can't install windowsXP since installprogram doesn't see my harddisk

[melindahopla]

I tried to reinstall windowsXP on my computer, and during the installation the whole process just stopped; the computer apparently crashed during the installation. After two hours of nothing happening I decided there was nothing else to do then risk a hard reboot.
With as a result the install program now says it can't find any harddrives in my computer, so it can't perform the installation.
Any advice on this would help, I don't mind advice that makes me format all my drives and lose all the data on this computer, just as long as I can make it work again.
Lots of thanks

 

[urbandragon]

well the first question....

does your hard drive show up in bois?

if not you may have a defective hdd/cable/ide controller or a faulty power connection....

I would look in bios and go from there.

if your hdd is not listed in bios first reseat connections and check again.

 

[melindahopla]

yup, I am an impatient dummy

have been experimenting some more and changed settings in the BIOS so my computer would start up from the installation disk and from nowhere else. seems this did the trick, am installing windows as we speak.