greywolf01
asked on
Trouble loading Win XP Pro on HP x4000 workstation
Sirs:
I have a HPx4000 workstation that has been giving me fits. This system has a SCSI 18 GB HDD installed and I have also installed a WD 300 GB 7200 RPM IDE HDD on the IDE Channel. This is a single drive with no other slave installed. On the other IDE channel there is a HP CDrom installed. I initially attempted to install Win XP home on this system. The XP disk read OK and began to install Windows, and formatted the disk fine, also loaded system files, etc. and then shut down on it's own, and restarted (the initial 1st restart). Directly after restart I get an error PXE61-media test failure, check cable, and PXE-MOF:exiting Intel PXE rom, operating system not found. I have already asked a similar question to EE and thought I had the answer. I have tried to set the network boot to the last in the sequence, tried to disable network boot, and tried both cable select and master on the HDD settings, as well as no jumper at all. I have set bios to default values, and cleared the CMOS. I removed the system battery for a period of time and reinstalled. Still the same error messages. I have the CDrom set to master presently but also tried cable select (also only drive on it's circuit) and changed to the 80 wire cable in it. I have replaced all cables from drives to the mobo, no help.
Still the same messages.
Now, let me explain something else. I was getting these error messages using a new Win XP Home disk with service pack 2, so in one of my questions I asked if XP Home could be used on a dual processor workstation running a single processor. My answers indicated that I was best off using Pro over Home since it would work with dual processor systems. In a similar question to this one, answers indicated to try and
disable the network boot in bios. So I tried and no help. I had an old Win XP Pro disk laying around (pre service pack 1) so I fdisked the home and loaded this Pro disk on the system. It did not recognize the 300GB HDD, but it formatted what it saw and loaded up just fine AFTER the the first reboot, (like it was supposed to)and continued to carry on with the install. So I thought I had my problems fixed- I believed this was a dual processor system which required XP Pro-I figured it was probably a Bios issue. So I ordered a new XP Pro disk with service pack 2 and large disk support.
Now I load this new disk (Pro w/ service pack 2) on the system and guess what-I get the same error messages again and can not get rid of them. I understand that WD HDDs can be finicky and that cable select seems to be the best choice according to other opinions on a WD drive. So I have it set there (with 80 strand HDD cable). This workstation has a symbios configuration utility which pops up at startup and I assume this is for SCSI configuration. I am wondering if the system is trying to access SCSI rather than IDE, although in the boot order IDE is placed before SCSI. I can not figure out why system would load correctly with older XP Pro disk but act the same as the new Home disk when loading the new XP Pro disk. My question is-is there something about the age of this workstation
(rdram system) that would allow it to act OK with an old XP disk and cause problems loading one with service pack 2 installed? Is there something about the SCSI controller possibly in the way, or the huge HDD in an older system? I am in a real pinch to get this system running quickly so could use advice on this one with some of you real pros at EE. All I really need that I can see at this point is to clear the errors where Windows can load properly after it performs it's initial format and shuts down the first time and then automatically restarts, this is when they occur. Thanks in advance for your insights into this- L. Daily greywolf01 at EE
I have a HPx4000 workstation that has been giving me fits. This system has a SCSI 18 GB HDD installed and I have also installed a WD 300 GB 7200 RPM IDE HDD on the IDE Channel. This is a single drive with no other slave installed. On the other IDE channel there is a HP CDrom installed. I initially attempted to install Win XP home on this system. The XP disk read OK and began to install Windows, and formatted the disk fine, also loaded system files, etc. and then shut down on it's own, and restarted (the initial 1st restart). Directly after restart I get an error PXE61-media test failure, check cable, and PXE-MOF:exiting Intel PXE rom, operating system not found. I have already asked a similar question to EE and thought I had the answer. I have tried to set the network boot to the last in the sequence, tried to disable network boot, and tried both cable select and master on the HDD settings, as well as no jumper at all. I have set bios to default values, and cleared the CMOS. I removed the system battery for a period of time and reinstalled. Still the same error messages. I have the CDrom set to master presently but also tried cable select (also only drive on it's circuit) and changed to the 80 wire cable in it. I have replaced all cables from drives to the mobo, no help.
