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rohitjairaj

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"Insert system disk in drive" error.

Hi,

I recently formatted my laptop hard drive by using an enclosure to connect it to another laptop through usb. The laptop is a Toshiba S2450-101 from 2003. It does not have an internal fdd. I have a usb one but cannot boot from usb as this option is not allowed in the bios. I have an internal cd-rom drive but I suspect this is not working. I shall explain the problem in detail below.

So now I am trying to install Windows Xp back on to the drive using the Toshiba recovery cd rom. However, with the cd in the drive, when I boot up the laptop I see the below.

Intel (R) Boot Agent Version 3.3.03
Copyright (C) 1997-2000, Intel Corporation.
PXE-E61: Media test failure check cable.
PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel PXE ROM.
Insert system disk in drive.
Press any key when ready.

A couple of points to note -
1) The BIOS boot order has been setup to CD ROM>>LAN>>HDD. And there is no option to have it as CD ROM>>HDD etc. in that order.
2) I know the hard drive is not toast because when I use an enclosure to connect it through usb to another laptop, I am able to use it fine.
3) I also know the Toshiba recovery cd is working because when I load it on another laptop before booting up it comes up with the Toshiba recovery Cd splash screen.

I've also tried taking my hard drive and connecting it internally with another laptop, hoping to use the CD ROM there with a Windows XP disc in the cd drive. But that didnt work either. For some strange reason all it does with this setting is to continuously restart with the above mentioned error displayed after every restart.

Also, could you please let me know if it is possible to install Windows XP on a hard drive connected through a usb enclosure. I would do this by copying the i386 folder onto the usb'ed hard drive (F:) and loading up the WINNT32.exe file from that. I am worried that this would actually install XP on C: instead of on F: (usb'ed dhard drive).

Thanks for your time.
Avatar of Mohammed Hamada
Mohammed Hamada
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First try to get a CD cleaner to clean the lenses of your laptop's internal CD.
Then Format your hard drive complete not quick format to see if it will pass or not...!

You can't install winxp from USB as you wont have any method to push the system I/O to read bootable files from the USB. you will need to update your BIOS Firmware.

What i would suggest here is to copy all the I386 folder to your Laptop hard drive, hook up the hard drive of laptop to another one and proceed with XP Setup with the other laptop's CD until the system request a reset - the first boot up required, plug the Hard disk drive back into the original Laptop and then change the path of I386 to your Hard Drive.
should be c:\i386 if you are intending to copy it to folder I386 on C Drive.

Good luck
Avatar of rohitjairaj
rohitjairaj

ASKER

Hi,

Thanks for your post moh10ly. Just to clarify you want me to do the below in the stated order -

a) Copy I386 folder to the hard drive I am trying to install Xp on - lets call this Drive A.
b) Then take Drive A and fix it internally on another laptop - HP laptop.
c) Take the HP install disk and use it to istall XP on Drive A.
d) Right before I'm due to restart after successful install, I should take out Drive A out of the HP laptop and put it back on the original one (Toshiba).
e) Change the path of I386 on Drive A to c:\i386 - but wouldn't this be the case anyway, once the Drive A has been put back into the original Toshiba.

Is this right? If you can confirm it is, I shall try the method out and post back.

Thanks.
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Mohammed Hamada
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