Need help, Broken OS

[Shaunjeezy]

So I decided to build my own computer. I didnt have the money to buy a hard drive, but I had an old one from my computer that I didn't want to use. So I snagged my moms out of her computer and put it in my built computer. I put it in there and started the installation for 7(xp was on it) it was partway through the clean installation and all of a sudden it shut off. I didn't know what happened so I took the hard drive out and saw the power supply unplugged from the motherboard and shut down the system. So I plugged in the power supply unit and put my hard drive in cause my mom got mad I was using hers. So I installed 7 on my hard drive and were good to go.

So here's the problem, since the whole thing with her hard drive I popped it back in her computer and tried to boot. It tries booting as 7, but freezes. The computer cannot run 7 because of the hardware. I didnt make a back up disc like an idiot and I don't have a windows XP disc. I tried using system recovery and nothing. I have tried using Ultimate Boot Disc and the keyboard and mouse stop working once I get to the screen I need to. So then I popped in a Vista disc because I don't have the XP disc, and I tried to Windows Repair and then I get to the screen where you choose which drive you wanna fix or partition and it listed nothing. Basically said no windows on the computer. Then I tried to install Vista on there to see if that would work and it told me as well that I have no windows on the computer. It said I need to install on the OS I wanted to install over.

So my question would be, is there anything I can do possibly that I haven't done? I want the files, if it's possible, I doubt it since I did clean install, but they would be nice. Or would I have to go buy a new hard drive in all?
Thank you

 

[mikerockett]

Unlikely you'll be getting the files back and not much you can do to get it running if you don't have an XP install disk and it can't run vista or 7.

I suggest install linux on it, run it is a home server and buy your mum a new computer for cocking her's up

 

[apache_lives]

different computer = fresh install needed

re-install windows on the computer, if it supports 7 use 7 as XP is dead finished gone done (vista 7 8 all use the same core, 7/8 is much lighter then vista)

if you data is on that hdd you have to buy a new hdd install windows to it and rip the data after, or use another computer

 

[smorizio]

if you put the windows 7 disk in and did an upgrade then your files and the xp programs going to be in a win.old or win.bac folder on the hard drive. if you let windows delete the partion on the fist install or formatted the drive then most likely the data gone. you can try and boot from a hirem boot cd. it has a mini xp boot. or plug your mom drive back into your pc and try to run some data recovery on the drive if it wont mount. be seen by windows disk management. if her system was a per built dell or hp most times there a restore partion on the drive. all you need do is back your mom data up and run the system restore. if not have to contact the vendor or look on ebay for someone selling restore cd for your computer. also try contacting microsoft to see if they still have xp iso disk for download.