Older computer, XP upgrade failure

Make sure ALL your hardware is Xp compatable. So on online and MS XP will tell you.

I don't know what this really means. kane702 needs to configure FDISK for Large Block inorder to set the primary DOS partition to a full 20GB size. That's all... at this point

Nope, I am sure that I enabled it. It asks you right off the bat right? Unless that something different that is hidden somewhere else then I am sure I enabled it. It prompts you right at the beganing and I say "y."

I am 99% sure that everything i compatable also. I had an idential machine and I was running xp off it.

In the FDISK info it said that all 20 gigs were used in the partition and that it was active and it was C:. Then when I start the windows setup it says it couldn't find a drive big enough to copy the instalation files.

You might check your second machine that is already running XP. Is it the same size? Did it come preloaded? XP (UPGRADE from a win 98 or ME) does not really like FDisk, it recommends you use a disk management snap-in instead to create and format the disk partitions.

XP does not use DOS at all.

Check you system Properties available memory through Control panel or your Windows logo key or (Ctrl+the break key to get there) (that is unless you have a non standard keyboard.

Have you chosen FAT-32 or NTFS. NTFS is more secure, but that is a matter of choice.

Oh yea! I almost forgot. Check to see if your motherboard (Bios) needs an upgrade and your graphics card as well and maybe your monitor. All your parts that are controlled by software should be up to date. Good luck.

I've used FDISK setting up hard drives preparing for an XP install many, many times! Of course, on newer systems, using the FDISK or FORMAT DOS commands is completely unnecessary. All disk preparations are performed by the XP install. At this point, kane702 needs to try another hard drive, or stick with Windows 98SE or Windows 2000 on this system

I got it all up and running! Thank you guys so much for the help! I couldn't have done it without you!

I don't know exactly what was wrong but I switched the HDs and cables and reformated them both and it worked.