Computer runs fine but will not format or reload OS

[smithcr01]

Hi, I have an HP dv8130US with 1 gig ram, 2 100 gig HD running XP Pro Media Center. Computer runs fine but I REALLY want to reformat the drive to do a clean install of OS. Problem is this, the computer will NOT format EITHER drive; when I put the OS disk in it says press any key to boot from disk, gets to first screen of loading info, then shuts off....
I have taken the drives out and put in a different computer and it will format them and put clean disks back in the HP and it still will not install the OS (I have tried 3 different OS - xp pro, ME, and XP home). If I put the disks back in another computer and then install the OS to the drive and stick it back in the HP, it runs just fine again but WHY won't it format or load the OS on the original system?

Do I need to "clear CMOS" or some such type thing to tell the computer I can do this? It used to format and install OS just fine, only a recent issue Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Crystal

 

[superty12]

Model

Please post your computer model here.

 

[smithcr01]

HP dv8130us. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated

 

[superty12]

Test Drive

Put a CD/DVD (whichever type of discs they are (the OS discs)) in the correct drive. Post back the answer to this question: Can the disc run? Do it with Windows running. If an installation CD/DVD, make sure it is for Windows XP Media Center 32 bit (86x) or 64 bit (whichever one you have). Find out if you should be using 32x or 64x like this: Go to run and type (without quotes) "winver". You should find 32 bit or 64 bit on that page.

 

[smithcr01]

Disk runs - it gets to blue screen where it is installing 3rd party drivers and shuts off... repeatedly WILL NOT install new os

 

[raybay]

Does your HP startup initially with the choice to depress <F2> for change settings and <F12> for other changes.
If so, press <F2> to see what can be changed... there may be a fairly long list of settings. You may have to change the settings of one aspect of the setup.

 

[superty12]

Setup Disks

Use the Windows XP (preferably SP2) Setup Disks. Hopefully you have floppy disks and a floppy disk drive. (Six floppy disks.)

 

[smithcr01]

the drive was formatted using an outside computer as this one won't format anymore either... format ran fine - no idea on the F12 etc as it has NO os right now - trying to get it installed again Using original XP SP2 MCE disk - cannot use other computers as all are vista or 7 so it won't let me install a lower OS Guess I'm just stuck and need a new drive, but concerned it is not the drive but a computer/motherborad/setting issue?

 

[smithcr01]

and no, I cannot just install disk into another computer to install OS, have tried that too - none of them have same size connection