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I want to install Windows XP, but this shows up and I can not go further.

screenshot

I have one hard disk. It is split up in two partition. One is primary and is full of documents. The other is logical. I had Windows there, but now it is formatted. I can not install Windows in logical drives, so I'm stuck here.

fixer1234
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user3882221
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4 Answers4

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Let this be a lesson to you. XP (as well as every version of Windows forward of XP) requires a primary partition to install, you tried to install it on a logical/never-going-to-be-bootable partition. either use the primary partition to install XP, or find a way such as a linux live CD to convert the logical partition into a primary partition.

td512
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Here are the steps you need to take to rescue your files;

  1. Download GParted and burn it on a CD or DVD
  2. Boot from disk, select default start option and when it asks you which mode you prefer, press 2 for the command-line
  3. Type sudo fdisk -l to see a list of your partitions, lets say you have /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2 as your primary partitions and /dev/sda5 as logical
  4. Type sudo fdisk /dev/sda to start editing your disk partitions
  5. Type d to enter delete mode, and type the number of your logical partition (5 for /dev/sda5)
  6. Type n to create a new partition and type p to make it a primary partition
  7. Type p to see the new partition table and identify the newly created partition name (it will end up being /dev/sda3 in our example)
  8. Type w to save your changes and exit
  9. Don't forget to format your new partition as NTFS using the command sudo mkfs.ntfs /dev/sda3
  10. Take GParted CD out, put Windows XP CD in, reboot, install.
Nifle
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compatibilizer
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Rather than do all the tricky stuff that people are suggesting and since you have boot media. use the XP CD to boot into the recovery console. you should be able to format the logical partition and either xcopy or move the files in your Primary over to the Logical. from the command line. If the recovery CD cant see or access the files then a full install of XP wont either.

Then once you are sure you have everything copied over, format the primary and install windows XP. Though XP has been end of life'd and you would be better off with Win7 at a minimum.

Rowan Hawkins
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Option 1 (simplest)

Delete extended partition using GParted or similar utility from a Linux/Windows LiveCD/USB (such as Hiren's), then install XP into unallocated space and it will create a primary partition and do the rest.

Option 2 (a bit harder)

XP onwards requires a primary active boot partition, but has no problems being installed to or running from a logical partition as long as the former condition is met. The simplest way to do this is to use something like GParted to create a small primary FAT32 partition, ideally at the beginning of the drive (mark it active as well while you're at it). Point XP Setup to install itself onto a logical partition and it should automatically install NTLDR and associated boot files on this primary partition.

In case XP fails to subsequently boot, the fix is simple. Use the XP Recovery Console from the installation media to copy NTLDR, BOOT.INI, NTDETECT.COM and NTBOOTDD.SYS (if it exists) to the small FAT32 partition, then run the fixboot and bootcfg /rebuild commands.

Windows 7 onwards has made this much simpler because it automatically creates a separate System Reserved partition for the bootmgr and BCD files as long as there's space on the drive, so it can be installed in a logical partition without any problems at all.

Community
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Karan
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