Dell Latitude C510/C610 Operating system issue

[Hsean]

I'm trying to put XP on it and it installs, but when the machine restarts the install wants to install again, and it keeps installing over and over, why is this?

[Commander Wolf]

Maybe you've set the BIOS such that it is permanently trying to boot from CD? Just don't press any key the second time around when it asks to boot from CD...

[Hsean]

How do I pull ther bios screen up on this one? The start up is fast and the things I tryed aint working, thanks for the help though. Nvn I found it and it says HDD is first then Diskette drive then CD dvd yada yada

[Commander Wolf]

Just hit F2 a bunch of times while it POSTs... there should be a line saying "Press F2 for setup", but C-Series machines may or may not have it.

[Hsean]

This is a mystery! I found it and it says HDD is first then Diskette drive then CD dvd yada yada, If you didn't see that post lol, also tat display picture girl I've seen before. lol

[Commander Wolf]

Alright, let me ask some questions: when you have a blank HDD, and you run the XP installation for the first time, does it ask you to press any key to boot from the ODD? After the installer reboots for the first time, does it ask you to do the same? What happens if you remove the CD after the installer reboots for the first time?

[Hsean]

It was a blank HDD when I started, even when I remove cd it does this, What if I put my thinkpad HDD in this machine to see if it works? it's working good so would it work in this dell?

[Hsean]

Could it be the hard drive? I gave my little brother my thinkpad now this laptop is my problem lol

[Commander Wolf]

That might be the case. Do you have a way to hook it up to a working machine and HDTune it?

[Hsean]

Ouu, How does one do that? I tryed my thinkpad Hard drive in it and it gives a blank screen with a flashing dot lol