In desparate need of help...

[theHNIC]

I am considering formatting my computer and doing a clean install of WinXP. Can someone tell me how to boot up to the command prompt so I can do the format, I have already set the bios to boot from the cd-rom.

If there is an easier way to do this can someone let me know.

[spigidygak]

Just boot off the xp disc. . . there is a utility on the disc that lets you reformat or do whatever you feel like doing before installing xp.

[theHNIC]

I tried what you told me but it didnt give the option to format and install, when I tried to do a clean install it said that the program was already running, figures.

[theHNIC]

PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM

When trying to boot from my cd-rom it says that the device isnt found.

Is there a way to boot up to the command prompt to do a format. I also should make a boot disk for XP Pro, can someone lead me in the right direction on how to do this since it doesnt have that option on the disk or anywhere that I have checked?

[spigidygak]

There is no way to boot up to the command prompt since dos is not in xp. . . its emulated in xp ui but other than that its nonexistent. It sounds like you don't have a legit xp disc 'cause it should be recognized as a boot disc and boot up to setup without a hitch. . .

[DaFunkyUnit]

try using the XP boot disk

www.bootdisk.com

(this has been discussed before on this forum. too lazy to search for it)

[sbp]

PEBKAC

-cpugeek

[theHNIC]

Originally posted by spigidygak
There is no way to boot up to the command prompt since dos is not in xp. . . its emulated in xp ui but other than that its nonexistent. It sounds like you don't have a legit xp disc 'cause it should be recognized as a boot disc and boot up to setup without a hitch. . .

It is a real XP disk, when I boot up after the cd-rom is set as the first boot device, somewhere along the process it says "Boot for ATAPI Cd-rom: Not Found" and it boots up as normal.

[caribiner23]

Dirty CD or CDROM lens, maybe?

Is this a retail version of XP or an OEM version? Not that it makes a difference, but I've run across earlier versions of Windows on OEM disks that weren't the same as the vanilla M$ disks.

Just for grins, you may want to open up the case and reseat the cables for your CDROM drive.

And now that I think of it, is the CDROM plugged into an IDE port on your motherboard, or is it hanging off a sound card or plugin IDE card?

[Cantacuzene]

When booting from the cd, choose "Repair an Installation" That will allow you to format.

[theHNIC]

Originally posted by caribiner23
Dirty CD or CDROM lens, maybe?

Is this a retail version of XP or an OEM version? Not that it makes a difference, but I've run across earlier versions of Windows on OEM disks that weren't the same as the vanilla M$ disks.

Just for grins, you may want to open up the case and reseat the cables for your CDROM drive.

And now that I think of it, is the CDROM plugged into an IDE port on your motherboard, or is it hanging off a sound card or plugin IDE card?

OEM version, I have already reseated the cables and changed from master to slave with my cdrom and cd-burner...and the cd rom is plugged into the ide port on the motherboard.

[spigidygak]

Check your bios again then. . . its definitely not set right there then if you can't boot of the disc still and everything is hooked up right.

[Jeffbx]

Here you go - (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q310994) you can get setup floppy images from this link in case you just can't boot from your CD.

[Maarchk]

It is possible your computer is old enough to not be able to detect it.. on my old systems, i would have to use a floppy to load cd drivers before it could load a cd even if it was xp... now a days, i guess the mobo has drivers built in or something, it can autodetect the cd.. so my guess is your system might be too old so you need to use floppy to get command to get to cd to get to setup to get to xp to get to crash... gosh what a fun day :)

Maarchk