Congrats. What ATA controller card is it, SIIG? So when the installation attempt failed, you rebooted and tried again? And rebooted and tried again? And repeated 3 or more times?
>When I attempt to install >OS 9.1 on the first or any of the volumes I eventually get the message... >problems encountered trying to access the file (whatever). Please move file >to another folder and try again. Everytime I try again, it's a different >file that can't be accessed. I thought maybe I need to install 8.5 first but >I get the same message (regarding a problem trying to access a certain file) >when I try to install that version. Any ideas what the problem is? Does it >sound like the drive is faulty? First, Run Disk Warrior on all 4 new partitions, or Disk First Aid if you don't have DW. Everything ok? My initial thought was that the install CD lower surface is dirty but the OS8.5 failure makes that a less likely scenario, but not impossible. First, check the lower surface of both install CDs to see if they're grungy. That can cause "random" symptoms similar to yours. If so, gently wipe clean with soft cloth and try the install again. Similarly, the CD-ROM drive lens could be dirty. Do problems arise when copying an entire CD to one of the partitions? Maybe try dragging the install CD icon and dropping it onto the icon of one of those new partitions (#2,3,or 4) and and running Drive Setup from that partition to install the OS on partition #1 (or do you have a well thought out partitioning scheme in mind that suits your use better? See my last comment below). An install from a CD copy on the hard disk may or may not be possible with 9.1, i don't recall. But these steps will at least test the CD drive and lens with a sustained read. As I said, a dirty CD-ROM lens initially can initially produce random read problems, so this certainly doesn't prove the lens is perfect but if you get repeated failures simply reading the CD, that may be your problem. The solution is to clean the lens, but let's no go there yet. If you can copy the CD several times with no failures, then continue below. Did you get anything copied onto the hard disk during the install, or was the partition empty after the failure occurred? If there is something there, and you have Disk Warrior, run it again. Do any of the files mentioned in the error messages during the install have the word "bits" in the name? Did the error message appear while seeing a message "copying [something] bits" or wording like that, or while seeing "expanding [something] bits"? I haven't used Drive Setup in ages so I'm going on vague recollection here. I believe the Installer copies some compressed files to the HDD and then reads those files off the HDD to decompress them. I'm wondering if the compressed files can't be accessed. Try this. Note the name of the problematic file mentioned in the error message during a failed install. Then select that partion on the Desktop and erase its contents (Special > Erase disk). Be sure the correct partition is select ed, then "OK." Try to install again on that partition. If it fails, was the same file name given in the error message this time? OK, onward through the haze.... I assume your original SCSI boot disk is still present. What OS is on it? Copy it by Select All and dragging the selected items to the new partition's open window (the root of the partition you want to boot from, usually the first one made on that HDD). Then set Startup Disk to that partion and restart. All OK? Then there's not likely to be a general problem locating and reading data located on the hard drive. As for what to do next, somebody, help. Try Alan's idea. I'll stop here for now. My last comment is this. Depending on what you use your S900 for, you might consider keeping the stock SCSI as the boot volume and using that first partition of the ATA HDD as your scratch disk (for Photoshop, for example) or for your storing frequently accessed large data files. Yes, boot time will be longer than with the ATA (but it'll be the same as it ever was, the same as it ever was, but something like Photoshop can be more efficient [_is_ there something else like Photoshop?]. Or use a deeper ATA partition for the boot volume, but that's not as efficient as separating the OS from scratch and data by using different physical disks. It's something to think about maybe. Sizes of the partitions might also be tailored for booting vs. data storage, if you haven't already done that. G'night & good luck, -Bruce -- SuperMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... 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