Windows xp install troubles

[Quantex_rox]

My friend got a new hard drive for his computer, so he wanted me to install XP on it. So i brought it over, and tried to install. But gets to the part where it copies the files, and it gets about 2-3%, then just sits there, after about 10 mins, it starts back up. Now it is just completely stuck at 37%. We tried 4 different cd drives, and it still won't go. The cd drive will spin up, but nothing happens.

His computer is:
Dell optiplex 160L
2.4ghz pentium 4
512mb ddr-266 ram
integrated intel extreme graphics 64mb
standard dell motherboard
Netgear 802.11G 108mb/s pci wireless card

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Test the HDD with one of these utilities and try your CD on another PC.

 

[resu]

sounds like the hdd .. tho i have had the same near enough with a dodgy copy of xp . back in the day
took me ages to sort it out and in the end i had to get another copy from another mate

how old is the harddrive anyway?

 

[Quantex_rox]

the hd is a brand new 160gb seagate we just bought for him from newegg.

We fixed it though, it turns out dell bioses for some reason have a setting to run the cpu at a "compatable" mode, IE it runs it at a super slow speed. Setting it back to normal (2.4ghz) took only 15 mins to install xp.