my system finds the HDD but when trying to install WIN.XP.PRO, there is a message saying HDD cannot be formatted. sometimes when it is formatted and win.xp.pro files are copying to the HDD, a message says the disk is damage or currupted. i used 3 HDD and it is the same results.

help please
THANKS

hi, are you able to partition your hdd? you need to partition it first before formatting.. check out this site it will help you..

http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_03.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

if the drives were used before you don't need to create a partition just format the partition that is already there is good enough ,if the 3 drives you tried were all new ,maybe yes you would need to create a partition first
!
3 different disk all saying the disk may be corrupt !
maybe its refereeing to you windows disk being corrupt and not able to copy files ,maybe you could borrow a disk and try it

I came across a problem like this a while back and it turned out to be bad RAM causing the problem.

hey thanks for you guys support, it turned out that it was a bad RAM.
compdoc was right.


thanks

Also make sure MBR/Bootsector Antivirus protection is OFF in the BIOS.

It stops the bootloader being written during windows install

i came across this problem just last night ,friend tried 3 different drive also ,and got errors ,i ran memtest 86 and it had one bad stick of ram .