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Hello. I am trying to re-install the operating system on the said computer, but am having a hard time. I have done this before on my other computers, but this one was a "gift". The person gave it to me becuase he said it had a virus or "something". I got into it and reformatted the hard drive, then proceeded to installing windows. The XP install disc went through and checked configuration and copied files to the hard drive. The problem occurs when windows wants to reboot in order to continue with installation. What happens is that the XP setup disc reboots and the initial config check and copying of files repeats. So, I am in an endless cycle of the first portion of installation. Can anyone offer some advice here?

Jim

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Try re-installing XP BUT this time delete and re-create the partition during installation.

Hello Hengis, and thanks. I have deleted th partition and then proceded with the longer reformat option. When that was finished my install disk copied files to the hard drive and then went to reboot. As I said, this is where my problem has been. After reading through some of the other posts I realized that I should enter BIOS during the reboot after initial copying in order to switch the boot order. I set the machine to boot from the HDD, and when I did the reboot resulted in only a little blinking cursor in the upper left corner. I went back to BIOS after this just to look and I see that the machine does in fact recognize the HDD because BIOS displays its serial information. The problem then is that although the install disk has copied to the HDD it will not boot the OS so that I can continue with installation. Just a blinking cursor, arrrgh!

You shouldn't need to reset the bios boot order during the setup reboots. You will see a prompt before Windows loads taht will ask you if you would like to boot from CD if you have a bootable CD in the drive. Just make sure that you have the CD set to 1st boot device in the bios before you start the install process.

I'm afraid that you're going to have to do the re-install again.

OK I will try it again. Thanks

Jim

I am still completely stopped even after a re-install and with the cd *** boot drive. When it goes to continue with windows installation it does not actually continue, but it begins at the beginning AGAIN! I see the HDD light flicking on and off during the time when the setup is copying files, so I assume something is happening there. Something will not permit installation to continue as it should.