[Rizzle]

Well got out of that symptom. I can not boot into any windows CD again.
Something with the CMOS needing to be reset or resaved.

The following help Google references helped me.

• http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f15/solved-install-cd-hangs-at-setup-is-inspecting-your-computers-hardware-configurati-237133.html
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/103659/EN-US

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Fixed it!

I'll give more details.
But the final solution was going into the BIOS and making sure the HD settings were correct.
There were many settings either disabled or lowered, like DMA, LBA, 32-Bit Transfer.
I set them all to AUTO and now the OS is working.
I will also check to see if the Bootcfg /scan actually works now. But I have a commitment downtown at the college first.

Be back later with more info.
I still want to learn why one or more of these BIOS settings could have caused this big of a monkey wrench.

[Rizzle]

Fixed it!

I'll give more details.
But the final solution was going into the BIOS and making sure the HD settings were correct.
There were many settings either disabled or lowered, like DMA, LBA, 32-Bit Transfer.
I set them all to AUTO and now the OS is working.
I will also check to see if the Bootcfg /scan actually works now. But I have a commitment downtown at the college first.

Be back later with more info.
I still want to learn why one or more of these BIOS settings could have caused this big of a monkey wrench.

[Rizzle]

Ok in my AMI BIOS v02.58
The HD had the following wrong settings.

LBA/Large Mode: [Disabled]
Block(Multi-sector Transfer) M: [Disabled]
PIO Mode: [2]
DMA Mode: [UDMA2] ( <--I think it was set to this)
SMART Monitoring: [Disabled]
32Bit Data Transfer: [Disabled]

Again this game me the following 2 symptoms:

• Bootscan /LIST /REBUILD [Failed with no results or error as stated in previous posts]
• Occasionally any Windows XP Boot Disk would boot to a Black Screen immediately after "Setup is Inspecting your computer's hardware configuration"

I then changed those settings to AUTO or ENABLED

LBA/Large Mode: [AUTO]
Block(Multi-sector Transfer) M: [AUTO]
PIO Mode: [AUTO]
DMA Mode: [AUTO]
SMART Monitoring: [AUTO]
32Bit Data Transfer: [Enabled]

All the significant symptoms are gone now.
Although there is no error on Bootcfg /scan it still does not find the existing OS on drive C:\Windows
But Bootcfg /List works. and I didn't really want to try Bootcfg /Rebuild at the present time.

My previously installed programs are working with the existing XP Pro. I am pleased but the questions remains.
Why? If anyone can explain why these setting would produce one or both of these assumptions it would be helpful to me and many trying to learn.
Actually I think I read somewhere that old XP or NT systems could only read 7.8GB at least on the primary partition until LBA, Large Block Addressing was introduced (I think). But I don't know if that has anything to do with this. if anyone is rock solid confident to explain this please do. Thanks in advance!

--------------------------

Now one more thing.
Referencing the picture from the fist post in this thread, the "new Good XP Pro" is now BUT now instead of Drive D it is on Drive C:
And many things are still point to Drive D:
I am sure there is a quick way to change that right? Can anyone provide the answer that one too?

Thanks!

[Alzeimer]

Your BIOS setting might have changed for many reasons, that is why i always check the settings on computers i am working on.

As for your XP being on C:/ instead of D:/ like it use to, it is better on C:/ as all programs will try to install on the drive C:/ by default. The only problem that could arise is that your XP was originally install on drive D:\ since you already had an XP installation on drive C:/ (old HD). It is not recommended to change the drive letter of the windows folders.

What i would suggest is since you can access your installation would be to save all your personal data and start from scratch, deleting all partition, reformating your HD and recreate partitions (if you want other partitions) and do a fresh install of XP on C:/ to avoid any conflict for the future ( D: to C: back to D:) with the windows folders.