What type of re-install are you trying to do? If a clean install (wiping out everything on the disk and then re-installing everything), boot into the Recovery Console and use the format command to format your disk. Then there will be no version of Windows on the disk to interfere with the re-install. If you want to do a repair re-install (thus, not having to re-install everything else), the culprit is probably the service packs you have installed. Go to Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs; then tell it to remove Service Pack 2 (or 1 if you never installed 2). That SHOULD let you re-install the original version of XP (but do not bet your life on it); another problem: the removal of a service pack CAN (relatively rarely) so mess up XP that you will have no choice but a clean install.
I wanted to perform a clean installation, because I suspect that there is something harmful is in there. The tech people who guided me through a recent debacle advised this, and somebody else, who was knowledgeable, too.
I have the original discs when I received the machine from Dell but I can't get past this initial roadblock that comes up.
I note that the Dells that were delivered in late 2004 had a repair disc with them that was easier to use. Could I obtain one of these?
Bill Snyder
266 Posts
0
August 6th, 2005 18:00
Dan_Johnson
36 Posts
0
August 6th, 2005 19:00
This is the correct procedure of clean reinstalling the Windows XP for your computer:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?c=us&cs=19&DN=1060556&type=SRG&l=en&s=dhs
Since this will delete all your data, first back up everything, before u do this.
Rivieraranch
88 Posts
0
August 6th, 2005 19:00
I wanted to perform a clean installation, because I suspect that there is something harmful is in there. The tech people who guided me through a recent debacle advised this, and somebody else, who was knowledgeable, too.
I have the original discs when I received the machine from Dell but I can't get past this initial roadblock that comes up.
I note that the Dells that were delivered in late 2004 had a repair disc with them that was easier to use. Could I obtain one of these?
Denny Denham
2 Intern
•
18.8K Posts
0
August 6th, 2005 20:00
You may find the instructions here and in the included links clearer than those in the Dell document.
Your version incompatibility problem occurs because you have not set the CD-ROM drive as the first boot device in BIOS.