E-Machine startup problem

[Guest]

Hi I have this PC with a strange problem, CPU Intel Celeron Processor 2.20GHZ
(w/128KB L2 cache & 400MHZ FSB) Windows XP Home Edition, 128MB memory, 40 GB
HDD, 48x Cd-Rom. I have the 2 Recovery CDs. The problem is that I can only
boot to rhe Windows LOGO and that is as far as it go. I tried using the
recovery CDs changing the boot sequence to start with the CD-rom and nothing
happen I tried a new 10 gig hdd that I have as a spare and using the 6
floppies for windows xp pro and I get as far as the #6 cd and about halfway
into copying the files it say please wait and that is as far as it go. Any
thoughts on this problem will be helpful, thanks

 

[Guest]

First,pitch the floppy disks,they have no value with xp at this point in
time.
2nd,set youre BIOS to boot to the hd 1st once xp is installed.Set youre hd
accordingly to slave or master on the hd,not cable select.If xp has
failed,use
youre recovery cd(s) to reinstall,format 1st,then reinstall the OS.The 40GB
hd
is the better choice.Also,128mb ram is really below microsofts recomended
amount for xp,256mb might be ok,but really 512mb is the least you should run.
Youre pc will increase performance 150% with 512mb.

 

[Richard in AZ]

The instructions were wrong. You set your BIOS to boot to the CD first, then the Hard Drive.
The computer has to see your recovery CD before it sees the Hard Drive.

 

[Guest]

Hi Richard; thanks for your reply, I went back and disconnected all drives
and took out the memory and started with putting back the memory 1st then the
hard drive one at a time and booted up and I found out the problem was my
cd-rom drive was bad; PC booted right up to the desktop without the cd-rom
drive connected. Thank you all so much for your help in resolving this
problem.