 What To Do At A:\> After I Used Ms-dos Disk Made From Windows Xp |
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 Aug 29 2008, 09:25 PM
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#1
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-November 07 Member No.: 169,172  |
I have an old Compaq Presario with Windows 2000. I noticed it was crashing more often in the last few months, so I decided to reformat it. I got a Windows 2000 disk from a friend and used it. The 2/10 times the computer actually booted from the CD (how painful!), it crashed while trying to load files and whatnot. I was sometimes asked something like "Please insert disk labeled Windows 2000 Pro Installation into A: drive" so I did, but it would give me a couple errors and ask me again for the Windows 2000 CD, or it would sometimes crash and give me the BSOD. So, suddenly, the third time it booted from CD, it actually worked! It deleted all the old files and started installing Windows 2000. But, in the middle of doing that, it crashed. Leaving my hard disk seemingly useless and at this point, I could no longer boot into Windows 2000. After a couple more attempts with a boot disk from bootdisk.com and MS-DOS thing from Windows XP formatting thing (it constantly gave erros like I/O Disk Error, or "the file is missing or corrupted: command.com, type a new one A>"), I tried a different floppy with MS-DOS thing, and it worked! But, now I'm at A:\> prompt and no clue what to do to either restore my computer and start fresh and install something. Thanks! (I'm not sure if that whole story was needed, but just in case there's an alternative) |
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Sep 20 2008, 07:52 AM
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#2
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 Distinguished Member Group: Members Posts: 674 Joined: 8-September 08 From: Laurel, Md Member No.: 237,030 |
Seems like a memory issue or a bad hard drive cable. Can you provide us with some system specs?
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Sep 21 2008, 10:51 AM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-November 07 Member No.: 169,172 |
I'm not exactly sure of what is included in system specs. And since it's down, I'm not sure how I can check them.
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Sep 21 2008, 11:10 AM
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#4
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Distinguished Member Group: Members Posts: 674 Joined: 8-September 08 From: Laurel, Md Member No.: 237,030 |
Is it an OEM like Dell, Gateway, Alienware, or something like that?
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Sep 21 2008, 02:30 PM
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#5
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 Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 187 Joined: 6-July 08 Member No.: 220,807 |
Most of the errors you have mentioned are I/O errors when the system cannot read from disks. The problem may be present in RAM, hard disk and cables.
Remove the RAM module(s) and re-seat them on motherboard carefully and firmly. Remove power and data cables from CD-Drive and Hard Disk and re-attach firmly. It may be possible that your CD/DVD drive has problems. You can use a lens cleaner. Now that you have possibly no data on HDD you can safely re-partition and format it. Use something like Seagate Disk Manager to do so or software for whatver brand hard disk you have. -------------------- Never argue with morons, its waste of time...
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Sep 21 2008, 02:50 PM
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#6
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 Computer Masochist Group: Moderator Posts: 8,465 Joined: 27-January 07 From: Cleveland, Ohio Member No.: 108,618 |
I feel your pain. Did you download all 4 floppies for W2k? You need all 4. You also need the makeboot.exe.
You are downloading images. When you're on the page where you downloaded the floppy, scoll to the bottom of the page for the instructions. Or go here and get an Ubuntu CD for free and When you get it in a week, you have an OS in 1/2 hour https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ -------------------- Mark
 why won't my laptop work? Having grandkids is God's way of giving you a 2nd chance because you were too busy working your butt off the 1st time around Avatar by Handplane |
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Sep 21 2008, 03:49 PM
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#7
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 187 Joined: 6-July 08 Member No.: 220,807 |
QUOTE Or go here and get an Ubuntu CD for free and When you get it in a week, you have an OS in 1/2 hour https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ If this person has problem with hardware, what can a linux CD do? -------------------- Never argue with morons, its waste of time...
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Sep 21 2008, 04:56 PM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-November 07 Member No.: 169,172 |
Thanks for the replies!
It's a Compaq Presario that's pretty old. 2 sticks of 128mb RAM, around 20gb harddrive, and i think 1.7gh processor. QUOTE(Romeo29 @ Sep 21 2008, 12:30 PM)  Most of the errors you have mentioned are I/O errors when the system cannot read from disks. The problem may be present in RAM, hard disk and cables. Remove the RAM module(s) and re-seat them on motherboard carefully and firmly. Remove power and data cables from CD-Drive and Hard Disk and re-attach firmly. It may be possible that your CD/DVD drive has problems. You can use a lens cleaner. Now that you have possibly no data on HDD you can safely re-partition and format it. Use something like Seagate Disk Manager to do so or software for whatver brand hard disk you have. I'm willing to try this. I've already removed and put back both RAM, and also did the memory diagnostics on both, individually. I'll do the other stuff like reattaching the cables, and I'll post results. Also, I haven't done that before, and sorry if I am a computer noob, but is there any certain way I'm supposed to reattach the cables? QUOTE(garmanma @ Sep 21 2008, 12:50 PM) I feel your pain. Did you download all 4 floppies for W2k? You need all 4. You also need the makeboot.exe. You are downloading images. When you're on the page where you downloaded the floppy, scoll to the bottom of the page for the instructions. Or go here and get an Ubuntu CD for free and When you get it in a week, you have an OS in 1/2 hour https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ Yeah, I have all 4 and made the floppies using makeboot.exe. Also, I have tried Ubuntu, but it has just gave me errors. However, I am considering trying that option again but writing the disk at a slower speed. Edit: After I put the RAM back in, it did the check on the RAM at the startup logo, and then said "164-memory size error" and another line which I missed. Then it also said that some component was updated. What does this mean? Is something wrong with the motherboard? Because it had happened with both RAM sticks put in individually. This post has been edited by trashcan7: Sep 21 2008, 11:16 PM |
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Sep 22 2008, 06:30 PM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-November 07 Member No.: 169,172 |
That's strange...I forgot how to edit my posts.
