Computer issue please help?

[barcodenation]

Ok so a lady brought me her PC to format and re-install windows xp. I popped the xp disc in and started going through the steps. after it formats then installs files it restarts and goes right back to windows setup. I tried a different hdd, cd-rom, memory, psu. Now it just keeps restarting after the dell boot screen. Mobo?

 

[Nemesis]

Does xp have a boot key like vista when you turn on and press f10 it takes you somewhere lol.

 

[barcodenation]

hmm not sure never tried that. All I know is the copy of xp i have asks you to enter the key later on in the installation, but I can't even get to that part..

 

[rko]

[edit] nvm

 

[madnessken]

cmos reset or try another mobo

 

[barcodenation]

Thanks madnessken!

rko what the hell are you talking about? Did you even read the damned thing? lmao

 

[ieatlinux]

It was because you weren't taking the cd out after the first restart, and I am now assuming you either didn't connect the hard disk back up right or shorted it out which is why it isn't going past the dell boot screen.
I was a computer repair technician for a few years

 

[barcodenation]

Well I would think that but I wear an antistatic wrist band thats grounded so i've never had an issue with that happening before. I took the cd out after the restart just to see if that was it but it says secondary drive 0 cannot be found. This was before the boot screen issue. I went into bios and checked to see if the hdd was being recognized and it is. I turned off both slaves in bios to see if that would help but it didn't. I'm pretty sure it's the mobo by this point! The lady said the pc was running really slow and wouldn't even finish loading before it would restart when she brought it to me so I assumed XP was just corrupt or something. But now with all this evidence I'm pretty sure i've found the problem! Just needed some extra brains :P