How are the cables connected? How is the drive jumpered?
If you're using an 80-conductor Ultra ATA cable, make sure the blue end is plugged into the motherboard. That should speed things up.
Does the BIOS even detect the hard drive? It sounds like it's not...
alc6379
Cookie... That's it
2,820 posts since Dec 2003
Reputation Points: 186
Solved Threads: 147
The cold boot problem may be a bad power supply.
I wonder about the boot device priority issue. What, exactly have you set it for? If it doesn't stick, you gotta' wonder about the CMOS battery.
If you can't get to Safe Mode or Last Known, you should seriously consider a fresh install or a Repair install.
hughv
Veteran Poster
1,142 posts since Oct 2007
Reputation Points: 116
Solved Threads: 93
is the jumper setting on the hard drive on the master setting.
also once you have laoded xp on the pc and its all done make sure you set the bios to boot from the hard drive and not the cd rom drive
Selwyn
Junior Poster in Training
85 posts since Feb 2008
Reputation Points: 10
Solved Threads: 0