Install OS on Empty HD

I recently purchased a used computer that had been completely wiped clean (no OS) My problem is It will not boot from the Windows CD. I have changed the boot sequence in the BIOS but I keep getting this message on the screen: "Invalid Boot Diskette, Insert BOOT diskette in A:" Any suggestions?

 

Are you seeing a message on screen
"Press any key to boot from CD "
and are you pressing a key in time before the bios moves on to the floppy?

 

What OS XP?? Pro or Home, if you installing XP go to the MS Website and download the XP boot floppys for Home or Pro not the same Pro consists of 6 Floppys. You can then boot from them.

 

It is Windows XP Home. It does not show the message "press any key to boot from CD" If I press anything the "invalid boot disk" message just keeps repeating.

 

It would have to be a pretty old computer not to be able to boot from the CD. I’m assuming you do have a bios option to make the CD the first boot device and that the bios is detecting the CD drive ok. If so I would suspect a faulty drive. If you have a Win98 CD and startup floppy, try starting the install of Win98 to see if the CD drive works at all. If it does then you can make a single boot floppy that can start the XP install from the CD – but can’t remember the details right now. The other alternative is Hawk’s suggestion of the 6 Microsoft floppies.

EDIT:-
XP STARTUP FLOPPY.

Place smartdrv.exe onto a standard Win98/ME startup floppy and boot from it to the A:\>prompt.

Run smartdrv.exe

Navigate to CD drive

Change to \i386\ directory on the CD by typing 'cd\i386\'

Execute winnt.exe by typing 'winnt' and pressing enter.

You can find a copy of smartdrv.exe in the Windows folder of any Win9x OS, or you can download it from here http://www.uv.tietgen.dk/staff/mlha/Download/drivers/

 

I downloaded & created the 6 floppys as you suggested. Everything seemed to be going OK the Windows setup started to run while the last disk (#6) was in the floppy drive. Then I got a message NTLDR is missing Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart. I tried but no luck. I'm not sure what to do next? I appreciate your input/help.

 

Suggest removing floppy disk once the install starts from the CD, check hard drive IDE cable and/or test hard drive with manufacturers diagnostic tool.

NTLDR is Missing

 

I think I may have solved my problem. The setup boot disks that I downloaded were for XP Home. I didn't realize my CD was XP Home Service Pack 1. I've redownloaded and created new setup disks for my version of windows disk. I hope this works. Thanks for your input.