need to install windows xp

tadhgmorris

i have a complex problem .

firstly i had xp running on machine now problems . i then installed win 7 ultimate. however i installed this on the same physical drive with a partition. i.e. the xp was on c: i installed win 7 on F: but they are the same physical drive.

so now i have both xp and 7 running together. i just choose which ever from boot up. and this was all fine until i tried to remove the now not needed xp. i couldnt format the c: containing the xp no matter how i tried. so i stupidly went in and started manually deleting any files i could. but as you know i cannot delete any of the system files of xp so they are still there. but now when i boot again i have same options boot from earlier version of windows or win 7 if i try earlier version it tells me windows root\system 32\hal.dll is missing please install. i have tried putting back in the xp disk no luck. i loaded the 7 as normal and searched xp disk for dll file cannot be found.

so what i would like to do is get the xp back to normal and working.

just to clarify i currently have working fine win 7. can boot and use fine.

i need to get xp reworking

both os are installed on the same physical drive but in partitions actually 3 partitions.

any help (not abuse TMAN) would be very helpful

thanks

mp22

Can you boot from the xp cd and install a fresh copy of xp on drive c?

fionny

I thought you wanted to remove Xp? Im very confused... If you just want to remove the XP boot option it can be done easily enough.

tadhgmorris

i had a change of plans since i first posted.

i cannot boot from xp disc. it begins its process as expected begins to load setup files etc.. get message starting windows. and then a screen showing three options 1 ENTER to continue installing windows 2 R to repair 3 F3 to cancel. but the pc just freezes. totally freezes none of the options has any affect. i have to switch off and back on. so no i cannot boot from xp disk.

so to reiterate.

i have 7 working fine. i need to reinstall xp. i have original xp disk.

the 7 and now messed up installation of xp are on same physical disk. xp will not boot. i have an option for it to boot but it is now missing files as i briliantly deleted them.

practice

Surely the best thing to do is
1 boot to xp cd
2 Delete all partitions
3 create new partition and install XP
then boot to win 7 cd and install on another partition

you will of course lose all data on the hard disc

fionny

If the partition that windows xp is has no required data then:

Boot windows 7
Right Click on Computer
Select Manage
Select Disk Management
Pick the partition that XP is on,
Right Click and Select Format (if its not greyed out)
You should then be able to do a clean install of windows xp on that partition...

If you cannot format check can you "Delete Volume"?

Again DONT DO THIS IF YOU HAVE REQUIRED DATA ON THE PARTITION.

tadhgmorris

FIONNY when i right click it is greyed out. and i cannot delete the volume manually as i am not allowed. "you cannot delete this file"

PRACTICE you say boot to xp cd ok when i do this it goes thru an install process that simply causes the machine to hang. it is a perfect disk not a dodgy copy or anything. so i cannot boot using this disk.

tadhgmorris

FIONNY when i right click it is greyed out. and i cannot delete the volume manually as i am not allowed. "you cannot delete this file"

fionny

Ok try this, Again only if you can afford to lose whats on the partition

Click Start and in search box type cmd and hit enter
In the Dos Prompt type Diskpart and hit enter.
Type "list volume" Identify which one has XP on it.
Type Select Volume # and hit enter (#being the number from the list you brought up)
Type Delete Volume and hit enter
Type Exit
Close the DOS window.

You can now right click on "Computer" again and select Manage, select Disk Management

You SHOULD see unallocated space?

You can right clikc on this and create a new NTFS Partition.

This will give you a totally blank partition. You can either use it as space or install XP on it again.

tadhgmorris

ok that sounds great. i have gone thru that process. selected the volume and used delete volume command. it now says that "the selected volume or partition is in use." "to continue use the OVERRIDE parameter"

i typed override and was given an array of options. i chose delete volume first but still can not format in the management program. then tried partition same result.

all the files are still there on the c drive nothing deleted or effected.

thanks
any more ideas.

tadhgmorris

i reckon your on the right track though. i forgot how useful dos was used to be familiar with it when i was younger and fresher. tried a few of the options after i typed override.

i get "virtual disk service error"` "format is not allowed on the current boot. system, or page file, crashdume or hybernation volume"

tadhgmorris

but wait now . i have just opened comptuer and the drive has totally gone. have i lost it now. i would like it back .

so it has worked essentially. your brill. any ideas of getting the volume back. i am thinking remounting some how . have memory of seeing that option in the dos shell.

tadhgmorris

sorry about these posts. what i have done now is the volume is still the selected volume and i made it active and then i chose assign. this has successfully brought back the drive. but all the files are still there.

i wont post again til i hear more from you sorry if i am wrecking your head a bit

fionny

So if the the drive is gone now then it has deleted the partition, now if you go to disk management (Right Click My Computer and Manage.)

You should see Unallocated Space you should be able to right click on this and select create partition.

tadhgmorris

I HAD already brought back the drive using a function in disk part. it returned but with all the files intact. so you reckon go back to where i was and use the management program. ok will try that.

thanks for advice

fionny

There is a format option in the Diskpart program also... maybe try format it there?

tadhgmorris

i know when i use the delete or format options i get the following message

"delete is not allowed on the current boot, system, page file, crashdump or hybernation volume.

i used the override parameter too. no luck.

any further ideas. i think within disk part should be the solution.

remember now that the xp volume and the 7 volume are on the same physical drive , i get a spidey sense that this might be of significance.

please help. thanks

fionny

They are on different partitions though?

tadhgmorris

ya definately on separate partitions. the drive has three partitions in total. one having xp another having 7 and last just files.

fionny

Without being able to see it im running out of idea's, check this thread out as it might help:

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/21360-problem-removing-system-partition.html

tadhgmorris

actually ya i had already seen that thread. i tried copying those two files but this had no result

please dont give up..........

fionny

What I am afraid will happen is that once that paritition is wiped you wont be able to boot W7.

To be honest what I would do in your situation is do a full format and a clean install of everything.

You could try booting off windows 7's install disc and going into the recovery options and trying diskpart from there to format the xp partition.

tadhgmorris

yes that sounds ok. but how will i do a format. that is what i have been trying to do all along. i dont mind reinstalling 7. is there a way to do a total drive format during 7 install. ie.e to remove the three partitions of that drive.

fionny

Well you will lose all data but it in essence is easy,

Just put the Windows 7 Disk in and boot up from that drive, Install Now, then Choose Custom Installation.

You should now be presented with a list of all parititions etc... you can choose to format them from there and delete / re-size etc as you please. Then select the Partition you want to install windows 7 on and move on... just follow the prompts.

Job done.

tadhgmorris

thats great. i will do it later today. i learned quiet a bit from this. people are very helpful indeed. never knew about diskpart.

let you know if it worked. but i reckon it will. thanks

fionny

No problem there is no reason why it wont work, just make sure to backup any files in advance!