Installing New Hard Hard - Can't Get Windows Installed

I have an old Gateway Solo 9500 that my son uses for typing school papers and light internet activity. The HD failed and I bought a New WD 80. I have the drive installed in the laptop, but I can't get the Windows 2000 installed on it. I changed the BIOS to boot from CD, but it won't boot up. I only have a copy of the WIN2K install CD. Not sure what to do.

 

So as it looks like it's not booting from the cd?

 

Could be the cd is at fault have you tried the disc in another computer to see if it is recognised ?? sometimes if the disc has a fault at the begining of read it will not be recognised and not boot. I take it that the new HD is recognised in the bios.

 

Yes the BIOS recognizes there is a new hard drive. I have not tried booting another computer from the CD, but have read it. I actually have 2 WIN2K cd's and neither will boot the machine. Could the problem be that both of the CD's are copies. The original of course did not come with the machine just the key sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

 

Yes the BIOS recognizes there is a new hard drive. I have not tried booting another computer from the CD, but have read it. I actually have 2 WIN2K cd's and neither will boot the machine. Could the problem be that both of the CD's are copies. The original of course did not come with the machine just the key sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

 

It sounds like the laptop is not set to boot from CD. Double check the settings in BIOS. Maybe try and remove the HD and try and boot from the CD. (You obviously won't be able to install but can check to see if the laptop will boot from the 2000 CD)

The other thought is that the copies were not burnt as image files to make them bootable. Did you burn the copies? How did you burn them using a disc to disc software?

 

The BIOS is set to boot from CD. The CD were probably just file copied in the CD burner software. I am almost certain they were not copied as an image. That very well could be my problem.