Well it gets worse. my laptop is a 2001 gateway model, in bios it is set to boot cd first but does not. I even disabled all other boot methods and still no go. The cd reads as good in my backup pc from here but does not boot up on the laptop. maybe I need an apricorn adapter and just salvage my files. I do need to upgrade to a dual core someday soon anyway.

=== EDIT=== O.K. I cleaned the cd drive lens and it loaded. Now the even worse part again is it only recognizes itself as an operating system, nothing at all about windows XP being on here just 75 GB of unformatted space. no drives other than the cd drive. opened up folders on the “desktop” and they froze never going anywhere. Looks like fubar as I am getting tired of this dinosaur pc always giving problems. Just have to cough up cash for an adapter or cough up cash and a kidney for a professional recovery of my files.