I have my Dell desktops set up with several partitions, 1=fat32, the rest = NTFS. I have always been able to Install my version of XP Pro to one of the NTFS partitions, leaving C=fat32 for some older programs. Thinking I could do the same with one of my Dell notebooks, I repartitioned my Inspiron 1000 into c=fat32 and D & E = NTFS. I was unable to complete an install of XP Pro no matter how I tried, on the reboot I got an error, unable to boot. When I examined the drive in a Live CD rescue I can see the installation files on D & I can see boot.ini and other files on C. Using Hirens Boot CD I was able to install MS Dos on C and boot to Dos. But any attempt to install XP failed -- until I tried a utility CD called Boot XP -- gave me a menu that I could select a partition to boot XP, and now I'm running XP Pro fine -- but still have to use boot XP as my intitial boot disk. I upgraded the Bios, have all the 1000 drivers I need to run it without problems, but for some reason the 1000 will not recognize C as a boot drive (I also tried to install a couple of linux distros, and had the same problem). There's nothing wrong with the drive, and XP runs perfectly--I'm using it now.

I keep thinking that this might be a bios problem, that the bios is looking for some hidden dell partition or file, but I've searched and can't find any reference to this kind of a problem. Perhaps it just will not boot to fat32....but all my other dells boot to fat32....