WINNT.EXE Setup Option Can Only Use FAT Partitions

 Last reviewed: May 9, 1997
Article ID: Q105192

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

When you install Windows NT or Windows NT Advanced Server with the WINNT command, Setup is only able to copy the necessary files to a File Allocation Table (FAT) partition. WINNT.EXE cannot recognize an NTFS partition, an HPFS partition, or a raw unformatted drive. Also, WINNT will only check FAT partitions for available disk space, since it can only read this type of partition.

If there is not enough disk space on the FAT partition or if there is no FAT partition to store the temporary files for installation, you will receive the following error message: 

   Windows NT requires a hard drive volume with at least 85 megabytes
   (89128960 bytes) of free disk space. Setup will use part of this
   space for storing temporary files during installation. The drive
   must be on a permanently attached local hard disk supported by
   Windows NT, and must not be a DoubleSpace or other compressed drive.

   Setup was unable to locate such a drive with the required amount
   of free space.

   Setup cannot continue. Press ENTER to exit.
In order to install Windows NT using WINNT, there must be a FAT partition available with adequate disk space.

Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : kbsetup ntsetup
Version : 3.1
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: May 9, 1997
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