Reinstalling Windows Problem

I have 3 computer at my home. There is my pop's computer that has Vista. My laptop that has Vista. But, I have another old laptop that should have Windows XP because the RAM holds 256MB and it can take on 64 bits. My problem is that each time I try to reinstall Windows XP by CD-ROM, it never finishes copying the files from the CD. After a few dozen minutes, the CD-ROM then makes that annoying noise that I think means that it lost the spot where it was at with the image. The laptop tends to overheat, even after I cleaned off all the dust in the air vent. The CD runs hot and the lens loses info from the CD, making the installation almost impossible to finish.

1. Any suggestions?
2. Is there anyway that I can clean the CD-ROM lens with house hold items without damaging it.

Thanks in advance

 

Use a Q-Tip. Also, open the laptop and clean out the inside. Remove the sound and/or wireless chipset (if any) and blow the whole chassis out.

 

Doesn't a Q-Tip **** it up even more? It leaves shit on the lens.

 

Yeah..I have Windows XP Pro on like 4 CDs. They all do the same shit.

 

lmaooo

 

try getting a new boot cd

 

Do you think that it might have anything to do with firmware?

 

its the cd drive in self sum inside is broken thats y it makein a noise

 

That's ok. I got it to work! Woot woot...I blew the vent where all the hot air came from. Then, I took my vacuum and blew out all dem ting full speed. It took me a few times but it finished successfully after I read some dua's. LOL

 

This laptop is like 10 years old LOL..256 RAM was the shit back in the day. Its suppose to have Windows 2000 on it. Its a Dell Latitude D830

 

thats the same issue with my old computer, but its a compaq deskpro somethingg meano dis shit is like older than me lmao it has 256mb too and it originally had win2k on it and i took my dell windows xp cd and it worked lmao iuno if its safe or not but this is been goin good for like 2 months. ;]

 

the dell boot cds arent any different than the regular ones..but keep in mind that when u boot windows off a cd..u still need to download the drivers for the sound grapic card pci card etc etc

 

try to get your hands a external cd-rom or just go get a new cd-rom if your able to pop out your old one, if your laptop is like 10 yrs old then its probably not even a burner, so might as well buy urself a slow burn for like $20, your computer cant process fast enuff for a high speed burner

 

yea a good program for backing up drivers that might not be there when windows refomats and reinstalls is drivermax. http://www.innovative-sol.com/drivermax/

 

id rather download the drivers from the pcs manufacture website..before i get the blue screen of death lol