Help with Acer Aspire 3000 Recovery

My son dumped his Acer Aspire 3000 on me because it stopped working i.e. couldn't get into Windows.

I cannot do a Restore since I cannot get into Windows or scan for virus since it's Windows based apps.

So I did a Full HD Acer Recovery with the 4 CDs Acer packaged with the Laptop. The process finished successfully BUT when the laptop reboots into windows it just stopped there.

I did a mem86 test for memory and they are OK. HD tested OK also.

I then took out the HD (it's an IDE-ATA) drive and hooked it into my computer and try to reformat it with WinXP utils. But there is a lock somewhere and reformat cannot finished (NTFS). Acer used FAT32. So I deleted all the folders and files since they are probably corrupted.

Redo the Acer Full Recovery thingy. It takes a long time each time. Still no dice.

Since I have a copy of WinXP I tried that, but it was stopped at format to NTFS so WINXP cannot be installed.

I work mostly with desktops and do not play at all with laptop. I do have a spare 2.5" HD but it's a SATA drive so it's no good in this case.

My question is what can I do, except buying a new ATA 2.5" HD and install a brand new WinXP?

Frankly, This Acer Aspire is outdated but I hate to junk a relatively good piece of computer hardware.

There is I supposed some Acer folder with proprietary files and info which have deleted. Is there anyway to reconstruct them? or better can be downloaded?

I know that this is a known problem for a lot of people but I do not have any idea where there is a Sticky or a thread on this subject.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Have you tried to format with Fat32 when attempting to install XP from the CD?

 

FAT32 is NOT available for a new WinXP install for this HD, there is a lock somewhere so only NTFS is an option but then format cannot finish.