Anyways, it's just an update. I reattached the harddrive and CD drive wires, and tried installing Windows 2000 again. It was loading files and came up with errors like "Disk I/O Error Status 0000002a" or with numbers like 0000200, 00000037, and 00000010 then, it stops and has the message: "This disk cannot be read because it contains an unrecognized file system. Press any key to continue." What do these mean?? And also, when I continue the installation from the menu choosing which OS I want, it proceeds to the inspecting the disk, but about halfway through, it shows up with REGISTRY_ERROR BSOD. Also, question. What exactly are the boot disks supposed to do? This post has been edited by trashcan7: Sep 22 2008, 06:37 PM |
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Sep 24 2008, 01:35 AM
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#10
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 Distinguished Member Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 5-August 08 From: Brisbane, Qld Member No.: 227,713 |
QUOTE(trashcan7 @ Sep 23 2008, 09:30 AM) That's strange...I forgot how to edit my posts. Anyways, it's just an update. I reattached the harddrive and CD drive wires, and tried installing Windows 2000 again. It was loading files and came up with errors like "Disk I/O Error Status 0000002a" or with numbers like 0000200, 00000037, and 00000010 then, it stops and has the message: "This disk cannot be read because it contains an unrecognized file system. Press any key to continue." What do these mean?? And also, when I continue the installation from the menu choosing which OS I want, it proceeds to the inspecting the disk, but about halfway through, it shows up with REGISTRY_ERROR BSOD. Also, question. What exactly are the boot disks supposed to do? 1. QUOTE That's strange...I forgot how to edit my posts. Look down the bottom of your Post, you will see the Edit Button there. 2. QUOTE Anyways, it's just an update. I reattached the harddrive and CD drive wires, and tried installing Windows 2000 again. It was loading files and came up with errors like "Disk I/O Error Status 0000002a" or with numbers like 0000200, 00000037, and 00000010 then, it stops and has the message: "This disk cannot be read because it contains an unrecognized file system. Press any key to continue." What do these mean?? Different File Systems are used for Windows. Examples, FAT 16, FAT 32 and NTFS, there are many more. 2000 works on FAT 32 and NTFS. Read on. 3. QUOTE And also, when I continue the installation from the menu choosing which OS I want, it proceeds to the inspecting the disk, but about halfway through, it shows up with REGISTRY_ERROR BSOD. That one I think is interconnected with Wrong File Formate? But would have to leave that for someone more Technical minded than me. 4. QUOTE Also, question. What exactly are the boot disks supposed to do? The Boot Disks contain Tools to enable you to, enable DOS Drivers for your CD/DVD Drive, Partition your HDD under Fdisk, Format your Drive under Format C: (Notice the space after Format?) press enter then, then select NTFS? then press Enter? BTW you can do all these after the A: Prompt as you asked at first? About NTFS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS I hope this Helps a bit? 
This post has been edited by Abacus 7: Sep 24 2008, 01:57 AM -------------------- "Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying."
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Sep 24 2008, 07:10 PM
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-November 07 Member No.: 169,172 |
Thank you for your helpful reply. However, I will not use your advice this time around. Why?
I decided to try installing Windows 2000 one final time before going to the bootdisks. Well, it actually reached the part where it copies the files, but it crashed at around 89% with a Unexpected Kernel Trap BSOD. But, when I rebooted the computer, I tried to start up from the harddrive this time, and voila, it actually boots into Windows 2000! I'm not sure why. Maybe it was luck, maybe it was the fiddling inside around the computer. Thanks you guys, though. But, one last thing to tie up. It did crash in the middle of installation, so I'm guessing there's a lot of missing files. Chkdsk even came up with an error, although I didn't get a chance to write it down. How can I check for missing files and recover all of them? And also, when I start up the computer, it still offers the options for the OS: C:/ Windows 2000 Setup How do I get rid of the 2nd option and go straight to the OS? This post has been edited by trashcan7: Sep 24 2008, 07:28 PM |
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Sep 25 2008, 04:13 AM
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#12
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Distinguished Member Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 5-August 08 From: Brisbane, Qld Member No.: 227,713 |
It seems to me that the Install has still not been completed?
Click on Install again and let it complete? If it doesn't follow on with what I said earlier? Sometimes there is no easy way around a Hard Problem? Life is full of that?
This post has been edited by Abacus 7: Sep 25 2008, 04:17 AM -------------------- "Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying."
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