I'm trying to install windows 2000 over a network from a shared folder on another pc.
Here's how I'm doing it:
First copy all the files from my Windows 2000 to a shared folder on my XP pro box.
Next setup target PC's hard drive with Partition Magic 8 (boot floppies)
Delete all partitions
create primary partition
set as active
format FAT32
Next restart target PC and boot from netbootdisk (available here: http://www.netbootdisk.com
run smartdrv (it's not included on netbootdisk so get a copy from a win98 install)
N:\> GET USE G: \\SERVER\SHAREDFOLDER (maps network drive)
change to the G: drive
i386\winnt (might be different depending on what folder you copied the files to on the source pc)
Now the Windows installer starts, however before it starts copying files I get the following error:
"setup was unable to install Windows Boot loader" and is not able to go any further.
By following exactly the same process, but using windows xp as a source, this method works perfectly. I've done some googling, and discovered some problems relating to windows ME boot disks, or hard drives that have been formatted using windows ME. Unfortunately I haven't found a solution to my problem.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Phil
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netbootdisk did not have xcopy included, and I couldn't find a version that would work with it, so I downloaded a different network boot which includes xcopy from here: www.tdonline.com
Heres what I did:
xcopy g:\i386 c:\i386 /e (where g: is mapped to a shared folder)
files start copying, but after a short while the following error appears:
"File allocation table bad, drive C"
I've tried deleting the partition and recreating / reformatting it, but I still get the same error. However, if I insert the windows 2000 disk in the target pc and xcopy direct from the disk to C: I don't get any errors.
So I'm wondering if there really is a FAT issue, or if it's some wierd quirk of dos based networking. I'm going to try swapping the hard drive and see if I still get the same problem. If you have any other suggestions I'd be glad to hear them.
Thanks for your help so far
I've just tested it with a different hard drive and I get the same error: "File allocation table bad, drive C" . Given that I've tried exactly the same error on two different hard drives, I think it is something to do with the network boot disk / xcopy combination.
I'm going to try the bart network disk instead (found here http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk
Bart's network disk worked! I was able to install 2000 using the method you suggested and by running winnt directly over the network. So I suppose the original problem and the FAT error which I encountered when trying to XCOPY had something to do with the network boot disks that I was using. Perhaps there was a driver problem connected with my NIC (SiS 900 series), or maybe some other confilct based on my particular hardware.
Thanks for your comments, and the tip about copying the source file across first is good to know. As for the original question, I kinda answered it myself in the end.
If you agree, I'll class the question as "answered own question". I'll wait your response before classifying.
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by: SysExpertPosted on 2007-03-13 at 08:13:46ID: 18710956
I would copy the i386 directory to your local hard drive of the new machine.
This is good for 2 reasone.
1) Much faster install speed.
2) You will have all the drivers and stuff needed locally when you need to add or change hardware.
I hope this helps !