Portege 3440 - Can't install Windows 2000

Question

Hello friends :)
I have problem with installation Windows 2000 on Portege 3440.
I was running installation Windows 2000 with FDD USBB (with driver for CD-ROM PCMCIA) and CD-ROM PCMCIA. All was ok to moment when I entered to winnt" on q.
During installation without partition on HDD was appeared information on blue background: "could not find a place for a swap file. With partition (FAT32, 6GB): " Setup was unable to install Windows Boot Loader. Ensure that your C: drive is formatted and that drive is not damaged." I was tried with three other HDDss.
What I must do to install this system? (Same users don't have such communiques)
Thanks for help
Adrian

Answer 1

so your harddisk isn't bootable ...?
Most likely there is a problem with the MBR ( = master boot record )
Do the following :
*Download BootIt NG ( free, use google ) and transfer it to a bootable diskette
*Start up with your FDD, run ( do not install ! ) BootIt NG, delete the MBR, make a newMBR and format your HD to fat32
then :
*start-up with the fdd-DOS-bootdisk and transfer the DOS-system files to the HD with the command : *sys c:*
*remove all peripherals ( the fdd and the pcmcia-cdrom ) and reboot, your PC should boot with the DOS-files
*if so : transfer the i386 dir from the W2K-install-CD to the HD again ( may be done on another PC )
*boot again with the HD, with no external drives connected
*go to the i386 dir and start winnt.exe ;
commands :
*cd i386*
*winnt*
if this method isn't succesfull, I presume there must be a hardware-problem with the HD