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Booting Windows XP but it's not letting me?


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#1
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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Hi,

I have a Dell C610 laptop with Windows ME on it. The laptop has not worked for a while and when you turn it on it goes to 'loading Windows desktop' and stays like that.

I have tried to boot it with a Windows XP disc (install XP onto it and wipe everything clean, I hope) and I set the boot order to have CD, DVD drive at the top, but I don't know where to go from there? Can someone help me?
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#2
Macboatmaster

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You have two other threads on GeekstoGo

Firstly this one
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1
which you posted in Malware on the 9 June, you replied once but then never responded to the second post by the Malware expert

The other thread here
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1
posted on 24 August was responded to on the same day and you NEVER replied.

Before we start to try and solve the problem, posting and not responding to see the matter through to a conclusion, successful or not, is extremely frustrating for the person who is attempting to assist.
Please assure me that you will continue with this thread.

I hope you do not find the reply unhelpful, trusting that you will appreciate the need to respond to completion, or at least to indicate that our assistance is no longer required.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 21 September 2011 - 06:25 PM.

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#3
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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You have two other threads on GeekstoGo

Firstly this one
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1
which you posted in Malware on the 9 June, you replied once but then never responded to the second post by the Malware expert

The other thread here
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1
posted on 24 August was responded to on the same day and you NEVER replied.

Before we start to try and solve the problem, posting and not responding to see the matter through to a conclusion, successful or not, is extremely frustrating for the person who is attempting to assist.
Please assure me that you will continue with this thread.

I hope you do not find the reply unhelpful, trusting that you will appreciate the need to respond to completion, or at least to indicate that our assistance is no longer required.


I understand the need to reply and apologise if I've caused any offense, however I didn't feel it was necessary to reply in the 2nd thread as I was given a link thought that was that. I see that it's frustrating though, I should've replied. Once again I do apologise and I appreciate the help I was given.

I will reply in this thread and let everyone know if I no longer need assistance.

Edited by Packet Of Rice Cakes, 21 September 2011 - 06:57 PM.

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#4
Macboatmaster

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Do you have a computer on which you can make a floppy please. and does that Dell have a floppy drive.
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#5
Macboatmaster

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I am signing off now it is 0208 in the UK
If it does not have a floppy or you cannot make one

Download this it is an ISO CD image, so you will need an ISO burning program.
http://www.allbootdi...Me_bootdisk.iso
Here it is.
http://www.terabyteu...ds/burncdcc.zip

If you can make the floppy that is easier of course
Here is that
http://www.allbootdi...k/WindowsME.exe

Make whichever is easier and see if the computer wil boot using one of those.
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#6
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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No, I have no floppy drive on the laptop either.

I do have a Windows XP disc with code though.
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#7
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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I am signing off now it is 0208 in the UK
If it does not have a floppy or you cannot make one

Download this it is an ISO CD image, so you will need an ISO burning program.
http://www.allbootdi...Me_bootdisk.iso
Here it is.
http://www.terabyteu...ds/burncdcc.zip

If you can make the floppy that is easier of course
Here is that
http://www.allbootdi...k/WindowsME.exe

Make whichever is easier and see if the computer wil boot using one of those.


I didn't see the links, I thought it was your sig. Why do I need these? And can I use a normal blank disc to put the image on? Thank you.
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#8
Macboatmaster

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I am going now.
You need the links to make the disc
As you cannot use the floppy you will have to make the CD
It is an ISO image so use the ISO burning link I sent
The instructions are on the link
Yes yyou use a normal blank writeable CD

Once you have the CD, boot the computer with it.

When you reply, I will not be back until about 1800 UK time, we can continue from there.

I have just read your opening post again and I am now in some doubt if you have managed to boot with the XP CD or not.
If that XP is available, by that I mean by way of legimate installation, with the product key not used on another computer and you can boot then you can use that to install on this computer, depending on the type of CD, as there are various restrictions on installing on a Dell or any other branded computer, with a XP CD. For instance some DELL XP CD`s will only install on a Dell as the CD must recognise the Dell setup to install.
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#9
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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I am going now.
You need the links to make the disc
As you cannot use the floppy you will have to make the CD
It is an ISO image so use the ISO burning link I sent
The instructions are on the link
Yes yyou use a normal blank writeable CD

Once you have the CD, boot the computer with it.

When you reply, I will not be back until about 1800 UK time, we can continue from there.

I have just read your opening post again and I am now in some doubt if you have managed to boot with the XP CD or not.
If that XP is available, by that I mean by way of legimate installation, with the product key not used on another computer and you can boot then you can use that to install on this computer, depending on the type of CD, as there are various restrictions on installing on a Dell or any other branded computer, with a XP CD. For instance some DELL XP CD`s will only install on a Dell as the CD must recognise the Dell setup to install.