Still the same messages.
Now, let me explain something else. I was getting these error messages using a new Win XP Home disk with service pack 2, so in one of my questions I asked if XP Home could be used on a dual processor workstation running a single processor. My answers indicated that I was best off using Pro over Home since it would work with dual processor systems. In a similar question to this one, answers indicated to try and
disable the network boot in bios. So I tried and no help. I had an old Win XP Pro disk laying around (pre service pack 1) so I fdisked the home and loaded this Pro disk on the system. It did not recognize the 300GB HDD, but it formatted what it saw and loaded up just fine AFTER the the first reboot, (like it was supposed to)and continued to carry on with the install. So I thought I had my problems fixed- I believed this was a dual processor system which required XP Pro-I figured it was probably a Bios issue. So I ordered a new XP Pro disk with service pack 2 and large disk support.
Now I load this new disk (Pro w/ service pack 2) on the system and guess what-I get the same error messages again and can not get rid of them. I understand that WD HDDs can be finicky and that cable select seems to be the best choice according to other opinions on a WD drive. So I have it set there (with 80 strand HDD cable). This workstation has a symbios configuration utility which pops up at startup and I assume this is for SCSI configuration. I am wondering if the system is trying to access SCSI rather than IDE, although in the boot order IDE is placed before SCSI. I can not figure out why system would load correctly with older XP Pro disk but act the same as the new Home disk when loading the new XP Pro disk. My question is-is there something about the age of this workstation
(rdram system) that would allow it to act OK with an old XP disk and cause problems loading one with service pack 2 installed? Is there something about the SCSI controller possibly in the way, or the huge HDD in an older system? I am in a real pinch to get this system running quickly so could use advice on this one with some of you real pros at EE. All I really need that I can see at this point is to clear the errors where Windows can load properly after it performs it's initial format and shuts down the first time and then automatically restarts, this is when they occur. Thanks in advance for your insights into this- L. Daily greywolf01 at EE
SOLUTION
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SOLUTION
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SOLUTION
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ASKER
ded9:
Thanks for the info, but when I went to this link, I found out that it was mine and this is the same system I am trying to figure out only with a time limit attached now. But thanks alot anyway!
This whole thing is getting mighty interesting as I have again Fdisked and tried re-installing Win XP Pro original WITHOUT service pack 1 or 2 and the damn thing installs without a hitch, although it only sees 130+ GB of hard drive space. Now, WHY would there be seemingly no problems with an OS which does not have 300 GB support yet either OS I tried that had service pack 2 included with large drive support be stumbling over itself so badly trying to load? Can anybody answer that one for me? I have read several forums on this type problem and
others who had this error also had it with service pack 2 XP cds.
Thanks for the info, but when I went to this link, I found out that it was mine and this is the same system I am trying to figure out only with a time limit attached now. But thanks alot anyway!
This whole thing is getting mighty interesting as I have again Fdisked and tried re-installing Win XP Pro original WITHOUT service pack 1 or 2 and the damn thing installs without a hitch, although it only sees 130+ GB of hard drive space. Now, WHY would there be seemingly no problems with an OS which does not have 300 GB support yet either OS I tried that had service pack 2 included with large drive support be stumbling over itself so badly trying to load? Can anybody answer that one for me? I have read several forums on this type problem and
others who had this error also had it with service pack 2 XP cds.
ASKER
On this older workstation, is it possible to install the original XP Pro without the service packs and then upgrade to service pack 1 or 2 using the license I bought with this service pack disk I just bought or is this illegal with Microsoft? And is there a possibility that I might run into similar problems after running service pack 2 upgrade?
