Installing XP and removing Fedora??

[JJ 3000]

Is there something with the HD with Fedora that would keep it from installing?

No.

I switch out the hard drive with one from my sons computer. It won't start windows from that HD. I don't know why it won't start windows normally...even tried safe mode.

That's normal. You can't just swap a hard drive into another computer and expect it to boot. This is by design.

Boot from disc, says it's checking config setup then goes black but never starts install.

Does this computer use IDE or PATA drives?

Does it use a video card or is the video on board?

Can you tell us the brand and model of the computer?

[patio]

First, I never heard of any such thing. Second, that would have nothing to do with the ability to boot to the optical drive.

I agree...

[[email protected]]

dont understand . laptop windows xp  no printer

[kennyawinner]

try formatting  the hard drive

[Geek-9pm]

I thought this tread was dead.
For You Information. Windows XP CD will NOT install  if
1.) There is no FAT, FAT32 or NTFS partition
AND
2.) All space is taken by an alien OS using a non-XP compatible file system. BCD, UNIX, Linux etc.

This is well documented ** in  the MS KB. You find it, I am too old to do your homework.

He can use almost any DOS boot disk with FDISK to deleted the alien partition.

Quote from: Allan on May 26, 2011, 11:57:18 AM
    First, I never heard of any such thing. Second, that would have nothing to do with the ability to boot to the optical drive.
(Patio)
I agree...

**Well-documented: Found at least once in some obscure place int the MS KB. Maye  in the NT section.

[Salmon Trout]

I thought this tread was dead.

It was, until a brand new user chose to revive it. I wonder why.

[Geek-9pm]

try formatting  the hard drive

Well, he did have the right answer. But the XP Boot CD can not get that far without some space to store temporary files on the drive.
This is a fluke, as the Install CD will even 'borrow' unallocated space if needed. But a full alien drive will crash it with no warning. Rather rare.  Does not apply to Vista or Windows 7.
Wonder if the OP ever figured it out?

[pattana083]

thank for all

[Salmon Trout]

thank for all

A new member to watch... clearly.

[Rob Pomeroy]

I've seen hard drives get into a state where an XP installation disk can't replace the existing Linux bootloader.  The easy solution is use DBAN to nuke the drive completely.  XP will then install properly.  You don't need to run a full nuke - just let it run for a few seconds.  That's enough to wipe out the boot sectors.

http://www.dban.org/