How to install a Windows?

[ofreeb]

Hi,

I have a few old Dell computers and I'm trying to install some OSs.

With a blank HDD, I thought you have to choose the CDROM as boot device and this would do.

But a message comes up: "DISK BOOT ERROR INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER". I've tried with no less than 10 OS disks but none works! 2 of them are even OEM versions...

The best I can get with a preinstallation of XP is a command line with "D:i386/system32/" but then I'm stuck! I don't know what to do!

Same with a bootup floppy disk, I get "A:" but then??? On any of the machines I can retrieve the D: (were should be the CDROM)...

Ofreeb

 

[Counter-Strike]

That would be either a bad IDE connection, or the drive just plain old doesn't work.

Make sure the CD drive if it is on a separate IDE cable that it is set to "Master", and the floppy is set to "Master"

If the CD and HDD drives are on the same cable, make sure the HDD is set to "Master" and the CD drive is set to "Slave"