Can't boot from CD or Hard Disk

Question

I acquired a Dimension XPS 800r along with some property, and it was virus infested, so not needing or caring what was on the disk, I deleted the partition, created a new one, reformatted the disk, and intended to do a fresh install of Windows XP. However, now the system will not boot from the CD, but only from a DOS Startup diskette. I then tried cloning the entire hard drive from another Dell system, and the cloned drive booted fine on the other system, but when re-installed into its original system, it would not boot. It actually shows the safe mode boot menu, and if I choose safe mode with command prompt, it gets as far as Mup.sys and then dies. By the way, it did boot Windows XP from the hard drive when I first turned it on, and showed lots of virus warnings from Norton Antivirus. I did not note what virus it was contaminated with, and do not know what damage it did, but is there any likely remedy? What damage could a virus have done that re-imaging the hard drive wouldn't remove?

zbestwun2001 · Answer

Hello, Go to here and download HiJackThis to its own folder that you create on your C:\ drive at C:\HJT. After it is downloaded open the program and click Scan and Save to log. Post the log that it generates in the HiJackThisForum for analysis. Steve

zerubbabel · Answer

I sure appreciate the help, but I can't boot Windows, only MS-DOS, and HijackThis doesn't appear to run from DOS... Is there a DOS version?

zerubbabel · Answer

Yes, thank you, that I have already done. I wish it were that simple.

zerubbabel · Answer

More symtoms: Since I was able to boot the system from an MS-DOS startup disk, I reformatted the hard drive with that, making it bootable, and was subsequently able to boot from the hard drive running MS-DOS. But still I cannot boot from the CD-ROM so as to install Windows (or anything else) on the hard drive. I tried swapping out the CD with one from another system, that I know works fine, and there was no difference. It will not boot from the CD, even though I have the BIOS set to boot first from the CD.

When running MS-DOS (whether having booted from the floppy or the hard drive), I can *read* CDs, so obviously the CD-ROM drive is working, but I cannot boot from them.

Message Edited by zerubbabel on 09-12-200610:34 AM

ky331 · Answer

when you first power up, there should be a quick message about hitting a key to run the SETUP utility... I don't recall... it may tell you to hit F2, or ESC, or some key....   if you can do that, and enter the SETUP utility, there should be an option there about your bootup sequence.... be sure to choose the option which says to try to boot from CD (and floppy, if you wish) first, then from your hard drive.

BigBossMan · Answer

Save yourself the headache and have one of us Tech pros take a look at it and fix the problem.   :-)

zerubbabel · Answer

Well, it's an old system, not under warrantee, and not worth the cost of a technician coming to service it, if that's what you mean.

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