MS Windows, Surface, PC computers, phones, Xbox, cash points & tills appreciation

I had a similar problem once. The mater boot loader had been over written by the previous operation system and xp would not boot, installing freedos replaced the MBL with something that XP would the happily install on to.

IDE or SATA?

Is data cable connected to CD drive?

Does BIOS see CD drive?

Is it an official MS CD you are using or a copy ? If a copy it may not be bootable.

Do you get the prompt to Press Any Key to Boot from CD...?

Thanks for the quick responses,
The cable is connected it's seen in BIOS
how do I tell SATA or IDE ?
I get no prompt just the INtel inside screen with the F2 or F10 option bottom right ?

Does it try and boot off a hard drive then ? If you're getting stuck at the Intel screen it's a more fundamental problem.

Press F8 while starting which should give you the Boot From CD Option

Is it an official MS CD you are using or a copy ? If a copy it may not be bootable.

^^ I'd go with this

or is it a SP3 disk for XP? not an actual OS install disk.

No its starts the CD drive but it the quickly stops, then black screen with a cursor top left !!

Both the C and F hard drives have been wiped with Killdisk though !!

Can you get to another PC. Try and boot off the CD on a different machine. Sounds like CD might be bolloxed.

in all seriousness ..try what mikec posted, ubuntu, it has everything you need - for free

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features

My dog uses ubuntu.

will try it in the laptop im on now........BRB

my dog is a fucking whore though.

slut.

..i'd bang the back doors in on your dog

It's those come to be eyes. Top earner, paid for my Nissan sunny pussy wagon.

how much does she go for potplant, will £100 do?

Are you sure your PSU can take the additional harddrive?
Some systems dont get as far as PoST if they don't have enough power, but you say your system stays on?
Check Bios version.
Try booting from a USB, ubuntu is like 700mb so a >£5 mem stick could see if the system can even boot.

Both the drives are seen in the Bios and they worked before just fine ??

That Burberry handbag is a bit small for her credit card terminal isn't it ??

how much does she go for potplant, will £100 do?

Usually but she has gone off to Africa to do some Charity work. Something to do wit her "chakra". Don't worry I've got a Afrian dog over on cultural exchange thing. Which is fine because I'm not racist.

Both the drives are seen in the Bios and they worked before just fine ??

just for testing purposes ..could you download and burn the ubuntu disk and try installing that?

if the drives are IDE

you may need to change the Master/Slave settings (the instructions are on the drive label)
They could both be on master, one needs to be on master and the other slave, or.. CS (cable select) it will choose the drive first in order plugged into the ribbon cable.

Also, make sure the hard drives are on their own ribbon cable and the DVD/CD drive is on its own ribbon cable

I'm in agreement with others, you are at the perfect point to give Ubuntu a chance.

I was once a disease riddled windows whore, but after a particularly bad plague a bearded gentleman spoketh to me,

'Friend your troubles are over, give not in to temptation but choose a different path.....

...etc'

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

+1000000000

the newer versions let you run a live environment from the cd (no installation needed) so you could try this to check it out.