BleepingComputer.com: Unable to reinstall xp pro on dell

I'm trying to do a clean install of XP pro by booting the factory cd it came with. All the partitions were deleted and a full format was performed. When the first portion of the setup is complete it reboots, it then gives a screen that says:

Diskette drive 0 seek failure


Press F1 to continue, F2 to enter setup



So I press F1 and it gives me a blue screen that says:


A promblem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. If this screen appears again follow these steps:

Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Technical information:

***STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF7A37528,0xC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000)



Its my girlfriends computer and she has completely given up. If anybody has any suggestions please let me know. Thanks.

<<...by booting the factory cd it came with>>

Does that mean that you are following the manufacturer's instructions for using said CD? There are instructions, you know.

Louis

hamluis, on Feb 5 2010, 05:30 PM, said:

Yes I followed the instructions. Have actually reinstalled XP before from cd not on her computer though.

0x0000007B error often means bad drive

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

Her computer uses recovery/restore disks...which do not function in the same manner as a MS XP CD.

Yes, they each result in Windows being installed...but the processes are dissimilar and what you end up with is not the same.

What model Dell system?

Run a hardware check (Dell Diagnostics) of the hard drive?

Louis