Formatting, reinstalling XP

I have formatted D drive and removed C drive from the computer. When I try to install XP Home to my D drive I get the following message: Press any key to boot from CD....
NTLDR is missing.
What do I do now?

 

Why the D:\ Drive. What is it you are trying to do. Why not the C:\ Drive and use the D:\ Drive for your important data, photos, etc.

 

I don't know how to format c drive. Also not sure how to put it back into the computer. I know I removed 2 connectors but the larger one was attached to a converter and appears to have become disconnected.
A computer technician told me that by removing c drive, d drive would automatically become c drive, and I could reinstall XP.
Hope this isn't too confusing.

 

So...did you press some key before the message faded? Be sure you have your XP setup CD in the drive bay so it will be booted up and allow you to proceed to follow the screen directions for installing XP.

 

After I "hit any key "\ the NTLDR message appears. After that "press ctl alt del" to restart comes up but nothing happens when I do ctl alt del.
It looks as though the computer is trying to boot but it's loading too fast for me to be able to read the messages. Is there a way to pause the screen while it's loading?

 

If sounds like your XP setup CD isn't being detected by the CD-ROM drive. Test the CD on another computer if possible and see if it loads normally.

There is the chance that your CD-ROM drive is defective.

If all is working correctly, when you pressed a key during boot, when asked, the system would start loading several files into memory in preparation for the install. You will see a lot of activity on the screen. Do not attempt to pause it, it's not necessary for you to read any of that. When it stops, you'll be prompted for instruction.

If none of that is happening, you're pretty much dead in the water and will need to get some professional help.

 

Disk tests OK.
Thanks to all for their help.

 

Do you have a CD-R/RW or a DVD-R/RW besides your CD-ROM. If so try the the other drive.

 

I have 2 XP Home disks and 1 XP Pro, which is on my other computer. I have tried both XP Home disks in both computers. They work fine on the other computer. I've tried both XP Home disks on the problem machine, still get the same message, even when I hit F11 and "boot from cd ".
Unfortunately I physically removed the C drive from the computer, and foolishly did not leave the cables connected. Now I can't figure out how to connect them. I have 2 flat orange cables with half inch connectors. One will fit into the drive, but the drive also needs a connector that is 1" wide, which I can't find.

 

Take a look Here and read the installation instructions and reference the picture for any help.

 

Thanks, that was helpful. I set up the drive as recommended. The computer booted, then gave 5 beeps but nothing else happened.

 

Sounds like somethings isn't plugged in properly. Check both ends of all cables, at the device end and the mobo end. Unplug and reseat them to be sure.

Why did you remove the C: drive to begin with? What errors was it issuing or what problems did it have?

I don't see any optical drives (cd or dvd) listed in your System Specs. so it would help if you could update that info.

 

I already checked all connections to no avail.
I was told by someone who should know that if I removed C drive the computer would recognise D as the new C, and allow me to install XP on it. Once XP was installed I was going to wipe the old C drive and use it as a data file. I didn't know how to wipe C to prepare it for reinstalling XP, so this is the solution we came up with. He's going to drop in and get me fixed up. Another why? The computer was slowing down. Doing a clean install has always worked before. Plus it keeps me out of mischief for 2 days!
If I can remember where to find the drive information, I'll update it, Actually that information is for my other computer. They are linked by cable. This is my way of protecting myself should I blow up one of my computers.... have a tendency to push things to the limit sometimes, cause myself a lot of problems! (A little knowledge, etc.)

 

That's good that you have someone to look at it. Check in the bios setup and see if the drive is being detected. That may save him some time. If it's detected, he'll probably want to run the manufacturers diagnostics software on it to see if the drive has failed.

That's always a possibility. SATA drives are pretty sociable so you couldn't plug it in wrong nor are there any jumpers to set so it won't likely be that. You could have unseated something else in the process so check all connectors as well as the RAM sticks.

Good luck. Please post back your results so others can benefit.

Regards, Dude