Need Help Formatting Hard Drive, the hard way.

[UrbanSmooth]

Ok, please read all of this:

I finally finished building my new rig. Time to install WindowsXP for the first time on my new hard drive. So, it gets to the part where I type in the 25-character CD key. I type in the key that I got with it, and it says that the key is invalid. I'm kind of surprised, but, then again, it is one of those legal XP betas that was floating around the web back in the day, that I burned to CD.

So, I go to the local Staples and pick up a $300+ copy of WindowsXP Pro SP2. I put the CD in, and the install from the prior WinXP wants to continue! That means when I type in the 25-character CD key for the new WinXP that I picked up from Staples, it's invalid, as well!

What I need to do is format the new HD and do a complete install of the new WinXP. I've tried making several boot disks, however, I found out that my floppy drive doesn't work! So, I used a floppy drive from an older computer, and it still doesn't work for my new setup. So, I decided to use the CD Rom and boot from there. However, everything I've tried says "Invalid System Boot Disk, blah, blah, blah."

So, guys, if you could help me find a way to format my new HD using only the CD Rom or BIOS, and not a floppy. I can't hook the new HD up to any of my older computers because they do not support SATAII connections. I'm thinking about buying a new $200 HD to make it all work, but, that would be a sad waste of money for such a folly of a situation.

Please help a fellow XS brother.

[Frisch]

As i see it, a new floppy would be the cheapest way to rescue you. I mean a new HD compared to a new floppy, theres a lot of money to save. And anyway, you might need that floppy in the future.

[zinff]

Tried using your favorite CD burning software (Nero or such) to create a bootable CD (from a Win98 boot disk or so) and run it from there? Depending on the drive manufacturer you can use their utilities to reformat the drive as well (I've had to do much the same with a WD drive).

Is it even giving you the option to "Press any key to boot from CD.." when you restart the PC with the winXP CD in it? If not you might try keeping the HD power connected and SATA cable disconnected until you hit the setup screen for XP or disk utils, then plug the sucker up and murder the first install you tried.

[UrbanSmooth]

Actually, my good buddy, douirc walked me through it, and I was able to format the new hd quick and do a clean install of Windows XP SP Pro 2 with the new, $300 full retail version.

I think it had something to do with the boot order, because, after he had me change that, it booted from the new CD and did everything all over, like when you first do a clean install of Windows.

Oh, yeah, my floppy must be hooked up wrong, because, the light is always on. How in the world do I fix that?

[Major_A]

For the Floppy that means your cable is upside down. Unplug it from the drive and hook the cable back in the other way.

Sucks you spent that much $ on WinXP, I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of XP Pro from my Univeristy for a whopping $7 and Office XP Pro for all of $21.

[UrbanSmooth]

Yeah, $300 is a lot. I could have ordered it online for about $140, back when I was ordering everything for my new rig. However, this was sort of an emergency, and, I was tired of waiting to get everything working, and as long as it works NOW, I don't mind, well, too much, at least, spending $300.........I spent $300 on Windows XP!?!?!?!!!!

[Judaeus Apella]

This is the best way to buy WinXP, if you can't get it through your college:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102153
or:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832102343
or:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837116203

[IYP]

two words.....BIG MAGNET....lol nah but seriously you should get a floppy or if its your motherboard thats being the :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: try and fix that