After I run service pack 1 will Windows then see and be able to format the rest of my 300 GB HDD? Will I need to download large drive support from Western Digital or need a controller card in addition or will the microsoft update take care of it? Thanks!
After I run service pack 1 will Windows then see and be able to format the rest of my 300 GB HDD? Will I need to download large drive support from Western Digital or need a controller card in addition or will the microsoft update take care of it? Thanks!
ASKER
Not a bad idea if it will work, but this is an older 32 bit system and has to be very stable for a friend, and I have not experienced any part of XP 64 edition, nor any software that will work with it. Are you sure this will work with a 2.0 Xeon 512mb
rdram system?
rdram system?
i am sorry it seems wrong idea your system is 32bit. You can try vista
Check the links below
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/facts/benefit.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/64bit/russel_x64faq.mspx
Check the links below
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/facts/benefit.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/64bit/russel_x64faq.mspx
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/index.php?s=9c3ffc1dac79325bf47e43f9267d1a69&showtopic=3985
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21579800/PXE-E-61-Media-test-failure-check-cable.html
Seems like your hdd is failing what you can do is download a utility to repair hard disk.
http://www.dposoft.net/
download hdd regenerator
Also check the above link which will give you a brief idea
Give a shot
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21579800/PXE-E-61-Media-test-failure-check-cable.html
Seems like your hdd is failing what you can do is download a utility to repair hard disk.
http://www.dposoft.net/
download hdd regenerator
Also check the above link which will give you a brief idea
Give a shot
http://www.largeharddrivesupport.windowsreinstall.com/winxp.htm Windows XP 48 bit LBA support
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Guys:
Thanks for all of the wonderful information. I have just about pulled my teeth out on this one-and I will tell you what finally worked. I thought I might have a defective drive (which is new), thought I might have drive configured wrong, so tried cable select, master, no jumper at all, etc. etc.I thought maybe my power supply was bad to the hard drive-it is really an up in the air question when this type of error happens. I have been told that Western digital HDDs are good but finicky. I finially went to WDs websight and read and read (when all else fails read the directions, right?). All of the forums said to either use cable select or no jumper at all on WD drives. Well, evidently this info is incorrect, for a picture of jumper settings at WD websight says to close pins 4 and 6 for single IDE drive on the end of a cable (this is a horizontal closing of pins rather than a vertical closing or no jumper at all).
So I did this and VIOLA! I loaded Win XP Pro SP2 without a hitch, loaded updated, etc., and all is now working beautifully! I just hope I don't have a phone call down the line that somebody booted this computer and get that same dreadfull error message again. But I think at this stage that all is well and the system is fixed and is running as it should. I will try to split points according to all your efforts-I still needed your information to try to zero in on the difficulty-I will surely remember this one and thanks again!
L. Daily
greywolf01 at EE
Thanks for all of the wonderful information. I have just about pulled my teeth out on this one-and I will tell you what finally worked. I thought I might have a defective drive (which is new), thought I might have drive configured wrong, so tried cable select, master, no jumper at all, etc. etc.I thought maybe my power supply was bad to the hard drive-it is really an up in the air question when this type of error happens. I have been told that Western digital HDDs are good but finicky. I finially went to WDs websight and read and read (when all else fails read the directions, right?). All of the forums said to either use cable select or no jumper at all on WD drives. Well, evidently this info is incorrect, for a picture of jumper settings at WD websight says to close pins 4 and 6 for single IDE drive on the end of a cable (this is a horizontal closing of pins rather than a vertical closing or no jumper at all).
So I did this and VIOLA! I loaded Win XP Pro SP2 without a hitch, loaded updated, etc., and all is now working beautifully! I just hope I don't have a phone call down the line that somebody booted this computer and get that same dreadfull error message again. But I think at this stage that all is well and the system is fixed and is running as it should. I will try to split points according to all your efforts-I still needed your information to try to zero in on the difficulty-I will surely remember this one and thanks again!
L. Daily
greywolf01 at EE
ASKER