No problem mate thanks for your help.

Yes, I have a Windows XP disc, it was made for me by one of my dad's friends who is very good with computers so I think it will work for the Dell as he knows the laptop is a Dell.

I haven't booted the laptop with the XP CD. I got the disc this morning and turned the laptop on, when it was starting up, before it gets to the desktop, it says press F2 for setup (I think) but I don't know how to boot from there with the disc. When I put the disc in before it went to desktop, it had three options, one was HDD Drive and two others were there but no CD Drive.
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#10
Macboatmaster

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Packet of Rice Cakes

Firstly may I point out to you that there is no need to quote each of my posts on your reply.. You only need to quote if there is a particular aspect you wish to draw to my attention.
Your last post raises two issues.

1. The XP CD

Yes, I have a Windows XP disc, it was made for me by one of my dad's friends who is very good with computers so I think it will work for the Dell as he knows the laptop is a Dell.

You need to speak to the person who made the XP CD.
You cannot simply copy XP installation CD`s adhoc and use them to install on another computer. It is in most circumstances a breach of the TOU (Terms of Use) friom Microsoft. Most XP Cd`s are a one licence, one use, licensing condition. In otherwords, if that XP installation to which this CD applies is in use on another computer, you cannot use it on this computer. There are exceptions to this general use condition. An XP CD can be made from an existing XP CD, to incorporate Service Packs, this is known as slipstreaming. There are also other circumstances where it is permissable to copy the Microsoft CD or indeed an OEM XP CD.
OEM refers to original equipment manufacturer - such as DELL.
However the important question is, as outlined, if the installation is already in use on another computer you cannot install it on this computer.
Clearly you have no XP Product key for the installaltion on this computer, as it is Windows Millenium Edition.

2. To set a boot priority to CD Drive you enter the BIOS on F2 normally, you then find the screen for Boot Priority and set that as CD for first drive. You save and exit those settings normally F10.
You then reboot with the CD in the drive and if the screen appears press any key to boot from CD you do so.
If having followed those instructions it will not boot to that XP CD, then discounting for the moment, any probelms with the CD drive itself, we can safely preume that the copied XP CD is faulty.
Try it in another computer, obviously NOT proceeding with setup.

3. Having looked at your other threads again it appears that the first mentionedin the Malware section, dealth with the same cxomputer and to some extent the same query

is there any way I can wipe it clean, I do not have the Windows disk it came with, I received the laptop from an old job I had.


To wipe the hard drive - format it - and giving due consideration to what was discussed in that thread, use the ISO CD image I sent you.
Following the instructions here.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867
which deal with the boot from floppy, but you will use for the boot from the CD, made from the link I sent you.
That of course again presumes that you can obtain a boot from CD

Edited by Macboatmaster, 22 September 2011 - 08:33 AM.

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#11
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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1. Is the product key the code you get with the disc? If so, I do have it, and it hasn't been used on any other computer before.

2. When I've gone on the bios and set the boot priority to CD drive, do I insert the disc with the computer still on then turn the computer off then on again and it should say on the screen 'press any key to boot from CD', what if that doesn't appear on the screen? Is it possible that the disc drive isn't working? I had it separate from the laptop and it may have gotten dusty so I don't know if it reads any discs at all, but the last time I used it for my laptop, it was reading discs (this was over a year ago).

3. The other thread I made was for a different computer which I have since sorted the problem for.
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#12
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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I have set the boot priority to CD drive, when I restart the computer, I get this message:

Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or currupt : \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced startup options for Windows 2000, press F8.

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows 2000 Setup using the original Setup floppy disk or CD-ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.

But when I press R, nothing happens.
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#13
Macboatmaster

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Set the boot priority save and exit that setting.
Reboot the computer with the CD in the drive.
If it does not then boot to the CD, watching the screen to see if the msg press any key to boot from CD etc.
Try the CD in another computer as I said on my previous post and see if the CD is readable.
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#14
Packet Of Rice Cakes

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Just tried the CD in this computer and it is readable, a Windows XP picture came up with 'Microsoft Windows XP SP3 2011' on it, it was the start screen thing. I closed it and took the disc out so the disc is fine I think.

The problem laptop does not boot from CD nor does the message 'press any key to boot from CD' come up.

Edited by Packet Of Rice Cakes, 22 September 2011 - 12:36 PM.

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#15
Macboatmaster

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What form of writeable CD is that.

It maybe that your CD drive cannot read it., while the other computer can.
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