Please help

[LAIN1987]

hello I recently tryed to install windows on a laptop hdd via a usb external hdd encloser. things started out fine but after it got to the reboot portion somthing went screwie, 1st it would not boot up at all via usb so i thought ok i will just reinstall the hdd in the laptop the thing now will not turn on at all ?
2nd my pc wouldent boot i fired up the install disk for xp and it tells me my partition is unrecignizable so i deleted it and tryed to install windows on my pc now it says that the system is corupted and cannot continue

i guess my question is does this seem like a bad hdd or just a bad windows install disk ?

thanks for any help.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Just what is it you want to do?

Also, you mention `laptop` and you mention `PC`. Are they one and the same or is this two separate problems?

How did you delete your partition? From within Windows?

I guess, first thing is to state system specs. Then what it is you plan, or are hoping to do. Tell us what disk(s) you have and then we can go from there.

My thoughts are (assuming):
Put Hdd into laptop.
Put XP (Vista or 7) CD/DVD into CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive.
Boot to CD (press any key if prompted, to be able to boot from disk).
Let Windows partition the drive.
Continue with install to completion.

[LAIN1987]

well there are 2 systems 1pc specs: 2.6ghz intel core 2duo e8600 gigabyte p35 mobo 8800gt oc evga video card 2dd 1 250 "with os" and 1 500gb "data"


the lap top i am not sure of the specs but i know its got a 3gb hdd " yes it is old as dirt"

i am trying to fix the laptop for a person i was going to reinstall the OS "win xp pro" but the laptop will not boot from cd. so i put the 3gb hdd in an encolsure and used my pc booted from the disk, deleted the partistion on the 3gb hdd and proceeded to reinstall then what i mentioned above when down.
i am at a loss in my 5+ yrs in it i have not once seen this happen but the drive seems to be fine i just cant tell

as for the laptop drive i think its just at that point of no return