I am running windows xp but if I install sp3 the computer crashes. I have decided to do a fresh reinstall but as this would take time and my other half can't wait .

I though about REMOVING the current hard drive (300gb), putting in an old (but working 60gb) hard drive and then START the reinstall, if the wife needs the computer, I can HOT SWAP the hard drives. Then when the fresh reinstall is complete, I can take an image of the fresh reinstall and restore it to the 300gb hard drive.

But when I opened the case, the 300gb hard drive is a SATA, whereas my old hard drive is a PATA.

Anyone got any ideas on how to get round this?Mmm thats abit strange you would of thought that adding in service pack three would only help but anyway here is the link ofr xp service pack three already incorporated into the windows dl

*Link removed*

download this and see what happens xp PRO with sp3 no need for updates

....................enjoyi forgot to tell you it validated too


happy days
Went to your link! Browswer, firewall and AV shut down and a virus started to scan my computer for infections. AV could not get rid of it, lucky I had an image of my hard drive that I could restore.

I think I will stick to the fresh reinstal, any idears on how to bridge the sata to pata drives?