Windows XP problam

You have to BOOT from your Windows XP CD and then select the quick format option then install Windows XP.  You can't do it from Windows XP (or XP Safe Mode). 

FYI, the correct install sequence (Physically disconnect any printer, all in one, scanner etc BEFORE starting the install) is (1) Install Windows (2) Install chipset drivers (3) Install Device Drivers such as sound video, etc. 

You have to BOOT from your Windows XP CD and then select the quick format option then install Windows XP

obviously.........as I said in my thread I was having problems due to viruses that made doing this the 'correct' way difficult

SO, i tried it in safe mode and learned I cant do that and now I am faced with the viscious circle my computer seems to be stuck in

SO, I posted the question(s) in this forum

I appreciate your reply but my question(s) was not answered

Could try the old FDisk method.

I had a similar problem a while back and used FDisk. Not sure if you have a floppy drive. I did not and had to use a USB floppy drive.

Search internet for how to make a bootable floppy with FDisk on it.

Once you make teh floppy, boot off teh floppy and use FDisk to delete, format, partition etc... This will erase everything on hard drive and then setup XP in the usual manner using the CD.

And before anyone asks.. yes.. It worked for me.

Some systems will boot from a USB device and some will not.  So it's a 50/50 chance if this system will do it.

But, the XP CD, being bootable should be able to do whatever is needed.

This is the first case, that I've come across, that wouldn't boot from the Windows XP CD, with virus/malware.

did anyone actually read my original post that laid out my scenario and question?

I changed the computer to boot up in safe mode in msconfig so unless that is changed in msconfig my computer will always boot in safe mode. I attempted to run Windows setup (from the CD!!!) in SAFE MODE. I get an error message while running setup saying I 'cant run setup in safe mode. setup will restart'. My comp then restarts but of course boots up in safe mode again. this is the circle I am referring to.

I dont want/need advice on how to reformat my machine, my Dell has a reformat partition. I am all over different ways of reformating I just didnt know setup could not be run from safe mode.

none of the 'shortcut' keys will work when my machine is booting up. F11, F12, del, etc do nothing when I press them at the Dell bootup screen.

My, my, my.  You ask if anyone has read your original post.

My question to you have you actually read the response - I mean read and understood - the post by fireberd?

He did give the you the ONLY solution to your issue.

wow.....not only another useless reply to this thread but also questioning my ability to comprehend a task like boot from the XP CD.

my frustration is getting the better of me here and I am sure I have offended enough people that I wont get any more help on this forum (I use the word help lightly). but seriously go back and read my question - "how can I get out of booting in safe mode OR how can I cancel windows setup from running". booting my computer from the XP CD is not the ONLY solution to those questions

jab, I would like to ask this as you do not specify: have you tried the F2 key? on my Dell this gets me to the BIOS, where you can change boot order if the pc is not set to boot from CD.

My ! My!

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed..  lol..    :emotion-11:

Hi Jabcp

When start your computer it will open automatically in safe mode because you already made that change from MSCONFIG. Right!

Then it should be a popup message before safe mode asking you (To proceed to work in safe mode, click Yes. If you prefer to use System Restore to restore your computer to a previous state, click No). Right!

So all you have to do is click No to restore your computer to a previous state, and  before you asks my answer is yes, it will cancel your boot in safe mode.

Hit back with result

Good Luck

my problem was correctly understood and properly troubleshooted (troubleshot? lol) on another forum.

My computer is now reformatted using the Dell reformat partition and for those of you keeping score at home 'restoring from the XP CD' was NOT the solution to my problem.

resetting the BIOS directly from the board allowed me to access BIOS and enable USB legacy support so my USB key board would work before windows was loaded to press ctrl-F11 to access the dell restore partition.

I copied and pasted my original post on this forum into another forum and my computer was reformatted and back to its original state the next day.

An interesting albeit confused thread  :emotion-43:

Original post probably caused some confusion followed by OP listing Function keys that didn’t activate usual boot partitions

But jec4312 did ask the $65k question “you do not specify: have you tried the F2 key”  :emotion-55:

Unfortunately OP didn’t answer that one

Typical, otherwise someone would have easily suggested keyboard issues & solution  :emotion-4:

After all the smoke, F keys weren’t doing anything because keyboard I/O wasn’t recognised

OK so the problem was a messed up System Setup or more precisely the nonvolatile BIOS memory

Simply resolved by resetting/clearing CMOS settings using temporary switching of system board jumper plug from password jumper (PSWD) socket to CMOS jumper (RTCRST) socket, as explained in User Manual

But no clear explanation what caused corrupt CMOS?

I said interesting because, OP quote “I ran into some virus/malware problems”

Could be wrong & probably just a coincidence, since haven’t heard of recent virus infecting BIOS

It’s been some time since the CIH (a.k.a. Chernobyl) virus or variants have managed to corrupt BIOS?