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Reinstalling Windows XP sp3 fails because it cannot find my cdrom drive.
I started having a lot of problems with XP a few months ago. Properties not working, services will not start, no systems restore, not being able to move files and no sound, and their are no network connections, but I can still get on line. And when I tried to fix something it would come back that I needed to reinstall XP. So I got a new recovery disc from Dell. But when I run the disc it stops setup when it can not find a CD Rom drive. I have checked the cables all seem to be correct. I have a Dimension 3100. It has 2 80 GB hard drives, a CD RW Drive and a CD-RW/DVD Drive. And in Device manager it shows a Nero Image Drive SCSI Cd Rom Device and device manager says they all are working properly. So I guess what I need to know is how to make XP setup see a CD Rom drive so I can get the reinstall done. Is their a way I can get setup to go ahead without finding the CD Rom drive. I am not a computer expert by any means. So I need step by step directions. I am afraid if I don't get the reinstall done soon XP might just quit all together. Can anyone help?
DELL-Vikram M
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December 14th, 2012 01:00
Hi Butch9557,
From your post, I am believe that you are trying to run the setup of recovery disk within the operating system. Is that correct? If so, I would like to inform you that you would need to boot from the recovery disk and go to F12 menu to do clean installation of Windows XP. Also, the top CD drive is the bootable drive and you will only be able to re install Windows XP from that optical drive. To proceed, please let me know if you have RAID configured on your system. We will proceed accordingly to re install Windows XP on your system.
Keep me posted. I will be glad to assist you further.
Floyd Gray
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December 15th, 2012 11:00
Yes I was running the recovery disc from the run comand.. I do believe I have Raid on my system. I do appreciate your help very much. I have allready backup my picture and most of my music., I don't think their is any thing else left that I cannot reinstall later over the internet. I have used the transfer wizard but I could not get it to write a disc. So I think I will be happy just to save My music and pics to have a good running computer.. Thanks you and with your help I will continue. WHATS NEXT?
Philip_Yip
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December 15th, 2012 13:00
Please follow my wiki A Clean Install of Windows XP in my Windows Reinstallation Guide pdf:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/t/19480753.aspx
I would advise upgrading your installation CD/DVD to XP SP3 and the latest Intel SATA Drivers, this is also covered in the guide.
Floyd Gray
3 Posts
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December 18th, 2012 20:00
ok I have been busy. But I still have not got xp installed. I run boot from cd, it goes good until it trys to start windows and I gets to intaltion has stopped can not find hard disc. So I have tried to run dianosic on hard drive on this site but it does nothing. Is thier a reliable place or way for me to fined out if thier is really somthing wrong with it? I can not run help and dianostics from with in my system it is not working (that is why I am here). I really need to get this done before I go insane
Philip_Yip
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December 18th, 2012 23:00
Again please follow the instructions in my Windows Reinstallation Guide pdf:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/t/19480753.aspx
I would advise upgrading your installation CD/DVD to XP SP3 and the latest Intel SATA Drivers.
In addition there is a section on Windows Startup problems, running the diagnostics and making a bootable Diagnostics CD. (Section 6).