wristshot,

Have you set the CD-ROM drive as the first boot device in BIOS?

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@Denny Denham wrote:
wristshot,

Have you set the CD-ROM drive as the first boot device in BIOS?

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Yes, I have, as I was able to boot from the Diagnostics CD.

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out.

w

If you can't boot from XP CD , you could try to Delete the partition(s) first then try to boot from XP CD.
You mentioned MAC so don't know if you have the DELL Drivers & Utilities (Resource) CD.
If the DELL Resource CD it loads the DELL Diagnostics if you boot from the Resource CD.
If so let the Diagnostics load then close with say X (not option if shown to re-boot) it should then show a DOS prompt , ie:   >
type FDISK  & press "Enter" key & if it has FDISK it will show the FDISK menu.
If so use menu to show partitions & also Delete the XP , C: partition , leave the FAT partition if any shown.
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If your Diagnostics CD doesn't have FDISK you can use a WIN 98 boot Floppy from
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 03-14-2004 09:14 AM

Just checked my two DELL Computers Inspiron 1100 & 2600 & found with the 1100 if you select CD using F12 at startup you can't close Diagnostics & then get DOS prompt > for FDISK , so you must set BIOS using F2 to first boot from CD.

Also with 1100 have to close Diagnostics menu with button to get DOS prompt >  .

With 2600 you have to close Diagnostics menu with "Exit" button to get DOS prompt >   .