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How do I install Windows XP on a new hard drive?

Why am i unable to install windows xp in a new hard drive?

  • First time doing this. i have an hp dv6000 series laptop and my hard drive died so i need to replace. i bought a new hard drive and installed it myself but i cant install windows xp in it. is it because the windows dvd is for a dell and not compatible with hp? (i think the problem is not the hard drive) this is the message i get after a lot of things have loaded: "setup did not find any hard disks drives installed in your computer. make sure any hard disks drives are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and that any disks-related hardware configuration is correct. this may involve running a manufacturer supplied diagnostics or setup program" what is the problem?

  • Answer:

    First look in the BIOS and see if your new disk shows up. It will be in the first set of screens and be labeled BASIC Settings or something similar. If it does, the disk is OK. If not, you have a problem with the disk or the way it is connected and/or powered. From the message you receive there are 2 possibilities: First, you have a disk image and not an install disk for XP and the image is looking for a particular size hard drive or the Dell BIOS it needs to recognize before it will load. The second possibility is that it is looking for the disk to be formatted before it copies the files, and your disk is not formatted (but this is a long shot). About all you can do is use the install disk that came with your new drive and format the drive. Then try the XP install routine again. You might consider making the active partition the same size as your original hard disk (just leave the rest of the drive unformatted until you see if XP will install) so it will look like the original disk. If none of that works you will have to buy a copy of XP. Also, keep in mind that the hardware on the two machines is different. The drivers that load for a Dell are not the same as the ones for HP. Go to the HP website and download the drivers for your model number before you install your operating system. You can put them on a CD or flash drive.

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You're giving me nightmares. My PC used to do this every time I reinstalled windows XP. I spent dozens of hours screwing with it. I have two fixes but don't know if you can pull them off with a laptop. First, are there jumper pins on a laptop's cd drive? I don't know, but my problem was these were set wrong, and for whatever reason, that screwed up the PC's ability to read/write to the cd and hard drive properly. Until my shop tech taught me that trick in 5 seconds ($60 later), I used to put myself through the wringer and came up with my own method, which may not work for a laptop, due to its tiny packed size. I would unplug the hard drive, start xp installation, and at a certain point in the install (I believe it's when it says "checking hardware configuration") I'd quick quick quick pop the power back on the hard drive, which tricked it into working. I told this to another guy here who did it successfully too. Email me if you want. I'd like to know how you do. EDIT What below guy says about drivers is worth a look, but windows xp will allow you to pop a floppy or cd (I forget which) with any extra drivers you need at a certain point in the install, look and you'll see it ask for them. This is actually likely, and something I tried too, but wasn't my issue. A slipstream is great, but not necessary here.

Windows XP CD does not have SATA drivers and your dv6000 uses a SATA hard drive. That's why the setup doesn't detect the hard drive. You will need to create a Windows XP CD with the SATA driver already included, called slipstreaming, but it's probably too complicated for the average user. Here's a guide if you want to attending the slipstreaming: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/How-To--Slipstream-your-XP-installation Option 2 would to be install Vista (I think that came with your laptop) if you have a copy or even better, Windows 7.

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