computer: HP pavilion 500 new hdd: Western Digital 500 GB EIDE operating system (that i'm trying to install): Windows XP SP3 (new disc) So I connected the new HDD, and changed my bios setting to boot from the CD. I run the cd and press enter to start the window's setup. I format drive C and it goes through all that. Then it restarts and takes me back to the main start window's setup screen. Am I missing something? I can't get it to boot from the hdd because it dosen't have an operating system on it? Good Grief! **update** I used the window's installation floppy disc set (of 6) to see if I could get that to work. I made it through all 6 discs..but then it couldn't find the cd rom drive? And when I went and changed the bios setting to just boot from the xp cd, it's now saying that operating system can't be found. Aghh..

It shouldn't re-boot straight after the format. Once the format is completed the installation should then start to copy files to the hard disk which forms the basis of the operating system. When that is done it should then re-boot and boot from the hard disk to complete the installation. If it is rebooting straight after the format without copying any files I would suspect a hardware problem. I would first run a memory checker like Memtest 86. http://www.memtest86.com/ The a hard drive diagnostics from the drive manufactures web site. Stuart

Sounds like all that you did was format and not install WinXP. Did you hit any key when the computer rebooted? You shouldn't do that after the installation routine has started.

During the installation, XP needs to reboot at least once. You say it rebooted after formatting. Maybe it instead rebooted after it formatted AND copied the files. Normally it then reboots from the hard drive. But if it rebooted from the CD instead then you'll have the situation you're in. When it reboots and the cdrom is the first boot device and a bootable cd is in the cdrom you should get a message something to the affect 'press any key to boot from CD'. You don't press the key because you want to boot from the hard drive. If for some reason you're not getting that message then when it reboots you need to go immediately into cmos/bios setup and put the hard drive as the first boot device. That way it'll boot from the hard drive as it's supposed to and all will be right with the universe.

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