BleepingComputer.com: can't install windows

hopefully this is correct section to post this
the thing is, i had windows vista on my laptop computer, but whole computer lagged hugely, everything took much time to open so i thought that i reinstall windows, and put xp home edition sp2 on it, previously had windows vista home basic. so i rebooted laptop, from loading selected to boot from cd, and from there it first wanted me to format my hard drive, but when format reached 100%, comes up message "setup was unable to format the partition. the disk may be damaged." and then all the make sure its connected properly. i tryed full format like 3 times, and few times quick format. same thing all the time. after that i even tried to put back vista, but when it gathered all the installation information and was ready to begin installing, it gave me message "windows setup could not reinitialize the deployment engine. to install windows restart the installation." and ofcourse restarting installation of windows vista was no help either.
and now i got laptop without old windows vista, or any other windows version so i cant even use laptop anymore.
is it that computer hard drive is out and it helps if i just buy new hard drive for it or is there any other solution too. i can use desktop computer for all the information you can provide, but on laptop i can only use boot menu.

Hello and welcome to Bleepingcomputer.

Try reading this solution. http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums...86-36c793f7c152

I need to ask you for the make and model number of your hard drive, I am going to have you download a disk diagnostic tool that will check your hard drive for disk errors or corruption.

You can also check out this pinned section of BC forums for diagnostic disk utilities that will work with your had drive. http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic28744.html

Bruce.

This post has been edited by MrBruce1959: 15 August 2010 - 03:47 PM

that first link you gave me, there is a solution by downloading and burning a file into cs, but that link from where to get that file isnt working anymore
so may be you have same file on working link? im trying to google it now too
and how can i use disk diagnostic if i cant even start my computer. can it be done on cd from boot menu? coz currently i got no windows on computer and i cant install any either

also where i can find make and model number of my hard drive. if it's written somewhere on the hard drive, it's gonna be a difficult for me to get it since it's laptop and these usually dont come into parts
what i did find in back of the laptop: HDD 120GB 2,5" Fujitsu SATA 8
hope that qualifies as hard drive model

This post has been edited by Rosin: 15 August 2010 - 05:08 PM

I believe you are referring to burning Gparted .ISO to disk, Gparted is a program that allows you access to hard drive to edit and delete partitions. I have used that program myself.

Here is the present updated link to Gparted.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/

I realize your computer is not bootable without a boot partition on the hard drive, but most hard drive utility programs are bootable programs, if Gparted is burned to a cdrom disk, and you choose the optical drive as the first boot device, your computer will boot from the cdrom.

By the way an .iso image is like a zip file, but it's called an iso, you need to use a burning program that coverts iso images to an actual full cdrom disk, imgburn is free and can convert .iso images to a full bootable program on a burnable cd-r or dvd-r disk.

Imgburn web site download link. Install and run it and point it to your Gparted .iso file, the disk will be a full bootable program disk when imgburn is finished burning it. http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download choose a mirror web site from the list.

As for hard drive diagnostic software, those programs are also burned to a cdrom and that cdrom is created as a bootable disk your computer can boot to regardless of whether your hard drive is operational or not.

What is the make and model of your laptop?

If your drive is a FUJITSU drive check this link again for the FUJITSU section http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic28744.html

Bruce.

This post has been edited by MrBruce1959: 15 August 2010 - 07:46 PM

ok i think i got it to continue with setup
didnt know i have to right click on ntfs to but it to application list in order to do format
and now windows installing is copying setup files

so its working fine now

on gparted there was memory test using memtest86 option, i ran that also, it gave me no errors

do you still need all those model numbers???


if not, thank you for your time and help you provided

This post has been edited by Rosin: 16 August 2010 - 06:58 AM

If everything is working out alright at your end, then there is no point in your providing that information.

I am happy to hear you have had success, sometimes coming to a forum such as this and corresponding with others tends relieve the tension and resolutions are often found in the process.

Happy computing and as always kind regards to you and yours.

Bruce.