i replaced my hard drive in my other computer with one that had windows xp on it.when i turn it on all it does is say invalid boot diskette insert boot diskette a:i put in win xp cd nothing happens.if i click delete at start up it goes into advanced boot settings etc menu.any suggestions?please provide the steps if you know thank you so much
2006-07-16 02:55:24 · 5 answers · asked by lori b 5 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
how do i reformat or reinstallwindows it wont read it?
2006-07-16 03:02:04 · update #1
First go to your BIOS settings. Some computers require you to hit CTRL key or the f2 key, but you need to get to your BIOS settings. Its a screen where it has all the info about your computer before it goes to Windows. You need to be able to boot from your CD drive first before it boots your hard disk. The reason why its failing is because its trying to boot your hard drive before it boots your CD drive. Then restart your computer.
Once it boots from your CD drive first, it should read your XP disk and go directly to setup.
Another alternative is to start up in DOS command mode. If your CD drive is the D drive, then you need to type at the DOS prompt:
cd d:
It will take you to your CD drive. Then type setup and hit enter.
You need to reinstall windows to have your hard drive working again. Make sure you have connected your hard drive correctly or else the above instructions wont work.
2006-07-16 05:58:13 · answer #1 · answered by Sean I.T ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Generally you cannot take a hard drive with a operating system that was installed on another computer, and just move it to a new computer. It would be like taking you and suddenly moving you to Mars; you wouldn't know what to do!
Your computer has instructions stored in ROM on how to begin the Boot. Right now these do not match the new hard drive and operating system. That's why it wants a boot diskette.
The only way I know out of this is to re-install WinXP while the hard drive is in the new PC. Put the XP cd into the drive and Restart. It should ask you if you want to install.
You called this your "other computer". If that means it is an old computer, it may not be capable of using WinXP. Check the Microsoft website for WinXP compatibility.
Good luck
2006-07-16 10:17:15 · answer #2 · answered by fredshelp 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is happening here is the bios is looking for drive a: the floppy drive before the hard drive. Simply get into the bios at the beginning of the computer starting up by pressing Del key over and over again and then find the boot order and make your cd-rom drive the first boot device and then the harddrive and then the floppy drive after that. If you cannot get into the bios you will need to take the computer to the shop and bring them this explanation and they will be able to do it for you.
2006-07-16 12:59:57 · answer #3 · answered by John Luke 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1- First check the jumper setting for the hard disk(Master or slave)
(If only one device fixed to the IDE data cable, u can set the jumper as master or single drive
If two drivers are there one has to be master the other is slave.)
2- Inter to the bios and configure the IDE
NOTE : ( If the windows was running on a PC that has a different hardware , then mostly that could not run with out re installing windows or repairing it)
Good Luck
;-)
2006-07-16 10:25:58 · answer #4 · answered by eddygool 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you will have to format that hard drive or reinstall windows, because if you want to boot from it, you must install the windows again from your computer, because when it was installed it was on a different system, and windows was configured for that other PC
2006-07-16 10:00:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