I think I need a little help.

[UNCLEMIKE1]

Ok, i need to install windows xp on a laptop hard drive using my desktop and then take it out and have it boot when i put it back in the laptop again. I tried doing a regular install from the windows cd to the laptop hard drive but, when i put it back in the laptop i got a "NTLDR is missing" message. So, i took every hard drive out of my desktop and only had the laptop one hooked up. Then re-formatted and installed windows on it again. Then when i put the hard drive back in the laptop it gave me a "no bootable disk" error. There has got to be an easy way to do this. Any help is greatly appreciated in advance. Thanks guys (and gals).

Thanks for the help. lol

 

[wmorri]

Here is a thought for you just stick you laptop hdd back in your laptop, and the install XP directly from the cd drive in your laptop. Unless that isn't an option.

Cheers!

 

[UNCLEMIKE1]

my laptop can't see the cd-rom drive in the bios. when i select to boot from the cd-rom, i get a message saying, no bootable devices were found.

 

[wmorri]

If you boot into your OS that is on the hdd can you read from that drive?

 

[hamid14]

the no bootable disk thing happened to me too, insert the windoww xp cd and turn the computer off, then restart.

 

[UNCLEMIKE1]

NO luck, I've had the cd in there for every possible type of startup. This sucks. Something that should be sooooo easy turns into a nightmare and makes me wanna burn the laptop.
Windows sucks.

 

[Lowndsey]

It's obviously a hardware issue if it isn't reading your hard drive no good blaming windows.

 

[Carl D]

I don't think you'll ever get it to work properly the way you're trying to do it. Totally different hardware when you compare the laptop to the desktop PC.

So, its not surprising that Windows 'spits the dummy' when you install it on the laptop hard drive while connected to the main PC then move it to the laptop.

Perhaps you could try deleting everything from Device Manager before moving the hard drive back to the laptop so Windows detects all the laptop hardware with (hopefully) no conflicts with what was installed on the main PC. You might also have to do a 'repair install' of Windows too.

Some useful info here: http://adamnoffie.blogspot.com/2007/03/move-windows-system-disk-to-new-pc-home.html

But, I think you might be out of luck, unfortunately.

 

[wmorri]

UNCLEMIKE1, here is another option try running dban. This is a popular hdd wiping progam. Then try installing windows again, see if that helps at all.

Cheers!