bluize61

I'm pretty sure the CD is o.k. because I can boot from the CD and everything is fine until I start the actual install. I have no idea how to check the battery on the MOBO. Not even sure where it is! I'll look for it to night but the date and time info stays accurate so I think that is not an issue. As with any older model HP the ribbon cables are tightly packed in there (not much room in a Pavilion). The seem intact. I can try another CD. I don't have any other versions of Win OS to put on. I have MAC OS X but that aint gonna help! Since I can't get the OS on the modem is mute until I can get Windows up. I can replace that for $8 at Fry's Electronics. I have tried the HP support live chat but they keep sending me to a webpage that says I need to get the Recovery Disk for this model... which I can't find. Just breathe, Art!!! B) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Sorry, I forgot to mention that the chip is a Celeron. Not P3.

The disk is an "aftermarket" full installation of Windows XP Pro for new systems that I came across. I also have a disk with SP2. I have used it on another older model HP Pavilion (85XX) that accepted it just fine. I was surprized that it wouldn't load because the two PCs are so similar. I talked to one guy who said that some HPs were dedicated to their HP Recovery Disk and would accept nothing but. I managed to download a new BIOS onto a floppy and got the new BIOS on this unit, but I still stall in about the same place, although before the BIOS change it wouldn't install any portion of XP. Maybe I have the wrong BIOS? Was there a model of the HP PAVILION called Cognac? I downloaded the new bios from http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...21&cc=us&os=228

Thanks for the feedback all. I guess one of the problems I'm having my be related to BIOS??? The XP disc I have is not (obviously) an HP system receovery disk. How do I get around the stupid BIOS asking me to install a bona fide HP Recovery Disk or is the real problem that XP is incompatible with the hardware. I can get the installation to start but it stalls every now and then with this or that file not being loaded because it's "corrupt or missing." I'm a newbie to this whole jackin' with the innards or PCs.

O.K. I know I'm probably stupid but I have an old HP Pavilion 6530 with 433 MHz processor, 256 RAM and a 30 gig Hard Drive. I have been trying to load Windows XP on this machine and keep getting different error messages time after time. I downloaded and installed the last BIOS for this model (2001) and returned the BIOS to default. I can get the Windows XP CD ROM to boot, format the hard drive and begin the installation. This is the first error message I receive: "The following value in the .sif file used by setup is corrupt or missing: Source Disk Files: "SPI.CAB" My question is.. am I deluding myself that I can EVER get this program on this PC??? Is there a fix? Does anyone have Recovery disks for this model? I'd rather not pitch it out. I feel like it still has some life in it. I fix older machines and give them to community college students who need a basic machine to do homework and get online. If you have valuable information for me... please respond by email. THANKS Title Edited - Please follow new posting rules from now on. --Zxian