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Y

9070

April 10th, 2007 18:00

Win XP Home SP2, Dimension 8400, re-install not possible

Hello.
During the past few months I began to see that I really need to re-install Windows.
So, no problem with that, XP disc at hand so lets put it into the CD drive.
Launched the install, everything fine but then the setup went on to copy the necessary files from the CD and encountered a problem with copying a file, al8geb.sys I think its called, but what you gonna do? I just ignored and the message about experienced users and so on popped up, but who cares?
However, the setup continued by restarting the computer. I selected to continue with the Windows Setup (which is logical since Im wanting to re-install the software :)).
But the setup/computer, for some unknown reason, thinks that it cant detect any CD drives, which makes me wonder since thats where I just put my CD in and I can still operate the drive just fine.
Well, at this moment I am only left with the option to F3 out of the setup and restart.

I do want to add that this is my 3rd re-install and that it worked perfectly fine on the first 2 re-installs.
A secondary problem is that the computer asks me to decide between regular XP Home bootup or Windows setup on EVERY boot process and I cant find a way to somehow... maybe stop the setup.

So, to summarize:
a, setup cant copy a file from CD because it "supposedly" doesnt exist
b, setup cant detect a CD drive and therefore cant proceed with installing Windows
(c,) after having failed to install Windows, the Windows Setup option pops up on every boot up.

Thank you a lot in advance!

10 Elder

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43.6K Posts

April 11th, 2007 00:00

If you have all your stuff backed up on CD, and this system was shipped after July 14-2004, don't bother with the reinstall. Press Ctrl-F11 before XP starts to load and follow the prompts. That'll reset the hard drive to exactly the way Dell shipped it. Just remember that you will have to reinstall ALL microsoft updates again.

Did you reformat the hard drive first? Did you change BIOS setup from RAID AUTO/AHCI to RAID AUTO/ATA (assuming you don't have a RAID setup)?

I can't find a single thing on google for "al8geb.sys" so guess again at the name of that file.

Maybe you should read these guides to reinstall your 8400:
http://www.djdenham.com/8400%20Special.htm
http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm

Ron

13 Posts

April 11th, 2007 09:00

Oh, sorry, I didnt state clearly enough that I do not want to perform a complete clean re-install of Windows with disk-format and stuff.
I only want to do the... well, forgot how the option is called... anyway, the first available option at the setup (the second would be to replace the current OS and format the HDD).

10 Elder

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43.6K Posts

April 11th, 2007 16:00

Boot to the desktop.
Click start>run
type in: msconfig
click OK
click Boot.ini tab
click Check Boot Paths button
accept offer to remove defective boot path
exit and reboot.
That should stop the choices at boot up.

Now boot from XP CD. Press Enter at first screen, not R. You should see XP user license appear. Accept the license and press R at next screen to run Repair/Reinstall of XP. Personal files and software will be ok, but you'll have to reinstall all XP updates and hotfixes again.

Ron

13 Posts

April 13th, 2007 11:00

Boot path seem to be OK, so its not possible to stop the setup process.
Furthermore, booting from the XP CD is also not possible anymore (anymore cause I performed re-installs before, but that was like 1 year ago). Maybe the disc is damaged? The disc does not have any physical damage, but who knows? Theres 1 file missing (definitely al8geb.sys), which could indicate some form of damage.

10 Elder

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43.6K Posts

April 13th, 2007 15:00

Previous reinstalls should not stop you from booting from XP CD. Try the CD in another PC. Sure the drive is working properly? If you have 2 optical drives, try the other one.

Run BIOS setup and change the boot sequence so CD is first. Save the change, put the XP CD in the drive, then exit setup. It should boot from the CD.

Can't find anything about al8geb.sys, so I have no clue what that might be.

Does the CD have the same version of XP as on the hard drive. Is the CD XP SP1 but you have SP2 on the hard drive?

Ron

13 Posts

April 14th, 2007 13:00

Both are SP2

It wont boot from the CD, no matter what I do with it

Message Edited by Ycon on 04-14-2007 09:44 AM

10 Elder

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43.6K Posts

April 14th, 2007 23:00

See if some other PC will boot from the XP CD. And/or, if you have a boot CD from some other application (eg. Norton) try booting with that one to test your optical drive.

Put a CD in optical drive, reboot and press F12, go to utilities partition and run diagnostic tests on your hardware.

Ron

13 Posts

April 16th, 2007 11:00

Other discs worked fine (like Linux for example).

10 Elder

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43.6K Posts

April 16th, 2007 16:00

Try booting some other PC with the XP disk. It's possible it got damaged.

Ron

13 Posts

April 20th, 2007 13:00

What am I supposed to do if the disc is damaged (which should be the only possible option left)?

10 Elder

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43.6K Posts

April 20th, 2007 16:00

If the CD is damaged, you may have to buy a retail version of XP. There's always ebay...but make sure you get an authentic product key and have an 'out' (eg, return option), if MS decides the 'key' is fake or stolen.

Ron
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