yes. like i said, it only won't boot off an xp disc. It will boot off the dell resource cd, but i can't start setup that way because it assigns ramdisk letter C:
I've also updated the bios, and tried disabling all other boot devices except the cdrom, and it just will not boot from an xp disk.
Sorry...anyway, i need to reinstall windows xp on my dimension 2100, and im trying to boot off the windows xp cd. It won't work. The only cd i can boot off of is the dell resource cd, but then starting the setup off the cd i get an error that my hdd doesn't have enough free space (the disk makes ramdrive C:) so basically i am royally {censored}. I've noticed all models of this computer have this problem...so it's not just me. Does anyone know what i can do to make this thing boot off an xp cd like a normal computer??
So essentially, You are saying, the Dimension 2100 will boot from a CD but will not boot from the Windows XP disc that you have? Since it does boot from a CD, can the Windows XP disc be the problem?
Is it possible to try the Windows XP in another machine?
the xp disc is good. I have a couple that i tried just incase. It has something to do with emulation booting...i had an hp laptop that wouldn't boot from an xp disc either...but as it stands there's 2 2100's in my shop right now that need reinstalls and they won't boot from an xp disc.
I have a dim 2100 too and it crashed with blue screen of death after 5 years of good performance. I spent hours with dell support, who told me that I had to reinstall the operating system. I had the original OS disks with Windows XP Home in my software package, so I broke the seal and tried to clean reinstall. It failed. There were errors writing files and copying files. Dell support said there must be something wrong with that disk. They were kind enough to send me another XP reinstall disk... this one an updated version with service pack 2. I tried to install it, but I got an error message at the outset stating something to the effect of : Disk not bootable. Insert BOOT disk in A:
Since the tech person sent me a brand new disk, he stated that it must be the hard drive and that I should buy a new hard drive and try installing off of that. So, I bought one with a bit more space and more cache (Western Digital 40) but the computer won't read the new XP disk as a boot disk. The BIOS is set to boot from CD drive NOT floppy... so I don't know why it keeps asking for disk in drive A. I even disconnected the floppy drive.
The old XP reinstall disk loads and boots, but when it begins to copy files there still are errors reading and writing. Once, I got as far as the "out of the box experience" but then the program quit with a blue screen error.
Can someone please explain why the new disk doesn't read as a boot? I can also load the drivers and utilities disk with no problem.. so I don't believe it's the cd drive that is faulty. Dell tech support is now telling me to buy a CD drive and install that. Before I do that can anyone suggest another thing to try?
Hi, I'm actually a tech. I do dell warranty work. I've been fighting with an out of warranty dimension 2100 for 3 weeks now and so far what I have figured out is:
1. It's not a hardware issue. I actually suspected a virus and replaced the motherboard, HDD and optical drive.
2. It WILL boot a non-OEM XP cd. (a retail version will boot just fine)
3. Dell's OEM install CD's must be tagged to only boot on a dell system and the 2100 for whatever reason is not on the allowed list so it bypasses.
4. I have not found a workaround yet to utilize the Dell OEM CD.
My problem turned out to be a faulty memory chip. I bought and installed more memory and the disk booted. This was the problem all along. (I think) and I have a new hard drive, new battery, and lots of operating system disks. But thanks for the help.
I did finally find a workaround to use the DELL OEM windows XP home SP2 cd. I downloaded the 6 disk floppy install from microsoft. booted it, and it then was able to install off the CD.
chris9581
4 Posts
0
April 24th, 2006 15:00
Skybird
10.9K Posts
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April 24th, 2006 15:00
chris9581
4 Posts
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April 24th, 2006 15:00
Skybird
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April 24th, 2006 18:00
but will not boot from the Windows XP disc that you have? Since it does
boot from a CD, can the Windows XP disc be the problem?
chris9581
4 Posts
0
April 25th, 2006 14:00
persephone2000
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August 21st, 2006 15:00
I have a dim 2100 too and it crashed with blue screen of death after 5 years of good performance. I spent hours with dell support, who told me that I had to reinstall the operating system. I had the original OS disks with Windows XP Home in my software package, so I broke the seal and tried to clean reinstall. It failed. There were errors writing files and copying files. Dell support said there must be something wrong with that disk. They were kind enough to send me another XP reinstall disk... this one an updated version with service pack 2. I tried to install it, but I got an error message at the outset stating something to the effect of : Disk not bootable. Insert BOOT disk in A:
Since the tech person sent me a brand new disk, he stated that it must be the hard drive and that I should buy a new hard drive and try installing off of that. So, I bought one with a bit more space and more cache (Western Digital 40) but the computer won't read the new XP disk as a boot disk. The BIOS is set to boot from CD drive NOT floppy... so I don't know why it keeps asking for disk in drive A. I even disconnected the floppy drive.
The old XP reinstall disk loads and boots, but when it begins to copy files there still are errors reading and writing. Once, I got as far as the "out of the box experience" but then the program quit with a blue screen error.
Can someone please explain why the new disk doesn't read as a boot? I can also load the drivers and utilities disk with no problem.. so I don't believe it's the cd drive that is faulty. Dell tech support is now telling me to buy a CD drive and install that. Before I do that can anyone suggest another thing to try?
Scotty750
2 Posts
0
February 28th, 2007 00:00
persephone2000
9 Posts
0
February 28th, 2007 12:00
Scotty750
2 Posts
0
March 11th, 2007 04:00