[amypowers]

My laptp was working fine on Saturday, and when I went to turn it on yesterday it says operating system not found.

When I turn it on it scans through the memory and all devices and I dont get any error messages. But then it tells me operating system not found.

It was running Windows 2000. It is an older laptop, but it was cleared off and wimdows 2000 was put on it.

Please tell me what I need to do. I would like to get windows xp or vista if you think thats possible.

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Pls clarify, you say It was running Windows 2000. It is an older laptop, but it was cleared off and wimdows 2000 was put on it. WHAT is on now if Windows2000 was cleared off.

What is the make and model of laptop please. It will most likely be the win-ini and boot loader files corrupted.

[Macboatmaster]

Pls clarify, you say It was running Windows 2000. It is an older laptop, but it was cleared off and wimdows 2000 was put on it. WHAT is on now if Windows2000 was cleared off.

What is the make and model of laptop please. It will most likely be the win-ini and boot loader files corrupted.

[amypowers]

Sorry. I should have read what I wrote. It is running Windows 2000 now. Everything else was cleared off of it.

I did not bring the paper that i wrote down the make and model on. I will have to check on that.

[123Runner]

If it has windows 2000 on it, it might make a XP upgrade. It will most likely not be able to upgrade to Vista.

Is the hard drive seen in the bios?
Reboot the system and at the first post screen (where it is counting up memory) start tapping the DEL or F1 or F2 or Esc or F10 button
This will enter you into the Bios\Cmos area.

[Macboatmaster]

Please post make and model as I asked, when you get chance.
Many laptops require a second key to be pressed to enter BIOS setup, albeit that many do enter with only some of the keys suggested.
On many laptops F10 is the recovery partition. If it is ON THIS ONE and you proceed, not realising what you are doing you will DELETE everything and restore to original condition

[123Runner]

Which laptops boot the recovery with F10?
I have only found Gateway as a alt plus F10.
Others are ctrl plus F11 or just F11

[123Runner]

New info supplied by Macboatmaster regarding other keys available to enter recovery.
As stated (and as it always should be) You should always be careful when selecting options that are presented.
Read what is on the screen.

When the VAIO logo appears on the computer's screen, briefly press the F10 key on the computer keyboard.

E systems. To start the recovery, press the F10 key when you first turn on your computer. Tap F10 repeatedly until you see 'Starting System Recovery'.

Your Advent computer uses the latest recovery system that doesn't require any CDs or DVDs to restore your PC to it's original factory condition.

There are two ways to start the recovery -
Restart your computer. Then Press F10 repeatedly until the message "Starting System Recovery" is displayed