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Help With Installing XP Please!!!
Hi, I have just been given an older Dell (L1000) and its running windows 2000. I am attempting to reformat the hard drive and install XP, but nothing seems to work. I first tried the add/remove programs to create a start up disk but the option for that was nowhere to be found. I then tried to reboot from the xp cd (changed the BIOS first) and it gets to a certain point then tells me that I can not run 2 operating systems at once. When I tried to type format C: I got the message that format was not a valid command. Am I doing something horribly wrong or is there a reason that this is not working for me?
Some reasons for that . .
You have not updated to the newest BIOS for the L series . . you have not set BIOS to boot first from CD . . you have the disc in the wrong CD . . Your CD drive is faulty. . You are not using an original XP installation disc
- Once you set your BIOS to boot first from cd . . when it restarts you will see a black screen with a prompt "Press any key to boot from CD" . . do that and you will be able to delete partitions and recreate one or more, then proceed to formating and installing XP.That message can pass quickly, so have a finger on the keyboard when you boot. This will delete all data on the drive so be sure you have your important data backed up. The prompt will appear after every reboot, but do not press any key on subsequent reboots. The setup process will continue with no action required from you.If you do not get that message, and you have another optical drive, try the XP CD in the other drive.
This is a great guide for reinstalling on a Dell: http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm
- Still confused...I went into the BIOS and set it to boot first from cd (not sure what it meant by not updated it to the latest version..how do I do that?). There is only one cd drive which works. The xp installation cd is the one that I had with my current Dell and has been installed on a laptop without problems....aaagghhhh, not sure why this isn't working!! I am able to start the installation process buth then get a message that I cannot run more than one operating system.
Dockland
110 Posts
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Posted March 9th, 2006 12:00