XP won't load after replacing HDD

[Tony_S]

Compaq Armada M700
XP home
18 months ago I bought a secondhand Armada and upgraded it from W98 to XP home with an upgrade disk.
The HDD has now failed and I bought a replacement drive.
I started the computer with the XP upgrade disk and it loaded some drivers etc and then there was a screen with 3 options. Load XP or restore system or quit. I tried R for restore and got a message to type EXIT. It then repeated the same operation. I did it once more but it now spins the DVD but there is no screen input at all. I tried replacing the XP disk for a restore Win 98 disk but get the same.

I tried putting the old drive in, that some times worked, but get the same result.

I am just a computer user and the Compaq is a computer my wife uses to surf and is also used for navigation software on the boat.

Can anyone advise me what steps to take to get the computer running again.

[mazdarx7-64]

You will need to install, not restore, if it is a new HD.

[Tony_S]

How dod I get back to the install screen. I was going to try that next. Also can I install with an upgrade disk?

[lone1dog]

And also an upgrade Xp will need another OS to load.am I right?

[Tony_S]

Is there a limit on how many times I can run the upgrade disk? Is this the reason that I now get no screen input or is there another reason?

[paul9]

you can probably put in the old drive, set the jumpers to slave, and master on the new one, then point the intall routine to that as the qualifying product, otherwise you will need a qualifying product cd for xp to check during the install.
the upgrade xp only needs another os to prove it is an upgrade and not just somebody trying to do a full version install on the cheap. the install itself is no different to a full version, just a licensing and price difference.

[paul9]

no limits. what exactly do you mean by no screen input?

[Tony_S]

When I switch the computer on now, there is nothing on the screen, it is just blank. The computer LEDs light up and the DVD drive spins but then stops with no LED on the HDD. The fan is also rotating, otherwise nothing.

[Tony_S]

The computer is a notebook so I can only put in one drive and there is no option for slave or master. If I can get the computer back to loading the hard disk and giving me the 3 options, I would go to install but how can I get it there?

[paul9]

try booting, then switch off the monitor power, then back on, sometimes this can bring your screen back into the real world. also, when the dvd spins back down, try pressing any key on the keyboard, to see if the computer continues booting without the monitor on. if so, this would suggest a monitor or video card fault. perhaps you dislodged a card or cable when changing the hard drive, check the monitor power cable, video cable, and video card are all plugged in firmly.

[paul9]

notebook? check the contrast and brightness settings.

[mazdarx7-64]

You will need to install another version of windows first, like 98, ther use the upgrade cd. I'd use a boot disk to fdisk and reformat first.

[Tony_S]

I have tried removing the DVD drive an replacing it. It now works as far as the 3 options screen. However, in setup they ask for a disk from the previous operating system. I have W 95 and W 98 Compaq restore disks. The computer says it doesn't recognize these disks. What can I do now?

[DrDave1958]

refer to Mazdarx last post....