Windows installation problem. Possible hard drive issue?

[CDDOG2122]

i dont kno if i messed something up or what but here it is.

I got a new computer the other day with no os so i thought i'd just put the windows xp cd in and pick the boot device and it'd be set but after trying that all night i decided to put the hard drive in my old computer then install it through that... (big mistake i think) now the new & old computer both won't even see that its there. is there anything i can do? or is the hard drive toast? any help would be appeciated

 

[fastco]

Have you made sure that the bios sees the drive? Once it does boot off of the XP cd and create an NTFS partition,, format then install Windows. If it is a SATA drive then once you boot off of the cd press F6 to install SATA/Raid drivers then install Windows.

 

[CDDOG2122]

it used to see the drive but when i put it back in it doesnt anymore. How do you get it to see it? It sees all other drives when i put them in.. just not the one i want it to see.. and when i chose for it to boot from the cd and put the cd in it just says select boot device and press any key(something along those lines)

 

[fastco]

Make sure all the connections are connected and tight and the hard drive is plugged in at the end of the ide cable. Reset the bios and try again. I don't think the drive is bad.

Make sure you press any key when booting from the cd and it prompts you.

 

[CDDOG2122]

how do i reset the bios? The reason i think it might be the hard drive is cause it does read other hard drives but what do i know haha.. thanks for the help fastco

 

[fastco]

No problem, remove the battery. It looks like a nickle on the motherboard, then put it back in after a minute or so.

 

[fastco]

What is the jumper set as on the back of the hard drive?

 

[CDDOG2122]

Alright, its set at Cable Select

 

[fastco]

Set it to master. That should do it, then enable it in the bios.

 

[CDDOG2122]

Then once it reads it do i need to make it so it boots the cd drive first? I've read around that you need a boot disk or somethin? Also i installed Xp on the hard drive from the other computer so will it let me install it twice?

 

[fastco]

No if XP is aleady on the hard drive then boot from IDE-0 the main hard drive and if XP installed correctly it will work. You will need drivers for all of you other hardware like the video card and sound card. Don't reinstall Windows if you don't need to.

 

[CDDOG2122]

ok I have all the drivers so it shouldnt be too hard right? haha thanks for all the help! I'm excited to get home and try it out but if it doesnt work i have no way to get help on here for the weekend so if reseting the bios and changing it to master dont work then does that mean my hard drives done for?

 

[fastco]

Think positive, it WILL work. Good luck and have a nice weekend.