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From: Fred the Red Shirt on 14 Sep 2008 14:40
On Sep 13, 10:43 am, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...(a)charter.net>
wrote:
>
> ...
>
> I get a nice warm cuddly feeling from a Dell "Reinstallation CD", which is
> nothing more than a standard everyday Microsoft Windows install CD except for a
> file or two that identifies it as a Dell.  Anyone and everyone should spend a
> few extra bucks to buy the Reinstallation CD, either when placing an on-line
> order or after buying a Dell in one of the many mass market outlets.
> ...

I have one of those for Windows XP Home.

The instructions in the manual say to insert the CD and reboot.

The PC (an old DELL Inspiron 2650) does not boot from the CD.
But if I boot in safemode, I can explore the CD. If I try to
install however, I get a pop up that tells me to insert the CD
and reboot. Deja Vue all over again.

I tried coying the reinstallation CD to a USB flash drive and
then tried installing it from there. I got a message saying that
the current OS is more recent than the reinstallation CD an
it refused to install. I uninstalled SP2 and tried again, same
message. I tried to uninstall SP1 and the uninstall failed, now
I can only boot in safemode.

I used F2 to try to change the boot device sequence, but when
scrolling, the menu skips over the CD-ROM and will not let me
designate it as a boot device.

I read that I could download XP setup floppies, then boot off
the floppy drive, enter repair console and then designate the
CD-Rom as a boot device.

I have successfully booted from the floppies, but do not understand
HOW to use the repair console to edit the boot device sequence.

It looks like the set command might do it, but I am locked out of the
set command unless something else (a snap in???) is installed.

Maybe bootcfg would do it, but I haven't found the proper syntax.

A hardware solution was also suggested-removing the battery from
the motherboard to reset the bios to default. I almost got the case
open, but something near where the wifi would plug in seems to
be caught and I don't think I can get to the motherboard without
breaking something.

So, am I almost there? What do I do next?

The laptop was a gift from a friend, I have all of the original
paperwork etc.

I suppose that locking the boot device sequence to disallow
the removable media devices is some sort of security measure.
That is particularly annoying as the previous owner/user had
never even set passwords.

If I finally give up on trying to restore XP home, I may install
Win 2kPro, there is nothing on the hard drive that I actually
want or need and I downloaded and erased all of my friend's
data.

--

FF
From: Ben Myers on 14 Sep 2008 15:35
A couple of comments:

I suspect that either your Dell "Reinstallation CD" or the optical drive in your
2650 is defective. The 2650 does know how to boot from a CD. I have serviced
them and refurbished them. Good thing, too, 'cause it's not easy to start an XP
install from floppy. In fact, I have never seen XP boot floppies. But they may
exist.

Second, you might as well forget installing Windows from a USB device. Bill
Gates, Steve Ballmer, and their galley slaves have made it almost impossible to
do. In fact, I have not yet seen a "how to" for successful XP install.

Linux? Yep, it can be installed from a USB device... Ben Myers

On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:40:14 -0700 (PDT), Fred the Red Shirt
<fredfighter(a)spamcop.net> wrote:

>On Sep 13, 10:43�am, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...(a)charter.net>
>wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>> I get a nice warm cuddly feeling from a Dell "Reinstallation CD", which is
>> nothing more than a standard everyday Microsoft Windows install CD except for a
>> file or two that identifies it as a Dell. �Anyone and everyone should spend a
>> few extra bucks to buy the Reinstallation CD, either when placing an on-line
>> order or after buying a Dell in one of the many mass market outlets.
>> ...
>
>I have one of those for Windows XP Home.
>
>The instructions in the manual say to insert the CD and reboot.
>
>The PC (an old DELL Inspiron 2650) does not boot from the CD.
>But if I boot in safemode, I can explore the CD. If I try to
>install however, I get a pop up that tells me to insert the CD
>and reboot. Deja Vue all over again.
>
>I tried coying the reinstallation CD to a USB flash drive and
>then tried installing it from there. I got a message saying that
>the current OS is more recent than the reinstallation CD an
>it refused to install. I uninstalled SP2 and tried again, same
>message. I tried to uninstall SP1 and the uninstall failed, now
>I can only boot in safemode.
>
>I used F2 to try to change the boot device sequence, but when
>scrolling, the menu skips over the CD-ROM and will not let me
>designate it as a boot device.
>
>I read that I could download XP setup floppies, then boot off
>the floppy drive, enter repair console and then designate the
>CD-Rom as a boot device.
>
>I have successfully booted from the floppies, but do not understand
>HOW to use the repair console to edit the boot device sequence.
>
>It looks like the set command might do it, but I am locked out of the
>set command unless something else (a snap in???) is installed.
>
>Maybe bootcfg would do it, but I haven't found the proper syntax.
>
>A hardware solution was also suggested-removing the battery from
>the motherboard to reset the bios to default. I almost got the case
>open, but something near where the wifi would plug in seems to
>be caught and I don't think I can get to the motherboard without
>breaking something.
>
>So, am I almost there? What do I do next?
>
>The laptop was a gift from a friend, I have all of the original
>paperwork etc.
>
>I suppose that locking the boot device sequence to disallow
>the removable media devices is some sort of security measure.
>That is particularly annoying as the previous owner/user had
>never even set passwords.
>
>If I finally give up on trying to restore XP home, I may install
>Win 2kPro, there is nothing on the hard drive that I actually
>want or need and I downloaded and erased all of my friend's
>data.
From: Fred the Red Shirt on 14 Sep 2008 18:30

