OS install problem

[Method]

Hi,

I'm having trouble loading an OS onto my laptop. I replaced my old hard disk, and when I try to boot from the CD to install an OS, it loads the setup files into memory, but then at random points it tells me that a file is corrupt. (This is before selecting a partition to install to etc.) The file it gives me is different every time.

I have tried different CDs, and tried loading XP, 2000 and Server 2003 evaluation copies to see if that made a difference, but every time it fails with a similar error and then restarts.

I have not yet formatted or partitioned the drive but I don't think that makes a difference as the installer should eventually give me that option if it made it so far.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Any help would be appreciated,

Ta,

Method

[marcus]

Can you run a recovery console (load up XP cd and select option) and run chkdsk -f -r on C which will check the HD for damaged sectors. Worth a pop maybe, especially since you replaced the HD for a new one.

[EvilBoris]

I had a similar thing happen once, but I could ignore it and everything still worked, I think it was a bad CD I had

[ascender]

What Marcus said.

Might also be worth doing and FDISK and a fresh FORMAT anyway before starting. You could then run CHKDSK before trying again. You could also try copying the files from CD to the hard disk and running setup from there. Have you tried deleting any (temporary) files that setup creates on the hard disk before running it again?

[SonicMarmite]

If the CD itself is confirmed ok, its most likely the CD Drive. If thats ok the hard drive is probably faulty. Seen this a million times at work and its usually the cd drive.

One thing you could do, that worked for me once. If its doing what I think you`re saying, it`ll give you an option to quit or continue without the file, or retry the file. Try taking the disk out of the drive cleaning it and putting it back in and retry. And also just try keep pressing retry. Sometimes you can get it to go through with sheer preseverance. Might take half an hour of pressing retry though. There`ll still be some kind of root hardware fault at some point in the future though.

[ascender]

Of course, you can also try skipping the file in question as you might get away without it. But through a process of elimination, something isn't right somewhere and might go up in smoke at some point in the future.

[kernow]

use a livecd and try preparing the drive first. store some files on it , create random ones, check its ok basically. then reboot, and try again

[Method]

Thanks for the advice guys, I formatted the drive before booting from the CD and it all seems fine now, cheers

Method