I have a HP computer with a Pentium II (800 HZ) processor running Win XP
Pro and I was given a Dell with a Pentium IV (2.4 GHz) processor running Win
XP Home. I put the Hard drive from the HP into the Dell to use the faster
processor and the info on the Hard drive. I set the BIOS to boot first from
the HD and disabled the floppy and CD. After the computer goes through the
BIOS I get a cursor in the upper left corner of the monitor, I let it flash
for 4 hours (left it thinking it was looking at the system) but it never
booted. I have tried setting the HD to Master, Single and Cable Select all
with the same results. I cannot get the HD from the HP computer to boot in
the Dell. What am I doing wrong?

The two computers have different system level components ( Chipset ).
XP is configured for a particular Mass Storage controller specific to the
chipset of the motherboard. When you moved the hard drive from one
PC to the other the XP instance does not have the proper driver for the
Mass Storage controller. It can't detect and mount the drive to boot up
XP. To do what you're trying will require a Repair or in-place install.
The other issue you'll run into is OEM branded validation. It's likely that
after a Repair install the XP activation will fail.

"Truckerchris" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C39E8B15-7343-4F19-B62A-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I have a HP computer with a Pentium II (800 HZ) processor running Win XP
> Pro and I was given a Dell with a Pentium IV (2.4 GHz) processor running
> Win
> XP Home. I put the Hard drive from the HP into the Dell to use the faster
> processor and the info on the Hard drive. I set the BIOS to boot first
> from
> the HD and disabled the floppy and CD. After the computer goes through the
> BIOS I get a cursor in the upper left corner of the monitor, I let it
> flash
> for 4 hours (left it thinking it was looking at the system) but it never
> booted. I have tried setting the HD to Master, Single and Cable Select all
> with the same results. I cannot get the HD from the HP computer to boot in
> the Dell. What am I doing wrong?
>
>

If want XP Pro in the Dell you will have to buy a copy. The Dell is
rejecting what you did.

Mark

"Truckerchris" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C39E8B15-7343-4F19-B62A-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I have a HP computer with a Pentium II (800 HZ) processor running Win XP
> Pro and I was given a Dell with a Pentium IV (2.4 GHz) processor running
> Win
> XP Home. I put the Hard drive from the HP into the Dell to use the faster
> processor and the info on the Hard drive. I set the BIOS to boot first
> from
> the HD and disabled the floppy and CD. After the computer goes through the
> BIOS I get a cursor in the upper left corner of the monitor, I let it
> flash
> for 4 hours (left it thinking it was looking at the system) but it never
> booted. I have tried setting the HD to Master, Single and Cable Select all
> with the same results. I cannot get the HD from the HP computer to boot in
> the Dell. What am I doing wrong?
>
>

You cannot succeed with the transfer you're attempting. OEM products are tied to
original systems by design and by license. Also, the two systems involved have
completely different hardware, that's why the HP drive is sitting there blinking
at you. It's in a foreign land.

If your HP system had a RETAIL version of WinXP, there's a chance that you could
successfully transfer the drive to the Dell system by using what's called a
repair installation. This would also require that you obtain any special drivers
from Dell beforehand.

The applicable procedures are detailed in the section titled, "Replace a failed
motherboard" in this MS tech article:

How to replace the motherboard on a computer that is running Windows Server
2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;824125


"Truckerchris" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C39E8B15-7343-4F19-B62A-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I have a HP computer with a Pentium II (800 HZ) processor running Win XP
> Pro and I was given a Dell with a Pentium IV (2.4 GHz) processor running Win
> XP Home. I put the Hard drive from the HP into the Dell to use the faster
> processor and the info on the Hard drive. I set the BIOS to boot first from
> the HD and disabled the floppy and CD. After the computer goes through the
> BIOS I get a cursor in the upper left corner of the monitor, I let it flash
> for 4 hours (left it thinking it was looking at the system) but it never
> booted. I have tried setting the HD to Master, Single and Cable Select all
> with the same results. I cannot get the HD from the HP computer to boot in
> the Dell. What am I doing wrong?
>
>

Truckerchris wrote:
> I have a HP computer with a Pentium II (800 HZ) processor running Win XP
> Pro and I was given a Dell with a Pentium IV (2.4 GHz) processor running Win
> XP Home. I put the Hard drive from the HP into the Dell to use the faster
> processor and the info on the Hard drive. I set the BIOS to boot first from
> the HD and disabled the floppy and CD. After the computer goes through the
> BIOS I get a cursor in the upper left corner of the monitor, I let it flash
> for 4 hours (left it thinking it was looking at the system) but it never
> booted. I have tried setting the HD to Master, Single and Cable Select all
> with the same results. I cannot get the HD from the HP computer to boot in
> the Dell. What am I doing wrong?
>
>


Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
installations are BIOS-locked to a specific motherboard chipset and
therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - check yours
before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical
(same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one
on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to
perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with WinXP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
"tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
than the Win9x group.

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than
120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.


--

Bruce Chambers

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