Boot sequence problem

At boot enter Boot Menu, select USB. Or , boot to BIOS and select USB boot.

Try resetting the BIOS to the default settings and reboot

While the laptop is booting press continuously the f2, f8 and Delete key, until the bios screen or a prompt screen shows up.

you can safely install up to a 80 GB HDD in that compaq. When getting into the bios go to the boot sequence section and change the boot squence to be CD=>HDD=>FLOPPY or FLOPPY=>CD=>HDD

Unplug the power supply, remove the battery, locate and remove the BIOS battery (connected directly to the motherboard) for a few minutes and your BIOS will revert to default settings.

The key for bios is F10 just press during compag loading screen or if dat doesnt work immeditely after. I found this out by trying all of them in sequence to see which one worked

I'd like you to get into your bios. At the main bios window make sure your bios is seeing the hard drive correctly (model number). Also check that your cdrom is listed. While in the Bios go to boot & correct the boot order. 1st should be cdrom, 2nd should be your new Hitachi.
You mentioned you connected it to a PC. Than you installed WinXP & everything went fine. Disk read error means your laptop does not like the FAT. When you bought the Hitachi did you get a disk utility? If not download it from the link provided here & test your drive. Use the disk utility to set up your new drive & format
it with the utility. Try again to boot to your cdrom & install WinXP. If your XP does not include SP1 or SP2 your drive may show a smaller size.
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
Good luck, I hope the disk utility fixs the problem.
http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/50C8DBC2A315A4C786256F400065B756/$file/7K100_SATA_FINAL_DS.pdf (Info)

Replace hdd couse the pc dont recognize hdd..First go to the bios and load optimal default or optimized default and pres F10 and restart

 

If it wont work just buy NEW HDD

This indicates, it has lost the initial boot settings in the bios for a p.o.s.t. and if inseting your xp disc into cdrom drive at boot up doesn't do anything either, possible cmos battey flat and requires checking and replacing. The motherboard may also have a fault as it's getting on a bit.

If it gets to boot up screen you should be able to get into the bios; keep pressing either F2 or DEL when it boots up to get into advanced cmos settings, then make the cdrom as the first boot device. Press 'Y' when asked if want to save settings, then exit the bios screen and allow it to re boot, with your XP disc in the cdrom drive.