windows won't start on new computer

[euchrid]

I'm building my first computer, and have hit a problem. Hopefully I've missed something that will be obvious to everyone here.

Everything in the machine is new, except for the hard drive, which I pulled out of my old Dell, still with Windows and all my files on it. When I turn the new machine on the POST goes fine, Windows begins to boot (I see the Dell title page and then the Windows XP title page), then a blue screen with text flashes past WAY too fast to read and the computer restarts. I know that the hard drive still works fine because when I put it back into the old machine it runs perfectly.

I've made a Windows boot disk and run it without success, as well as running it with the XP CD in and trying to repair Windows, also without success. My next step will be to buy a new hard drive and going for a completely clean install, but I don't want to go that far without checking here.

SPECS:

Biostar I91-PL A7 motherboard
Pentium 4 3.0 ghz processor
Samsung SM-352 DVD drive
Westerd Digital WD800BB-75JHA0 Hard Drive

Any ideas?

 

[Static_11]

this question has been raped beyond belief....

When windows is installed on a harddrive, it configures a list of all of the hardware on the comp it is installed on. If you take that harddrive with windows installed and decide to put it in another comp, IT WILL NOT WORK. (unless you have the SAME exact hardware in the new one as you did your old dell).

Format the hdd and reinstall windows, everything will be fine...

 

[euchrid]

Okay, thanks for the help. For the record, I looked through the forum for a similar problem before posting, but couldn't find anything that seemed like it would apply.

 

[cedjunior]

Also, a full format and reinstall should not be necessary as long as you have the Windows CD. Just do a repair install(not to be confused with "repair console") in order to keep your files, settings and programs intact.

 

[joshd]

didn't know that that worked...

enjoy your new computer!

 

[euchrid]

Well, I did the full reinstall and now it works just fine, thanks everyone for all your help!