DOCUMENT:Q152517 19-FEB-2002 [winnt] TITLE :Err Msg During Setup: DISK READ ERROR OCCURED PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER::3.5,3.51 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== If you have Windows NT installed on the first primary partition formatted as NTFS, and you chose to reformat the partition as NTFS during Setup to start with a clean partition, the Windows NT setup program will reformat the partition as FAT, copy files from the CD-ROM, and then try to reboot the computer in GUI mode to continue the installation. At this point the computer will either stop responding or display the following error message: DISK READ ERROR OCCURED. If you boot from an MS-DOS disk and run scandisk C: you will encounter the following: The media descriptor byte is invalid. FAT copies are not the same. Many crosslinked files. All directory entries were invalid. Trying to repair the partition does not resolve the corruption, nor does it allow the installation to resume. CAUSE ===== Windows NT always reformats the partition you want to install on using the FAT file system, then performs a conversion to NTFS on the final re-boot after Windows NT is finished setting up. When you choose to reformat the system boot partition as NTFS, Setup is inadvertently writing the 16 sector NTFS boot area over the top of the freshly formatted FAT drive after the file copying portion of text mode setup is complete. WORKAROUND ========== 1. During Setup, choose to delete the Primary NTFS Boot partition , then re-create the partition and choose to format it NTFS. OR 2. Select the FAT file system to set up Windows NT on. After Windows NT is set up, perform a manual conversion to NTFS as follows: convert c: /fs:ntfs STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.50 and 3.51 We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available. Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search Version : :3.5,3.51 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.