no one? :(

make sure you are using a boot disk with cd rom drivers on it.
try running the command format/s from the disk drive. this will copy the system files from the disk to the hard drive. then copy the entire disk to the hard drive to enable the cd rom drivers. you may have to edit the autoexec.bat file and config.sys to show the correct drive letter from a: to c: . then reboot. also check this link for a boot disk if you are not sure what you have.
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

if you are trying to load from the original cd for the machine make sure you have reset the bios to default and set it to boot from the cd in boot settings. this machine should boot from the original disk if you have it.

Message Edited by sleeplesman on 01-30-2006 10:44 AM

thanks for the help sleeplesman. i did what you sugested and it seemed to be going good, but when i restarted the computer and booted off the hard drive, after it goes through the windows loading screen it comes up and says:

Not ready reading drive A
abort, retry, fail?

this is after i swap the disk drive out for the CD rom :(

why is it still trying to read off the A: all the files from the boot disk are on the hard drive so it shouldn't be reading off there should it?
BTW i don't have the original CD from the computer, i do have a copy of windows 98 and windows XP but i havn't been able to get either of them to work yet...


any more suggestions?
thanks very much for the help :)

Ill try this one too.:)
Check in the bios and either disable the A drive or turn off A drive seek. I dont have my dell laptop here to look in. sister has it :(
might even try another bios reset to default after getting the os on the hard drive.

under the bios it has:

Removable Deviced
Internal HD
Network Boot
ATAPI CD-ROM Drive

it won't let me disable any of them, just change the order that they boot
and i don't have this so called "atapi cd-rom" i have the dell swapable A and Cd drives witch seem to both apear under "removable devices" but even when the CD is hooked up it still says that "diskette A: is attached"

ugh, this is so frustrating, i have had this laptop for months now and cant even use it :(

any other idea's would be grealy apreciated :)

Thanks

I would set the a: as the last in boot devices. set it in the order of cd rom, hard drive, removable drive. boot up with the cd in the slot. see if the cd is recognised. We need to get the cd rom to read. then we can copy the complete install cd to a folder on the hard drive and then run install from there.

ya thats kinda the problem though, i have it set to:

atapi CD-ROM Drive
Internal HD
network boot
and then removeable devices

but the problem is weather i have the A: or the CD pugged in, they both show up as the A: it doesn't seem to realize its not the A: when i have the CD plugged in, and i cant get it too read off the CD at all. the CD doesn't show up under the "atapi CD" i think that is a different brand CD its reffering too

I hate to admit it but it sounds like the cd has failed.

Im not giving up yet. :) with the cd in the slot what happens if you boot up and ignore the a: error? can you read the cd? does the cd disapear?

well i actualy already tested it in another computer, works just fine. im at a total loss on what to even try with this thing...