P4vmm2 trying to format with XP sp2 CD...gets 100% through format...then gives message, "setup was unable to format partition. the disk may be damaged". tried swapping drives, CD's, boards...ALL mm2 boards give same error, have tried 6

Method 1: Perform a clean install of Windows XPA clean installation consists of removing all data from your hard disk by repartitioning and reformatting your hard disk and reinstalling the operating system and programs to an empty (clean) hard disk. For more information about important things to consider before you partition and format you hard disk and how to partition and format your hard disk by using the Windows XP Setup program, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 313348 How to partition and format a hard disk by using Windows XP Setup programTo perform a clean installation of Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Back up all important information before you perform a clean installation of Windows XP. Save the backup to an external location, such as a CD or external hard disk.
2. Start your computer from the Windows XP CD. To do this, insert the Windows XP CD into your CD drive or DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
   
   Note To boot from your Windows XP CD, the BIOS settings on your computer must be configured to do this.
3. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD.
4. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.
5. Read the Microsoft Software License Terms, and then press F8.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.
7. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the Windows XP Setup.

If you have successfully installed Windows XP, you are finished.

If you want both OS you need to do a partition on the HD to proceed.IThat what i can figure from your quest.But if you just want XP just do a clean installation of it.

Perform a clean install of Windows XPA clean installation consists of removing all data from your hard disk by repartitioning and reformatting your hard disk and reinstalling the operating system and programs to an empty (clean) hard disk. For more information about important things to consider before you partition and format you hard disk and how to partition and format your hard disk by using the Windows XP Setup program, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:313348  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348/ ) How to partition and format a hard disk by using Windows XP Setup programTo perform a clean installation of Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Back up all important information before you perform a clean installation of Windows XP. Save the backup to an external location, such as a CD or external hard disk.
2. Start your computer from the Windows XP CD. To do this, insert the Windows XP CD into your CD drive or DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
   
   Note To boot from your Windows XP CD, the BIOS settings on your computer must be configured to do this.
3. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD.
4. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.
5. Read the Microsoft Software License Terms, and then press F8.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.
7. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the Windows XP Setup.

If you have successfully installed Windows XP, you are finished. If these steps did not help you install Windows XP, go to the "Next Steps" section.

Hi, before you format your hard disk, make sure you have saved all important files that you like to keep on an external drive, for example a USB Stick. Formatting your hard disk will destroy all data.
If you want to format and reinstall Windows XP do the following:
Insert your Windows XP CD. Restart your computer. Your computer should then automatically start from the CD and show the Windows XP Setup.
In Windows Setup you can choose the partition on which you want to install Windows. There you can also format the partition, before installation. To do this, just follow the directions that are shown.

Try deleting all the partitions and perform the complete format instead of the quick format. Maybe this will help you.

just try with another cd disk

Try changing the CD, if that dosn't solve the problem :
1. Format the whole hard disk using the default partition manager.
2. Install XP freshly.

Are you formatting a new disk or an existing one? Keep in mind that the rest of us do not know all the details that you know unless you tell us & thus it will take much longer to resolve your issue.
You said "after you tried it with XP CD". Dont know what you mean. What program did you use the first time & what steps did you do?

Kindly get me the drivers as i have installed xp in my compaq system. and i want drivers for that

How do I install Microsoft Windows XP. Answer: Below are the steps required to installing the standard version of Microsoft Windows XP. It is important to realize that some computer manufacturers have their own proprietary install of Windows XP on a Recovery or Restore disc. Therefore the below steps may not all apply to how Windows XP is installed on your computer. If the below steps do not apply to how Microsoft Windows XP is installed on your computer and you are unable to correctly reinstall Windows XP it is recommended you contact your computer manufacturer for additional help, Computer Hope will not know how to install Windows using your manufacturers CD.

1. Before following the below steps see document CH000186 for a checklist of things to consider before erasing the computer and starting over.
2. The standard Microsoft Windows XP CD is bootable. Therefore start by placing the Windows XP CD in your computer and reboot.
3. As computer boots you will be prompted to press any key to boot from CD, at this time press any key. If you do not get this prompt or are unable to boot from the CD please refer to document CH000217 for information on how to boot from a CD.
4. When the Windows XP setup menu appears press ENTER to continue the setup.
5. Next, the Windows XP licensing agreement will open, if you agree to this agreement press F8.
6. Next, Windows will give you the option to repair Windows XP or to install a fresh copy if Windows XP is already installed on the computer. If you're wanting to install a new copy of Windows XP press ESC.
7. Next, the partition setup will appear, it is recommended that if a partition already exists and you do not plan on having multiple operating systems on the computer that you delete the existing partition before continuing the setup. You will know if a partition exists if you see anything other then "Unpartitioned space".
   
   To delete the partition:
   on the drive that you press D and ENTER then press L to delete the partition and then press ENTER and then if you are aware that this will delete all information on the partition.
   
   Note: If you have multiple partitions, we suggest deleting all partitions unless you plan on using these partitions. Deleting each of the other partitions can be done using the same above steps.
   
   To create the partition:
   Select the unpartitioned space you wish to create a partition on and press C, specify the size of the partition in MB, by default this will have the full amount of the drive and press ENTER.
   
   
8. Once you have a partition ready to have Windows XP installed on it press ENTER to install.
9. Next you will need to select whether the drive will use FAT or NTFS. We suggest NTFS for users who are not sure which file system they wish to use.
10. After selecting the file system and pressing enter the computer will start formatting the drive. Depending on how big the partition is will determine the length of time the format will take.
11. After the format Windows will begin installing the files and then take you through a wizard to continue with the remainder of the setup.

Good Luck, Please dont for get to Vote/Thank you.

I know this problem, The HDD is a SATA disk, win XP setup cannot identify a SATA controller on it's own you need to load the driver (from a disk) so you may need to download it first. I think this is the correct link http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-51521-1&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3369431&os=228&lang=en extract the files and burn to a CD or Floppy then run win XP setup by booting from CD you should see in the begining of win XP setup from CD it prompt you to press (I think) F2 to add RAID or SCSI Controllers, (this prompt is at the bottom of the screen) Then follow the propmts to load from the disk you made earlier. you should be able to select the controller from a list. (short list) you should then be able to continue and hopefully Win XP setup should now be able to see your HDD and give you choices about which partition (as per normal) you want to remove all partitions before installing winXP (you can then make whatever partitions you wish) Hope this helps