Motherboard Problem?

[Razerfit]

I have an old HP pavilion media center (8530f) that the HDD started to sporadically quit awhile back. (I downloaded a fix for it but seemed it was too late.) Motherboard is M2N7B-LA. I got a set of recovery discs from HP but I get the error around 35% thats pertained to the optical drive not being factory stamped (it is the drive that came with it).

The mobo will recognize the original HDD as a storage and boot device, the recovery discs take it to 35% and I get a long number string error (See above). My windows Vista install disc just sits at loading files for hours and not moving.

So I tried to place my HDD in the system (the one im on at this moment, so I KNOW its not bad) but all I get is the Windows failed to start message with the options to repair, start in safe, etc. Even if I choose starting in safe mode, it just fails to start again. I replaced the CMOS battery and am debating on flashing the BIOS.

Any ideas as to what could be wrong here?
Thanks so much!

 

[cl-scott]

So let me just see if I have your story down correctly.

You try and restore the software to factory condition on the HP, using discs supplied by HP as well as your own Vista DVD, and both of them fail.

You then tried putting the HDD from another system into the HP, and it will not boot.

Is that an accurate summary? If so, then I would say it sounds like you have a bad HDD in the HP. The way Windows works, you cannot simply take the HDD out of one unit and put it into another and expect it to work. It is possible the discs HP sent you are bad, but the fact that another Vista install disc also fails, points at a failed HDD.

Now if my summary was not accurate, you'll need to correct me where I was wrong.

 

[Razerfit]

I would agree with the original HDD being bad, but why does a known good HDD (The one is the system im on now, posting this.) not work? Just get the windows fail to load screen. Thats where I'm stuck at.

 

[cl-scott]

The short answer is drivers. There are several more nuanced answers that are really only useful for curing insomnia, so I'll leave you to find them on your own.