help o.s installation went bad!

[pedalspinner]

30 gig hardrive.     i installed xp via a reinstallation cd from my laptop.   i installed with all default options.
i used the system without problem to install almost 13 gb of files.   it still worked fine.     i set my power settings to eventually hibernate after 30 minutes of downtime.    this morning i go to move my mouse and get no response even 10 minutes later.      i push the power button on my tower to power it up and eventually get the dell picture on the screen and then eventually the prompt      invalid boot diskette    insert boot diskette in A              when i do put the diskette in, it prompts me to start installation all over agian.         i am also unable to get into dos using f8 when i start up my tower.  it just always goes to the same eventual prompt  as listed above.             help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GX1_Man]

Well I am surprised that you got it to install from the laptop's CD. I assume this is a real Windows CD as opposed to a restore. You will have trouble with WGA in the near future on both machines most likely as Windows is only licensed to one machine per CD.

I don't know if this relates to your current dilemma or not. Did you activate WIndows or go through the WGA test at the Windows update site at any point? Does the timing of that corellate to the problem beginning?

[pedalspinner]

first, thanks for responding.

the desktop is a dell 800megahertz with 384mb ram from 2001   (i know, why waste my time?------its financial related).
     i have not "activated" the desktop o.s. yet, so your warning is being taken seriously.  I need to free up space on my almost but filled 40gb laptop.  
     after work, i inserted my laptop's xp home sp2 installation/reinstallation cd (the same one i used to install it yesterday), into the desktop cd drive and booted up via the cd by exiting the setup process.  
     as of right now, this above o.s. is working and my respective desktop power settings are set to only activate screen saver, (leave everything on always).   this desktop 30gb pc currently has about 13gb of picture files on it.  i have an xp pro o.s. cd, (older version than desktop current o.s),  with a supposedly good 25 digit activation code.  this was given to me by someone who i trust for it to be legit to run. (not sure about activating or registering),   i have a valid and working 160 gig external usb 2.0 harddrive, (partitioned for 18gb, 130gb, and 4gb).  I am considering relocating the desktop's 13gb of picture files to the external drive and then inserting the older xp pro o.s. cd into the desktop cd drive and then installing it.   i am concerned that there may be issues when i delete the newer xp home sp2 o.s. and attempt to install the older xp pro cd from my friend. i am currently in a quandry on what "path" to take.
either way, i need to get this desktop up and available for use.      any advice or response is grateful

[GX1_Man]

Well I would not attempt to activate the OS from your laptop on your desktop.

If the older XP CD is good and not running on any other machine, I would format and reinstall that on the desktop, after backing up the data files. Be sure and have SP2 downloaded on a CD as well as an antivirus and antispyware. Have all of these loaded before even attempting to log onto the Internet. Don't even connect the cable until you are protected or you will be infected within seconds.

First thing after that would be to go to Windows Update. You will know soon enough if that is a legitimate CD.  

[pedalspinner]

thanks again for the response.
     i will attempt/follow the advice.  i learned the hard way about unprotected internet connecting years ago.   once i was on the right track,  i  helped less knowledgable friends with free antivirus, antispyware, and firewall via the kim komando website.  its nice to know there are people out there like you willing to share advice and help.          by the way,  we are on the backside of a mountain and other than dial up   via a long way up our driveway  (10-12kbs max), only 2 providers offer via www.thelist.com, and 85.00
per month is not in the works so my "echo" will continue to stay pretty undesirable to most.
                                                    take care