partitions and how to make another. I did a complete back up and want to do a 100% clean install. Can you give me line by line instructions on this? As far as I know I have only one hard drive so the RAID will not work then unless I have more than one correct? When you get a chance, I really appreciate your assistance on the above and many thanks for responding as I've been waiting patiently for someone to help me.
Hi doublespy
Take a look at Clean Install Procedure with Illustrative Screen Captures. It talks about an upgrade version but the only difference is you won't be prompted for a previous copy of Windows so that is your line by line instructions right there. After you get XP installed then you would install the sound card drivers.
In order to find those drivers you will need to identify your motherboard as it seems the sound is onboard and supplied through your chipset. Do you have a CD that has the motherboard drivers? If so you would run that after you install XP as long as those drivers are XP compatible. If not once you know what motherboard you have you can download the proper drivers. Try using Belarc Advisor. It will give you enough info on your system to find what you need.
Post back with your motherboard specs and we'll find your drivers if you need them.
Take a look at Clean Install Procedure with Illustrative Screen Captures. It talks about an upgrade version but the only difference is you won't be prompted for a previous copy of Windows so that is your line by line instructions right there. After you get XP installed then you would install the sound card drivers.
In order to find those drivers you will need to identify your motherboard as it seems the sound is onboard and supplied through your chipset. Do you have a CD that has the motherboard drivers? If so you would run that after you install XP as long as those drivers are XP compatible. If not once you know what motherboard you have you can download the proper drivers. Try using Belarc Advisor. It will give you enough info on your system to find what you need.
Post back with your motherboard specs and we'll find your drivers if you need them.
I have for a motherboard, which I found out is the worst one to have so I'm keeping my fingers cross here, which is K7T266 Pro2 MS-6380 ATX Mainboard Version 2.1. Hope that is what you need. The actual audio was somthing like A97 2380 something rather.
As to those instructions, those will set partitions and everything? I printed them and want to make sure I'm doing everything corretly. I do not think those instructions mentions how to delete partions or wipe the drive. It just jumps into installing clean. Can you help with that portion? Thanks!
As to those instructions, those will set partitions and everything? I printed them and want to make sure I'm doing everything corretly. I do not think those instructions mentions how to delete partions or wipe the drive. It just jumps into installing clean. Can you help with that portion? Thanks!
Here are my specs according to Belarc website:
Operating System System Model
Windows 98 SE (build 4.10.2222) MSI MS-6380 2.0
Asset Tag: 0123ABC
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
1.33 gigahertz AMD Athlon
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: MSI MS-6380 2.0
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 07.00T 11/30/2001
Drives Memory Modules c,d
40.01 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
4.60 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space
ATAPI CD-R/RW 32X10 [CD-ROM drive]
Generic floppy disk drive (3.5")
ST340016A [Hard drive] (40.02 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 3HS2GAFG, rev 3.10, SMART Status: Healthy 256 Megabytes Installed Memory
Slot '0' has 256 MB
Slot '1' is Empty
Slot '2' is Empty
Local Drive Volumes
c: (on drive 0) 40.01 GB 4.60 GB free
Network Drives
None detected
Users Printers
No details available None detected
Controllers Display
Standard Floppy Disk Controller
Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400 [Display adapter]
Default Monitor
Default Monitor
Bus Adapters Multimedia
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller Avance AC'97 Audio for VIA8233 Audio Controller
Avance SB Emulation
Gameport Joystick (no joystick connected)
Communications Other Devices
CNet PRO200 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
Efficient Networks P.P.P.o.E. Adapter (NTSP3)
Microsoft Virtual Private Networking Adapter
Network Card MAC Address: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
Network IP Address: xx.xxx.xxx.xxx / 24 Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
Edited to protect users privacy
Operating System System Model
Windows 98 SE (build 4.10.2222) MSI MS-6380 2.0
Asset Tag: 0123ABC
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
1.33 gigahertz AMD Athlon
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: MSI MS-6380 2.0
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 07.00T 11/30/2001
Drives Memory Modules c,d
40.01 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
