BleepingComputer.com: Dell XP computer won't boot

I had a virus and must have messed up my computer in trying to fix it. Now my computer won't boot. I can't get it to boot from the XP CD. In the set-up, boot sequence I set it only for the cd and I get "strike f1 to retry boot, F2 for setup". if I turn it off and on and hit f12 I get 5 choices; 1 normal, 2 ide cd-rom device, 3 system setup, 4 ide drive diagnostics, 5 boot to utility partition. None work. the diag says hd is fine. I'd like to reformat/reload xp on hard drive and can't. On another computer I can get the comuter to boot from the xp cd and it works

You can try resetting the BIOS to default settings...by temporarily removing the CMOS battery...and that might allow a boot.

What is the system model?

Louis

hamluis, on Jun 27 2009, 05:35 PM, said:

Where is the cmos battery?

Dimension 3000

Thank you for your help

Quote

It's a round silver color battery about the size of a nickel
You can get them at the drug store where they sell watch/hearing aid batteries
Just note the polarity when removing it
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/syst...s.htm#wp1076111

After you put it in, you will need to reset the date and time in the BIOS

This post has been edited by garmanma: 27 June 2009 - 09:18 PM