The error means that setup cannot find your hard drive.  This is a common occurrence with Windows XP since SATA drivers are not ordinarily included with the Windows XP installation CDs.  If you received the CD with the computer, Dell often does include these drivers, so the first thing I need to ask is if the disk you're using shipped with the computer.

If not, you only have a few options.  First, you can enter system setup (F2 during the self test that occurs after you start or restart the computer), and set the SATA controller to RAID Autodetect/ATA.  This setting allows Windows setup to use the IDE drivers that are included with all Windows installation disks.  It causes the BIOS to translate the SATA interface to one that looks like IDE.  You get none of the advanced features of SATA disks this way, but most people can't tell the difference between this setting and the settings for the Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) ordinarily used for SATA and RAID.

Second, if you have a 3.5" diskette drive you can copy the SATA AHCI drivers to a diskette and load them when setup gives you a prompt to press F6 to load third party SCSI drivers.  This is a non-starter for most people because Dell hasn't shipped a computer with a diskette drive (unless you ordered one) for more than five years.

Third, you can go here, www.nliteos.com, and learn to slipstream the SATA drivers into a new Windows installation disk that you make using the files from your existing Windows CD and the SATA driver files.

Thanks for the quick reply well it came with Win 7 pro i will try out with the bio settings if that dont work i will go ahead and do the splitstream i have made custom install disk for myself using nlite.

Thanks once agian I just was working on this over 3 nights after work and was getting on my last nerv lol

You are very welcome.  Best of luck to you.