Because it is a laptop you may not have a driver for the CD drive. I don't do much with laptop so I'm afraid I can't be of much help there. Just reread you last response. Can you enter the BIOS screens? If so, make sure the CD drive is set before the HDrive in the boot order.

0

I would suggest that you continue with the suggestions from OtheHill and not Greg E's position. While I respect his opinion I must disagree with it. Knoppix (or another type of bootable CD/USB flash)is your best solution to attempt a recovery of files. I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you goober.

0

You may not have enough memory to run the newer Linux Distro's, maybe try PuppyLinux! Make sure the Lappy Bios is set to CD first boot device. btw did the DELL come with a Full CD or a Restore Disk ?

0

Thanks for the advice, everybody! :) I think I've got it. I re-burnt the disk as an image, and that seemed to do the trick. I'm actually pretty impressed with Knoppix! I can see most of my files, but some of them look like they're missing. I do have these huge ntuser.ini files in several document folders. I'm wondering if they might be compressed bundles of the missing files. ?? Does anyone know?

0

Walter--i do have a recovery cd, but since it's an OS error, i'm afraid it will wipe out my data (Which is why i'm trying to rescue my files this way). What's your experience?

0

Knoppix should see the files as much as you can get to them. The only other solution would be to build a special type of bootable windows xp (barts) and use ntback to try saving more. Then reload the XP and apply the backup to the now hopefully working OS. I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you goober.

0