*snip, snip!*

Obvious things first: have you tried to install to a different drive in
the
problem machine using the same cables, etc.? Have you tried a different
IDE
cable? Have you tried using a different power cable from the PSU?
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]

Hi John

Thanks for the reply, I actually haven't tried another drive in this
machine, as the only drive I have is my own, and I don't want it starting up
windows on another box and detecting all sorts of other hardware and
screwing with my install... but having used the drive in my machine, and it
working fine, it's not the hard drive at fault. I have tried the IDE cable
from my machine, but I'm not sure about the IDE cable... although as I can
plug the hard drive in part way through a windows install and have the drive
recognised and installed onto (just not booted off later), it doesn't seem
to be that...

Simon