Pc Tower Not Starting Up Follow Up Still Need Help

[country_pumpkin]

Right the tower is running windows xp and basically it doesn't start up..it will get so far and either restart or it gets to the black screen saying device none and says memory all that bit the normalbit when starting pc.etc etc and stays there...now things I have tried are as follws.....change ram and used different ports and still same, took graphics card out tried different one that works and still nothing..tried using a working hard drive from another pc that has windows xp on it but even that doesn't load up just restarts or gets so far and then stops....disconnected all drives except for the harddrive and still doesn't work.....and finally tried booting using windows defender and it loads but comes up saying system fat32 error or something and cant go any further etc.....so finally tried to put xp disc in and reinstall but again gets so far and then just stops and goes no further or restarts......im now out of ideas all together. only things I aint tried as haven't really a spare to try or time is the processor...could the processor be the cause does anyone know or do you think motherboard is knackered...also the power supply seems ok as all fans and drive open etc etc and seem fine but also to be sure I did try another and same prob....so anyone got any ideas.also out of interest putting another hard drive out another pc with xp in the tower should of worked yes and at least got to desktop I am right in saying that arnt I...even though it didn't work I just wondering if it whould anyways...thanks for any help that can now be given as im at total loss with it. even unplugged the wire for restart but nothing again there..

[SlackAlice]

Using another HDD from another computer is unlikely to work. The Windows installation would have installed all the drivers for that computer, not the one your trying it out in. Probably would fail to boot up as it cannot match up what its got to the current pc.

I think you will have to try a complete re-install on a spare HDD.

[SlackAlice]

good post from methyl

[WyeDyed]

If methyl's suggestion fails, you could try booting from a test CD like Hiren:
http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
Download and unpack the .zip file and burn the iso file to a CD (there is software provided for this in the .zip file)
Boot your PC from the CD and select the Mini XP option. This will boot your PC into a version of XP with loads of test tools.
If it does boot then the motherboard and processor are probably fine.

[country_pumpkin]

Hi I have tried several different hard drives to reinstall windows but to no avail they just get so far and stop or restart...never had a problem like this but what ill try is doing a complete format on a hard drive I have ling about and try it in the tower again..im sure it still wont work..tried power lead and works on other pc no problems there so I really don't no im thinking there is a problem with motherbard or processor...not sure how I do this run a media diagnostics how do I get to that is it in the bios