Odd windows installation problem...

Actually two...

If I try to install a windows OS it gets to the PCI device listing screen and hangs on "Verifying DMI Pool Data" if I don't use a floppy boost disk.

Ok, so I use a boot disk at this point and run through all the mumbo jumbo (start computer with CD rom support)

So eventually yada yada it gets to in DOS and I go like this:

D:
D: setup

Then it promptly locks up halfway or all the way through the first bit of messages at the "Windows requires XXXX space".

This is a 30gb hard drive on my girls comp and I've fdisked many times by this point, tried whole drives, partioned drives, nothing works.

Ideas?

oh geez, you again.

help me help you!! (http://www.apple.com/switch)

anyways, boot off the CD.

No shit sherlock, where you paying attention? If I boot from anything but a floppy disk it hangs at Verifying DMI pool. I've tried going into bios and seting the boot order to CD first.

if you can't boot off the cd and you die at verifying dmi pool data, i would say you have more problems than not just being able to boot.

does it even say 'Done' after the verifying dmi pool data thing? what happens when you leave the drive unpartitioned completely? it IS seeing the drive properly, right?

Haven't tried loading a OS from an unpartioned drive, I'll try that one now...

Edit: Ok tried that and it said I cannot load Windows without setting up my file system. So yea I guess it is for sure registering my hard drive. Hard drive also shows up when computer first boots up (Primary Master IDE).

When I get the lock up without using a floppy boot disk its:

"Verifying DMI Pool Data........."

And it just hangs there forever.

Computer has been working fine for months, I did the format and everything like I've done hundreds of times before, but this time its being bitchy.

And the message I can when it locks up when I DO use a boot disk (and after selecting boot up with CD rom support)

"Please wait while Setup initializes"
"Scanning system registry..."
"Windows Setup requires 7340032 bytes availabe on you" (at this point it locks up)

Flash the BIOS and pray your CD-ROM isn't borked.

Fixed, but it was odd.

Normally on boot up the computer just picked up the hard drive on primary master and the computer started fine, all devices worked fine

Went into bios and switched everything to auto (in regard to primary and slave devices) and it worked after I did that.

Reformatted and reinstalled on her computer like dozens of times and this is the first time I had to make this adjustment.

Sometimes computers can be just weird.

you probably had the mode messed up. there's CHS, LARGE, and LBA.

Well considering I did this a million times before and its just now giving me issues, I still think computers have minds of thier own. :(

Originally posted by Vermillion1
Well considering I did this a million times before and its just now giving me issues, I still think computers have minds of thier own. :(

Not if you buy a mac like invar suggested. They are specifically designed for those who desire the mindless :)