4.60 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space
ATAPI CD-R/RW 32X10 [CD-ROM drive]
Generic floppy disk drive (3.5")
ST340016A [Hard drive] (40.02 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 3HS2GAFG, rev 3.10, SMART Status: Healthy 256 Megabytes Installed Memory
Slot '0' has 256 MB
Slot '1' is Empty
Slot '2' is Empty
Local Drive Volumes
c: (on drive 0) 40.01 GB 4.60 GB free
Network Drives
None detected
Users Printers
No details available None detected
Controllers Display
Standard Floppy Disk Controller
Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400 [Display adapter]
Default Monitor
Default Monitor
Bus Adapters Multimedia
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller Avance AC'97 Audio for VIA8233 Audio Controller
Avance SB Emulation
Gameport Joystick (no joystick connected)
Communications Other Devices
CNet PRO200 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
Efficient Networks P.P.P.o.E. Adapter (NTSP3)
Microsoft Virtual Private Networking Adapter
Network Card MAC Address: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
Network IP Address: xx.xxx.xxx.xxx / 24 Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
Edited to protect users privacy
The info on that site near fig. 7 & 8 describes how the partition is created. Those are thumbnails by the way. When you create the partition it deletes the old ones and it wipes the drive. I like to make two partitions. This fools the OS into thinking you have two hard drives, C: and D:. You install XP and programs on C: and put everything else on D:. Then if you need to wipe C: and reinstall XP everything else just sits there so you don't lose all your documents and downloads etc. Read the minimums required for XP. It says the absolute minimum for Pro is 1.5GB but 5 to 8GB would be plenty. If you go that route use the rest of the space for D:.
I'll dig up those sound card drivers for you and post back. You won't be able to install them until after you install XP anyway. Why do you feel that is the worst mobo?
I'll dig up those sound card drivers for you and post back. You won't be able to install them until after you install XP anyway. Why do you feel that is the worst mobo?
I read it on a few sites that this was the worse mobo. I have no complaints even though my computer is running a little loud now. I'm not sure if it is the fan or what but I couldn't ask for a better computer at this time.
Let me know what you can dig up as it will obviosly be appreciated on that driver. Also as you described below about the partitions and fooling the OS, how do you do that? Where do you go within the sysem to delete and then set this all up? I have no clue what menus or screens to find any of this or steps. Is there any links like that XP clean install within here for that?
Let me know what you can dig up as it will obviosly be appreciated on that driver. Also as you described below about the partitions and fooling the OS, how do you do that? Where do you go within the sysem to delete and then set this all up? I have no clue what menus or screens to find any of this or steps. Is there any links like that XP clean install within here for that?
First off I gave you the link to the XP Home install, the Pro Install is here. There is little or no difference though.
You will make the partition (s) when you run the XP setup as part of the regular install procedure. There are no menus or anything, its just part of the setup routine.
That is from the link. So you create the first partition by setting the size you want (say 5GB) and that gets done then you create another partition by selecting the remaining space. Its best to go with NTFS when you are presented with the choice.
You will make the partition (s) when you run the XP setup as part of the regular install procedure. There are no menus or anything, its just part of the setup routine.
QUOTE
For those familiar with prior Windows operating systems, this section of setup is equivalent to FDISK when a clean install is being performed. In this example, since there is only the one hard disk it will be used to create the install partition by pressing C.
Figure 07 Once the partition creation has been initiated, the screen in Figure 07 opens and prompts for the size of the partition that will be created. As long as you adhere to the minimum and maximum listed on the screen you have the freedom to set partition sizes as you wish. Keep in mind that there are minimum space requirements to install XP. Set the size of the desired partition and press Enter.
Figure 08 Once the partition has been created you are returned to the screen in Figure 08. If there is still unallocated space on the drive and you want to create another partition, highlight the unallocated space entry and press C again to repeat the partition creation process. If you want to change the partition that was just created, highlight it using the up and down arrow keys and press D. A confirmation message will be displayed. Once you're satisfied with the partition scheme, highlight the desired install partition and press Enter.
