Need help reinstalling Windows

[twinstacks]

I bought a busines hp pc from a closing down auction. model number DM504T ABU

They wiped the harddrive before I got to it so I thought it was as simple as reinstalling windows. I have tried several ways to install windows either by direct boot from cd, which doesnt work and using a boot disk in the floppy and then trying to install windows from the cd. When the boot disk is finished it always changes the cdrom drive letter to e and manages to find a d drive and install certain tools on it even tho I don't have a partitioned hard drive. When trying to acces e drive it just won't have any of it.

Has anyone got any answers? When you first switch pc on is says cable is missing. I have disabled everything to do with the lan but it still says this.

Thanks in advance

 

[Tedster]

ensure the hd is C: in bios. Then you have do a clean install. Format the HD from the windows CD. You may have to delete partitions. If there is more than 1 harddrive ensure the hd are master and slave if PATA drives. If SATA, ensure you have drivers handy if installing XP. If using Win 7, you should be ok.

 

[twinstacks]

Thanks. The problem I get constantly is it boots from the floppy and when I get the dos prompt and change it to cd drive it then say error 101 cd drive not ready abort try again fail. I have tried different cd drives, different boot disks but still dont get any further.

Think it may be a bin job.

Thanks

Colin

 

[ChinoNYC]

Check with your BIOS settings first. Under Standard CMOS Setup, ensure that your optical drive is listed either as secondary master or primary slave. If neither option exists, then you may have to open it up and make sure that the 40-pin cable is firmly attached between the motherboard and the optical drive itself and the power plug is firmly inserted and secure.

 

[Debbie23]

When you first switch pc on is says cable is missing.

Cable to what? Does it say? That can mean a bad cable, bad connection, or even a bad device (making windows think cable is missing). If the optical or hard drive is unplugged / loose / bad cable, may get that msg. You tried diff optical drives, but did you try a diff cable w/ a diff optical drive (known to be good)? Make sure cables are seated & no dust on male or female connection- both ends.

IOW, as ChinoNYC is saying, go into BIOS setup (usually start tapping F2 as soon as reboot PC, until BIOS setup appears). Go to section about Boot Order or hard drives or devices - where ever it lists the order of devices the pc will try to boot from. Change the CD optical drive to boot before the HDD(s).

As said, can use the windows CD to format the disk (probably will have to, to get the install to work). After that, you'll probably have option (somewhere in tools on install CD) to partition the HDD. You may want to take time to partition drives for C: (the OS), D: (applications) & E: (personal stuff) - & others as room permits.