Tom's Guide | Tom's Hardware | Tom's Games
 |
 |
 |
I am having serious issues with formatting my hard-drive after my system no longer became boot-able, likely because of a virus.
When I attempt to install Windows XP from the CD, I receive a message claiming that a partition does not exist. Thus, I used a Windows 98 start-up disk to enter "FDISK", but I receive yet another message that neither a FAT nor FAT32 exists (obviously, since XP employs NTFS). When I try to boot with a Windows XP start-up disk, a message says that a certain .dll file is not accessible, and that I have to install it before I continue. I seem to have come across a dead end.
I have never encountered anything like this before and honestly have no idea what to do at this point. Does anyone have any suggestions at all?
Read this kb article to format and re-install Win XP.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313348
Unity is strength.
0 
You were most of the way there with the 98 Boot Disk. If you had deleted the NON DOS Partition then you have effectively destroyed all of the data on the drive. After that format and reload XP.
0
Here is another thing that I noticed: When I attempt to install WinXP with the CD, I receive a message saying that my hard-drive is either not powered or not connected properly, although it is. Yet, after actually unplugging it completely and trying to perform the same operation, I receive an identical message. I'm starting to suspect that it may be physically damaged....although my system did indicate after booting that no hard-drive was present.
I understand how to delete/create partitions, and I have done this many times before. Yet, the Win98/Me start-up disks supposedly do not work because they require FAT16/FAT32 hard-drives.
0
...just to clear up my previous message, the system indicates that a hard-drive was not present AFTER I had unplugged it. This does not occur when it is plugged in properly.
0
Do you have your BIOS set to boot from A:
drive first?Are you using the install disk that came with your computer?
Sometimes the Bios works along with a manufacturers
priority program at the start of your drive.
What name brand and model number is your computer?
0
If you download and run DelPart, it will remove all partitioning. That 'should' allow fdisk to work if the drive is ok.
Do yourself a favor BACKUP!!!
0
If you have a Dell, you probably do not want to use DelPart. Dell probably has some restore data stored on the drive somewhere.
You should have put that info in 'Manufacturer/Model: -'
Do yourself a favor BACKUP!!!
0
Like ham30 said, "You should have put that info in Manufacturer/Model:-"
Knowing the manufacturer of the machine allows us to give advice that is specific to that brand of PC.
Your original post seems to indicate that you are using a Windows XP CD, yet Dell computers should come with a restore partition.
If you want to restore the machine to it's original factory configuration, press Ctrl+F11.
Please let us know if you found someone's advice to be helpful.
0
Here is some info that might be helpful.
Please let us know if you found someone's advice to be helpful.
0
Thanks for the information. I will not have access to the computer until Saturday night, so I'll post the status of it then after applying that function. Thanks again.
0  |
 |
 |
This post is quite old and has been locked from receiving new replies. Please create a new posting instead.
| Ads by Google |