Figure 09 The final step after creating and selecting the install partition is specifying the file system to use for formatting the partition. The available choices will be shown on the screen that appears as in Figure 09. In most cases you'll want to use NTFS. It's far more secure than FAT32 and supports permissions, encryption, and compression. The only reason for considering FAT32 would be data sharing with W9x*Grinler installations and since this scenario deals with a clean install it's not even a consideration.
Figure 07 Once the partition creation has been initiated, the screen in Figure 07 opens and prompts for the size of the partition that will be created. As long as you adhere to the minimum and maximum listed on the screen you have the freedom to set partition sizes as you wish. Keep in mind that there are minimum space requirements to install XP. Set the size of the desired partition and press Enter.
Figure 08 Once the partition has been created you are returned to the screen in Figure 08. If there is still unallocated space on the drive and you want to create another partition, highlight the unallocated space entry and press C again to repeat the partition creation process. If you want to change the partition that was just created, highlight it using the up and down arrow keys and press D. A confirmation message will be displayed. Once you're satisfied with the partition scheme, highlight the desired install partition and press Enter.
Figure 09 The final step after creating and selecting the install partition is specifying the file system to use for formatting the partition. The available choices will be shown on the screen that appears as in Figure 09. In most cases you'll want to use NTFS. It's far more secure than FAT32 and supports permissions, encryption, and compression. The only reason for considering FAT32 would be data sharing with W9x*Grinler installations and since this scenario deals with a clean install it's not even a consideration.
That is from the link. So you create the first partition by setting the size you want (say 5GB) and that gets done then you create another partition by selecting the remaining space. Its best to go with NTFS when you are presented with the choice.
I think I made this more complicated then I needed too! So how do I delete the partions then to get this to start from the beginning, meaning before XP is install?
I believe my final question after the above would be this statement under Figure 05 step "The qualifying products are listed on the screen. Replace the XP CD with the qualifying product CD and press Enter." Do I need to download this and burn it before I start this process as I only have the XP CD? I don't have the "qualifying product CD."
I believe my final question after the above would be this statement under Figure 05 step "The qualifying products are listed on the screen. Replace the XP CD with the qualifying product CD and press Enter." Do I need to download this and burn it before I start this process as I only have the XP CD? I don't have the "qualifying product CD."
QUOTE
So how do I delete the partions then to get this to start from the beginning, meaning before XP is install?
You don't. Right now you could put the XP CD in the drive, reboot, stop in the bios and set your CD drive as the first boot device and away you go. You mentioned that you have done all the backups you want so you are ready. It will ask you about the partition size you want and you tell it 5GB or 40GB or 100GB and at that point XP will delete the current partition with 98 on it and create the new one(s).
After it creates the new partition(s) then it asks about whether you want NTFS or Fat32 and it formats the new partition(s) accordingly. The XP CD does all the preparation unlike, say, 98 where you need to fdisk and format and THEN install. With XP its all in one.
QUOTE
I believe my final question after the above would be this statement under Figure 05 step "The qualifying products are listed on the screen. Replace the XP CD with the qualifying product CD and press Enter."
That is only neccessary if you have purchased an upgrade XP CD and in order to qualify to use an upgrade CD you must have a CD with the previously purchased and legally licenced product. An upgrade CD is really a full version but you get a price break as a returning Windows customer so you need to have proof you bought the older OS. If you have the full version of XP you won't see this particular step. It was put in that article in the link for those who are upgrading I suppose.
QUOTE
I think I made this more complicated then I needed too!
Yup.
I can understand that you want to be clear on everything so feel free to ask some more questions until you are ready to rock and roll.
You can see the page for your motherboard here. According to that it is XP Certified and you can get your sound card drivers from Windows update which of course is the first place you should go. Does your XP CD mention it includes SP1 or 2? Be aware that you won't have any protection from Blaster / Sasser type worms without at least SP1. Don't go online without a firewall, whether the built in Windows one or 3rd party. You will be infected in minutes.
In any event all the drivers for your mobo can be found here.
In any event all the drivers for your mobo can be found here.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.