Attempting to install W XP to fix an XP Pro computer

Hello,

I am trying to help a friend out. I am a help desk level one person by trade but most definitely out of practice and my tools are out of date too. Friend has two duplicate Dell desktops one looks like a bad HD that is FUBAR. I am trying out the HD from the other. The first HD is a Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA drive and the other is a WD Caviar SE SATA. Both computers are Windows XP Pro but I only have my old XP home disc to use from my old no longer in service XP desktop. I have tried loading the system from both what is originally on the WD drive and to run the Windows XP Home setup I have. I get the following three error codes:

0x0000007B
0xF7A8E63C
0xC0000034

Since both of these machines have been around the block a few times I am willing to believe both drives are FUBAR but before telling the guy that I wanted to run this by others. I don't have any spare CDs to burn diagnostic software to disc to run and the diagnostic software I have is really ancient as in from when XP was still relatively new, I worked for Geek Squad and the disk technology that was current was still IDE/EIDE......so it won't work for anything SATA.

Any suggestions?

Thank you.
 
You can always download for example ubuntu and run it as a live CD. That way you could get access to the content on the HD and see how well the computers work in general. If you need something from the HDDs then you can just copy the junk to a flash drive and then when everything is saved just do a clean install (format and install) windows.
 
Thanks for the suggestion but that is not going to work for several reasons. One, I don't have any CDs to use to burn and don't want to waste money on buying any, two because I never got to know anything linux based and three I also have the additional problem about the Windows OS - he has licenses for Pro and I only have XP software - he doesn't have the reinstall media for his Pro. I tried the utility partition and it refuses to run. These machines are old so unless he can get me the reinstall media he is dead in the water in any case. Does anyone know of any way to make a bootable USB flash drive with HD diagnostics on it? Does anyone know any way around the OS license issue? My only option would be to use my key from my XP home machine since I haven't turned that machine on in over 5 years.
 
Well installing an OS from a USB drive isn't that hard, there's a tiny tutorial on how to do that here. Also, if you have a license for WinXP Pro then I guess that I could upload a copy of my CD somewhere for you, that way you could use it to create a bootable USB drive :)
 
There is no way around the license issue. Your best bet is to use your own key if you go XP. If you go pro. Do as DjKaid has stated. and use the owners key. Thats if both hard drives are fine. Just remember though. Beings this won't be the orignal os that came with both computers . You will need to find the computers chipset drivers and such.. Good Luck. Hope this works out.
 
The drivers shouldn't be an issue, just check the brand and model and let google do the rest...or post it here and we'll help you.
Also as Tmagic said, there's no support for WinXP anymore so you'll only get the existing update, the end. So what I would recommend is that you check that the computer works and then go with Linux or throw in some more RAM and grab a copy of Win7.
Anyways, pm me if you need a copy of WinXP (you need to have a license key tho).
 
Drivers maybe a problem depending on the make of the computer. Some retail computers will not let their drivers install . In less its their OS. But as stated. Win Xp is not supported any more. So she maybe better off with 7 or Linux.
 
...some retail computers will not let their drivers install . In less its their OS...
Got any examples on that? -I have never found a comp which wouldn't "accept" WinXP drivers. Only a few brands don't have WinXP drivers on their support site but there's a solution for that too, google or DriverEasy.
 
Yes HP computers are one. They will not let you install their drivers unless its there os. There is SlimDrivers software . The same as Easy Drivers. No one said you could not google drivers. I was stating sometimes that can be a pain. But then again some third party driver software are not the most reliable for drivers either. Any way good luck to her. If she choose to pursue this.
 
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I have never had any problems like that with HP and I have so far had 5 or 6 different HP models in my own use. The only problem that I have had with all my HP laptops is that the battery has died after 2-2.5years. Anyways, that's off topic, can we please stick to the point.
#WonderWoman - how is it going with the OS issue?
 
:) query on BING, not google:
0xC0000034 windows xp error?
courtesy of thegladi8tor, cybertechhelp
I had the same problem with a Dell Optiplex 330. I received the
STOP 0x0000007B(0xF78DA63C,0x0000034,0X x0000000,0x0000000 error message if I booted with Windows XP. I resolved the issue by the following actions

1. On start up (Dell logo), press F2 to enter BIOS
2. Expand the "Drives" section
3. Go to "SATA Operation"
4. Change this from "RAID Auto/AHCI" to "RAID Auto/ATA"
 
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