Installing W2K pro on HP zx5000

I have an HP xz5000. I got it second hand when I was working at Best Buy. Sold a lady a new computer, said that the zx5000 needed a new hard-drive and didn't want it. She was going to throw a computer away. I nearly cried.

Specs are) 2.2 ghz Intel p4 processor. 32 meg ATI radion graphics card (9200). I just put in a brand new Seagate 100GB lap top hard drive, 5400rpms. It currently has 1GB of corsair laptop ram in it.

Before all this, it had 512mb of ram, the stuff that it came with from the factory, and a firefly 2.5in 40GB hard drive that I had laying around. Same problems regardless of the specs. I don't think it's anything I've done hardware wise to the computer.

Any way, a free laptop and a couple years later, I've had some on going issues with it. Mainly installing an OS.

Initially, I reformatted and clean installed W2K pro, and once I actually installed it, it worked great. However, the initial install was hideous. When I booted from the CD, it would appear to lock, giving me a blank DOS screen, with the cursor blinking in the upper left corner. In reality, if I waited long enough (1-2 hours) it would go to the normal boot screen and start up the OS install process. I think this is a little weird. Once installed, any time I reboot, it would take 6-10 hours to come back to the login screen. I just put in the new 100GB hard drive, and I’m doing it all over again. It’s working, and rebooting as I type, but my God, why the heck does it take so long? I only ever put it in hibernation mode, and when I do have to reboot, I do it over night.

Any one experience anything like this, and if so, any suggestions or solutions?

 

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