Setup Hangs When Creating Windows Directory

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

The Windows Setup program may return you to an MS-DOS prompt or stop responding (hang) immediately after the Windows directory has been specified.

This problem occurs before the System Information screen appears in Windows Setup.

CAUSE

This may be caused by installing Windows to a hard drive with an excessive number of lost clusters. In such a situation, when the Setup program tries to create the Windows directory, it fails.

WORKAROUND

Use the steps below to troubleshoot the problem.

CAUTION: The following troubleshooting steps advise the use of the MS-DOS utility CHKDSK with the /F parameter. Running CHKDSK/F on a hard drive with a large number of lost clusters may result in damaged files, loss of data, and the loss of directory integrity. For more information regarding CHKDSK, please read the "Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide and User's Reference" (pages 44-45 for version 4.01 and pages 381-383 for version 5.0).

Troubleshooting Steps

NOTE: Read the entire procedure before beginning, then either do steps 1-5 or skip steps 1-2 and begin with step 1b.

1. At the MS-DOS prompt, type:

         chkdsk/f
   

   If the CHKDSK reveals lost clusters, convert those lost clusters to files by typing Y when prompted to do so.

2. Delete all files with the CHK extension in the root directory by typing:

         del *.chk
   

   -or-

      chkdsk/f

   If the CHKDSK utility reveals lost clusters, and you type N, MS-DOS
   corrects the disk, but does not save the contents of the lost
   allocation units.

   NOTE: If the number of lost clusters is excessive, there may be a
   hardware problem. It is difficult to provide a specific definition
   for excessive because some situations are more likely to produce
   lost clusters than others. For instance, it is far more likely that
   there would be lost clusters on a machine running software that
   creates large temporary files because an improper exit from such a
   program can result in many lost clusters. In any event, running
   CHKDSK/F in such a situation may result in the loss of data. When
   the CHKDSK reveals anything more than 100-200K of lost clusters,
   you may want to contact your service technician to have your
   hardware checked.

      md windows