mcwattersm

Alright I know this isn't the best of laptops but it was free from a friend so I am not complaining.

Heres the only site with information I could find:
http://www.wintecindustries.com/orde...oduct_id=16719

Basically the harddrive had a bunch of crap on it that I didn't need so I decided to format it. It came with disks labeled "Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2004 1&2"

So I thought to myself, awesome I will have media center on it too.

I formatted and begun to install it. Got through the first CD, onto the second, then another pop up came up saying "Please insert the disk labeled Windows XP SP2"

The problem is I don't own SP2.

So I thought I would reinstall SP1 and forget about media center, however I am having problems booting from a CD...

It will oddly actually pop saying press any key to boot from a CD, but even when I get through the whole process of loading windows components from the CD I got the blue screen.

I am loosing my mind and REALLY don't want to pay 50+ dollars for some tech guy to press a few buttons and get it fixed. Any one have any suggestions I would love to hear them. Thanks.

TriggerFinger

hi,

check your HDD. run some diags on it. d/load the diagnostic utility from the HDD diagnostic tools link on my sig. btw, you need to know the brand of your HDD.

also get Memtest86+ and test your RAM.

post back any results

mcwattersm

No... I cant actually run my laptop... it goes straight to restarting windows start up and when I cancel it my computer restarts itself.

TriggerFinger

what do you mean?

just to clarify... you can download the tools i said using another computer. if you read the instructions for each tool they will tell you that they can be run from your laptop's CD drive. that you can boot from that CD drive without having to go into Windows.

browse first thru the instructions on how to run the utilities. if you have questions, just post back.

mcwattersm

I mean I've started the install of Media Center not knowing that it needed SP2 to finish and now I am stuck with the setup restarting each time I boot it. I tried booting for my SP1 CD but it didn't recognize it as a bootable CD.

TriggerFinger

if you just lack the XP SP2 CD, you can request/order XP SP2 CD from Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...s/default.mspx

or you can slipstream SP2 with XP using nlite..
http://www.geekgirls.com/windowsxp_slipstream.htm

mcwattersm

Tried that didn't work. Somethings up with my DVD drive I guess... any suggestions before I break down and purchase an external hdd?

TriggerFinger

sorry but i may have missed to understand what you want to do...

do you want to stay with XP Media Center or do you want to install XP SP1? do you have install CD media for both?

if you want the XP Media Center but lack SP2 then may be consider what is advised in post #6 of this thread.

if you want to install XP SP1 and get a blue screen then run the diags i said in post #2 of this thread.

mcwattersm

I just want to get my laptop working. I have both Media Center and SP1 but every time I attempt to boot from a CD it says no bootable CD in the CD drive.

TriggerFinger

hmmm... very strange. in post#1 you said you get past this and if i may quote '..press any key to boot from a CD, but even when I get through the whole process of loading windows components from the CD I got the blue screen.' . but now a different one...

if your laptop cannot see your XP install CDs then you may have a set of defective CDs or a defective drive. your options are: get a working XP install CD, clean or replace your CD drive. if these still do not work, it would be best if you get your laptop to a repair shop.

mcwattersm

I booted once but now I am not able to boot from again. I really doubt its my drive and I don't think its my CDs either.

TriggerFinger

well there are ways to find out... test the CDs and the drive (via USB external enclosure) in a PC or a similar laptop; or get a known working drive and a known bootable CD (linux live CD or similar). of course you can try cleaning the lens first.

if your laptop still cannot read the bootable CD, even with a known working CD drive, then it could be something else. that something else may be something on your motherboard (i.e. BIOS, chipset, etc.).

either way you will need some working spares to help you narrow down the possibilities.

mcwattersm

Well do you think it would be worth it to just buy an external hdd and install XP from my desktop and then boot from that?

TriggerFinger

install XP form desktop? i doubt if that would work. but i am sure this procedure would: http://www.syschat.com/install-windo...py-cd-463.html

so why are you taking that path? is your CD drive shot? have you tested it already?

mcwattersm

So installing Windows XP from a desktop onto an external harddrive won't work? Whats the difference between installing Windows XP on an external from a desktop as opposed to a laptop?

TriggerFinger

i think it has to do with the hardware drivers that get installed in the initial setup process. so if you install XP on a hard drive using a desktop, it would not run anywhere else but on that PC.

so if you will invest in a HDD enclosure, then may be you may consider getting a working replacement CD drive instead.