Are you sure it's not reconising it. I think it is more likly that you are trying to run windows set up to run on one set of harware on anouther. The best thing i can suggest is to remove the 500 gb drive, run the windows xp installation cd and do in place upgrade on that drive.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

Hi omol,

Many thanks for your help. I have taken out the 500g hd as suggested and tried booting with the XP disc in drive to the 160 g hd, but after initialising I get an error stating to check for viruses or hardware compatability.

when I have both hd discs wired up, if I direct the 500 gig drive to the SATA 1 on motherboard and the 160 gig to SATA 2 the system fires up ok with the new hard drive (probably set up with factory default) but I don't know how to access the second drive from this.

Obvious if I change the connections around so the 160 is in the SATA 1 connection then I get the bios loop.

Sorry to be so confused over this, althoug I am quite computer savvy to a low level, this is new to me and a little over my head.

many thanks for your help once again.

regards
media555

There is probably no need to run a repair/upgrade on your drive as it was working properly. But by allowing your PC to work with that first, you can set-up all your drivers etc on your 160gig drive and when all is running well as windoes XP replace your 500gb drive ensuring it is set as a slave and you should not have any problems.
As a matter of interest, what is shown in your post screen about your drives?

Thanks Bob_180

I am still unable to get the XP up and running on the 160 gig drive.

after starting via the CD drive with the XP disc in the drive I get a message stating windows set up is loading files, then is tries to boot and I get the message which reads.

Check HD to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run chkdsk /F to check for hard drive corruption.
Tech Info: STOP 0x0000007B (0xF78D2524,0xC0000034,0x00000000,0xoooooooo)

I am unable to run the chkdsk /F as I cannot get out of the loop.

Regards

media555

It was running propally on a diffrent hardware setup, differant motherboard, processor, ram. It's a diffrent computer! No way will windows "Just work" on completly diffrent hardware!

Media555, i would suggest removing 500 gb drive and linking the 160 gb drive up to sata 1 and only that drive. Then boot from the windows XP installation cd.

It sounds as though you are not getting into the windows installtion at all.

1) First enter bios and check that your cd drive is set to boot priority 1.

2) (You will be prompted to press a key to boot from this cd media). When asked if you would like to press a key.

3) Let setup load drivers etc, and when asked if you would like to repair the installation say no.

4) Accept the license aggreement.

5) Now when you are presented with the list of hard drive request a repair from this menu. (R)

I have had to do this hundreds of times upgrading motherboards and cpu's in servers.

Windows is set up with a diffrent driver base so will not boot from that harddrive intill you have reinstalled the correct drivers for your new motherboard.

Hi omol,

Thanks once again, I have done what you suggested, but don't get any further from the error message originally described.

I don't even get as far as putting in my licence key.

Really scratching my head now!!

regards

media555

Do you mind loosing the data currently on your xp hard drive?

Alternativly you could try booting into the recovery console and actually doing a chkdsk /F

1) Boot from the xp installation cd
2) After setup has started (Blue screen) press R
3) Follow the onscreen prompts.

Hi again,

I will try the chkdsk first. I cannot lose the data on the 160gig drive, holds many programs to all my websites, (3 years work) foolishly I have never backed these up.

Will keep you updated on my progress.

Regards

media555

Hi again,

Unfortunately it will not let me do a chkdsk command even using R on the blue screen.

I was thinking, if I reset my drive cable back to how the computer arrived, i,e, 500 gig to SATA 1 and then connect 160 gig to SATA2 and boot up, this should boot as it did when I first purchased the system.

If I remember correctly the 160 gig was showing like this in My Computer as Drive G - (slave) could I not some how transfer the contents of drive G (160gig HD) to Drive C (500 gig HD) to try and rescue my programs.

Then I could re-format 160 gig hd and use this for storage only.

any advise on this procedure would be appreciated.

Regards

media555