Compaq bios problem?

[missdaisy]

I am am new here and I am having a problem with my compaq presario 8000 cto
Here is what I can tell you.
1.3ghz AMD athlon xp 1500
maxtor 40gig hdd
128mb ram
I purchased this comp cto in 2002
of course the warranty jas run out and compaq doesnt feel they need to give out this info.
my problem is I think there is a bios setting wrong I load the xp setup and it goes thru formatting and all of that and then when it reboots it errors...unable to access hardrive.
the only harware i have changed is the cd/rw and it detects it & all the components.
I can put the hardrive into my new comp
and completely install windows but then to put the hardrive back into presario i get that error
Not really sure if I have changed a setting or not.
I have the compaq restore cds--dont work
Xp home edition---dont work
windowws 2000 pro--- dont work
is there a website I can go to to get what the exact bios settings are? Or maybe some help here would be appreciated

[Cricket]

Not sure if this refers to the newer Compaq's, but Compaq used to put a separate system/BIOS partition on their hard drives that you couldn't remove or the system would screw up. If this is the case, I don't know what you can do about it since I've never worked on a Compaq (and probably never will).

:) Cricket

[SamuraiWarrior]

Suggestion buy a new one. You can get them real cheap on line like at places newegg.com

Here is one cheap.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-140-128&catalog=14&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1

but I would first go to their web site and flash your bios to the lates version. And while your there check out the Knowledge base for similar question about your particular problem. Some times they will have other who have come accross this probem and they posted a link to the solution. Also find out what brand HD you have and to the the makers web site and download the tools to test the hd itself.

[missdaisy]

Thanks to all for your help!
wasnt a bios problem after all the new cd-rom I bought wasnt anygood!.....put the old one in and it installed perfectly!!