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    Installed new hard disk and no os

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by js428, Oct 29, 2005.

  1. js428

    js428 Newbie

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    I have Sony VAIO model fx210 that came with Windows Millennium Edition (ME) OS and want to install XP but original hard drive was 10 gb. When I installed new hard disk (80 GB) on laptop and reinstall Windows ME original CD's, I keep getting: unable to locate an operating system. Do I need to get original OS or what? I don't have a complete OS just upgrades to XP. Tried but can't load XP directly, it is an upgrade not a complete OS. Any help is greatly appreciated..
     
    js428, Oct 29, 2005
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  2. Stimp

    Stimp Notebook Enthusiast

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    No. Windows Me needs the drive to have a partition before loading. New drives have no partitions. Usually you need to boot up with a boot floppy and run FDISK. And manually add a new partition. XP or Win2K will add new partitions during setup. Why would you want to load WinME back on there?

    Another option is to ghost your old hard drive onto the new one. Using Norton ghost and some CDR's or a Laptop HD-IDE Adapter.

    If you bought the Win XP Upgrade CD you do not need to reinstall ME to use it. During the installation XP will ask for the previous Operating System CD. And once it verifies the CD is valid it will continue loading XP. Beware that you will need to download all new drivers for WinXP (Some stuff may not work). Search on the net for updated drivers.

    Possible Source of drivers
    http://www.myplc.com/sony/vaio_compare_f.htm
     
    Stimp, Oct 29, 2005
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