when it rains it pours

[BenKenobi]

Sounds like your hard drive has gone bonkers. There's a chance it could be something else but that's what it really sounds like based on what I read above.

If you're sure you don't need any of the data that was on it you should attempt to reformat it. Since it's not letting you access it with any of the windows commands...

1) Download Gparted: GParted -- About
2) Burn the .iso to a disk
3) Put it in and run it as the default drive and it will operate as a live CD which means it acts like linux has been installed on your harddrive when its really just in your CD drive
4) Locate the option to delete/reformat all partitions on the hard drive
5) Restart computer and try the windows install once more

If that doesn't work you need to try a new hard drive.

Edit: Just read that you can't enter the bios. So that probably means you can't run the above live CD. Should probably take it in.

[Donziboy2]

The HDD should not stop him from going into bios.

Try pulling any hardware that isn't essential to run the system, extra drives, sound cards, ect and check Bios temps and voltages if it gives them.

He should also be able to install windows right back onto the HD without reformatting, all his stuff will be in there, just no icons and such, it overrights the old OS install but leaves everything else intact.

[Infamous]

i can enter bios again. however, i can not seem to get it to boot form disc. i have done things such as eliminate the boot from HDD option.. after the load screen, when windows would normally load, i just have a black screen with a cursor in upper left hand corner. Its seems to be random if it does anything beyond this point or not.
i have been having a crappy few weeks and i swear that the laws of physics are warping and bending themselves to allow what shouldnt be possible possible around me. its quite frustrating, and everytime i do something that should fix an issue wwith my life, it only makes it worse. this computer is no exception.
im not at wrk this weekend, and other than watching ufc fights tongiht, have nothingplanned save getting at least one of my machines up and running again. between bas PSU, mobo, and whatever the hell is wrong with my gaming rig,, should be an interesting weekend.

[Infamous]

what would cause this?
if i put in the xp upgrade disc, i get that wierd error msg from above. have to push any button, machine shuts off.
if i install a regular full xp disc( non upgrade) windows goes thrrough everything, i do not get an odd error msg, but it just locks up at "setup is starting windows" but it never seems to start.
id really like to think it is not a HDD issues, as before wheni was able to enter the revoery console, i was able to scan the disk and use the chkdsk utility. nothing came up as odd or wrong.

of course, i can not confirm any of this yet... i really wihs i had friends in the metro area with rigs still.

[Infamous]

2) Burn the .iso to a disk
.

do i want to most current, or is there a specific older file i want? the most current is 0.7.1-5.. i have no idea what this thing is, but sure, ill give it a shot. also, you said set it as my primary drive.. how do i do that ? or is that just another term for boot from cd?

[Donziboy2]

Chkdsk wont tell you if a drive is failing, it will only tell you if there are errors on the disk, like corrupted files or bad sectors. If say the motor that runs the drive is failing it wont tell you.

If you have an old HD laying around try swapping them and doin a windows install on that.

[Infamous]

all my old drives are IDE except for the one in in my 2nd machine that is also down, i can not do anything to that one, it has a ton of stuff on it that i need.
i did try to put that one into the machine in question, but it didnt boot up.

[MRDEATH[GoD]Gen]

Get yourself a docking station,they come in ide or stata.....They come in handy,when your drive doesnt boot up anymore.Put your drive in and plug in the usb cable,to any other pc or laptop and you can get anything off of it.
Newegg.com - Rosewill RX-DU101 2.5 USB 2.0 Docking Station
Newegg.com - BYTECC BT-300 USB 2.0 to IDESATA Adapter