Hey,
ok so i have a hp dx6500 laptop that came with vista.  I tried to erase vista and load on XP but for some reason when i try to install XP it comes up with a message that says that the hard drives cannot be found... and ideas?How did you get rid of Vista ? ?
Post alot more details on the machine and the procedure you used...Are you using an XP CD to install XP?

Did it come with a different computer?

If so, it wont work because the CD can only be used with the computer it came with.Check if you can see the HDD in BIOS, if you can't there could be a bad connection, if not then theres another problem.
Also if Vista wasn't removed properly then you may have corrupted data. i.e. Formating doesn't actually delete all the data, just the registry that dictates where files are, so the disc appears to be blank, if there is corruption the disk may not be able to be read properly. 
If you are RUNNING a RAID config by any chance you need to make a Drivers floppy so windows can detect the HDD
Also a generic windows will install on any PC that meets the minimum system requirements.
 hey..thanks for the replies.. OK so i dont think that i deleted the vista properly.. i tried to use dban but it couldnt find the hard drive.. so i used another program that is like a partition program that obviousally corrupted the data.. 

So how would i fix this problem.. if the hard drive is corrupted is there a program that i can run or something to get this sorted out?so.. i am using KILLDISK right now to delete everything off of the drive.. but im still not sure why the XP disk isnt recognizing the hard drives.. is it possible that they are too new for xp or something like that?ok... so I used the KILLDISK and it did its thing.. writing 0's to the whole drive.. it worked perfectly and recognized the hard drive.   But when i try to install XP it still says that it cannot find the hard drive... any ideas?ok.. so i realized that the xp doesnt have the drivers for sata drives............ sounds like this is a pretty common thing....... the link is for people who are having the same problem.. and cant easily change it in their bios.. and dont have a floppy disk drive...


http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/resolving-setup-did-not-find-any-hard-disk-drives-during-windows-xp-installation/ :-[Typically it is vertually impossible to go from an upgrade OS (vista) backwards to XP Pro.  I haven't tried personally but heard from a lot of unsuccessfull ATTEMPTS.  Just at the TOP of my head If I had to attempt this I would first have to completely format the main partitial C: USUALLY....which contains any/ all links to the old Vista OS in order to start dumping XP system files and such ---just make very sure you have a side copy of all of your motherboard drivers as back up.  After the format then attempt the fresh loading of XP and good luck.

You may need to create a bootable CD with the MBoard manuf. SATA drivers on it to go any further...

Have you FORMATTED the drive after using all those wiping tools on it ? ?
It may be as simple as that.
An XP CD should recognise any drive if it's a good CD.