While installing the Windows XP operating system on some of the “HP Compaq dc7600 CM” computers I came to a strange problem – the Windows XP CD did not boot. The solution to this strange behavior was to disable the “Hard Disk Emulation” in BIOS for the first (text) phase of the Windows XP installation. After the text phase, the “Hard Disk Emulation” must have been re enabled because without it the system couldn’t boot from the hard drive.
This was strange and I don’t know what can be causing it. However, the mentioned trick does the job 
thanks very much , but am not found Hard Disk Emulation in setup can you help me because i have the same problem ???HP Compaq dc7600 CM” computers and Windows XP installation
Hi, it seems that you must have a different version of BIOS if you do not see Hard Disk Emulation option in setup. At what moment exactly the boot process stops – does it even try to boot the CD or not?