T43 HDD weird issue

[Lynxu]

Hello,

I am newcomer to the forum and not a skilled computer technican... Well, not even a bit computer technican in fact. Also English is not my native language so sorry for any mistakes or ambiguity.
I have serious problem with my girlfrend's Lenovo T43 Thinkpad. Few months ago we've got problem with hard disk - I used MHDD to make some diagnostics and it showed 'critical failure, disk damage' message when I tried to make a low-level format. So I assumed that disc was damaged and bought a new one (from second hand on ebay), installed OS and everything. Then a problem with start-up message started occuring, but I ignored it (because everything despite that was working just fine). However, my girlfriend was using the computer without any antyvirs etc., and after shord period of time the message that disc is full started occuring. No matter how many files were deleted, computer shows that only few kb of free space are available. That made using the computer very annoying, because it is impossible to watch any movies from the net (I suppose not enough space for buffering), not to mention that there is no chance to download or install anything (because problem occurs on system partition). I decided that only way to restore it is to format disc, so made all backups etc., and inserted Windows XP install drive. Made computer bootable from CD on bios and restarted. Computer seems not to see a CD - it starts a normal start-up to Windows instead of setup. I think about making low level format again, however I'm afraid that after that I will end up with no OS and still no bootable CD. Making a BIOS or HDD update could help me in this? What could be problem?

Edit: from the Windows I can browse the CD so I don't think that's CD hardware problem. My first idea was to install another version of Windows on second partition and then format the first from the Windows level, but this is impossible - the instalator needs some space on system partition. I was also unable to run defragmentation, for the same reasons.

[Neil]

Try pressing F12 at the IBM splash screen, and choose CD drive from the boot list. See if you can boot from the XP install CD that way.

[Lynxu]

Tried that so far - nothing happens, only windows from hdd boots as normal.

[Neil]

Can you try the CD in another computer to determine if it's a bad CD or if the T43 drive is bad?

Is this a factory pressed XP CD, or a copy? Sometimes seemingly good drives will boot pressed discs, but will not boot a burned disc.

[BillMorrow]

you need to start from a known place..

so, if it were me, and i did a lot of this on T40 series, i would start with a known good, clean HDD.. (usually a new HDD)..

then set, as you did, i think, the boot order in biois, thus:
floppy, CD, HDD in that order..
and make the USB bootable..

THEN insert either an IBM recovery CD or one created from the original recovery partition, and boot from that..

or, in the alternative, boot from a windows CD with winXP, Vista or Win 7..

then proceed from there with installing the OS, updating all the drivers once you have an internet connection..

from reading your first post its unclear what type of HDD you got from ebay..

OH, i would FOR SURE install a good AV..
i use ESET ESS.. VERY good and gives one a lot of control including a setting to control when some apps send out without user knowledge or control..

and i would also not have too many (or any) partitions unless there is a compelling reason to do so..