Need help reinstalling XP on Sony Viao Laptop

Factual Questions
1

I have been given a Sony Viao Laptop to reinstall Windows XP on for a bosses’s son. He corrupted the installed OS so badly that it is unable to even boot into safe mode. I’ve done the following already

  1. Booted the system with a Knoppix CD and copied to a USB drive his documents and music

  2. Obtained a CD of the version of XP that conforms to they key on the licence sticker.

Problem arises when I try to boot said CD. The system gives me a press any key to boot CD message then when I hit a key the drive makes a grinding type noise. I heard it running the cd at multiple speeds but it never starts the install process.

The laptop has some physical problems with the power jack but she doesn’t want to replace it until he starts college in August.

I do have a Laptop to Normal IDE adapter and an IDE to USB case available but the computer does not support USB booting.

I don’t believe the CD drive to be the problem because the Knoppix CD worked, what could I be over looking?

2

Have you tried booting from the XP disc in another machine? Perhaps the disc is the problem rather than the drive.