On Sep 14, 3:35 pm, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...(a)charter.net>
wrote:
> A couple of comments:
>
> I suspect that either your Dell "Reinstallation CD" or the optical drive in your
> 2650 is defective. The 2650 does know how to boot from a CD. I have serviced
> them and refurbished them. Good thing, too, 'cause it's not easy to start an XP
> install from floppy. In fact, I have never seen XP boot floppies. But they may
> exist.

Yes it knows how, but I have read that the feature is often disabled
and must be re-enabled to boot from the CD-Rom. The instructions
have found say to boot using six setup floppies downloaded
from microsoft and then use the recovery console to enable
booting from the cd-rom.

I've gotten as far as booting off of the floppies and running the
recovery console but the instructions do not say _HOW_ to use
the recovery console to enable booting from the CD-Rom.

That is why I went on to try to open the case and remove the
battery from the Motherboard.

Since I can explore a CD on other computers (indeed when I load
it it wants to install right away) I figure the CD is OK.

Device manager tells me the CD-Rom is working properly.
I can disable and re-enable, uninstall and reinstall it, but I
can no longer read a CD with it. When I put in a CD
a little spinning disc appears on the cursor and I can
eject it by right clicking on the CD icon and choosing eject.

At startup in safe mode there is a message that some hardware
will not work in safe mode. I do not know if it is normal for the
CD-rom to work in safe mode or not. Since I can no longer
boot except in safe mode, I do not know if the CD-Rom
works in normal windows.

In recovery console, what does the command:

bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings

do?

That sounds like it may be what I need to do.

--

FF

From: Ben Myers on 14 Sep 2008 21:10
Well, then, how about hitting the F2 key to enter the setup, then change the
boot order in the BIOS setup? Or power on the system, hit the F12 key to call
up the system boot menu, select the CD/DVD drive, and boot?

"The instructions I have found say to boot using six setup floppies downloaded
from microsoft and then use the recovery console to enable booting from the
cd-rom." Whoever told you this or wherever you found, it is a large warm pile
of horse manure, still warm and steaming. Booting from the CD/DVD drive is a
BIOS-controlled function, plain and simple. It has absolutely NOTHING to do
with Windows itself. I cannot believe the misinformation spread by some people.
To illustrate this to yourself, download one of the Linux Live CD ISO images
(e.g. OpenSuse Live, Mandriva Live), burn it to a CD (in a special way, not as
data), and boot the sucker.

Better yet, please cite a reference where you found this gem of computer wisdom.

.... Ben Myers

On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:30:07 -0700 (PDT), Fred the Red Shirt
<fredfighter(a)spamcop.net> wrote:

>
>On Sep 14, 3:35 pm, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...(a)charter.net>
>wrote:
>> A couple of comments:
>>
>> I suspect that either your Dell "Reinstallation CD" or the optical drive in your
>> 2650 is defective. The 2650 does know how to boot from a CD. I have serviced
>> them and refurbished them. Good thing, too, 'cause it's not easy to start an XP
>> install from floppy. In fact, I have never seen XP boot floppies. But they may
>> exist.
>
>Yes it knows how, but I have read that the feature is often disabled
>and must be re-enabled to boot from the CD-Rom. The instructions
>have found say to boot using six setup floppies downloaded
>from microsoft and then use the recovery console to enable
>booting from the cd-rom.
>
>I've gotten as far as booting off of the floppies and running the
>recovery console but the instructions do not say _HOW_ to use
>the recovery console to enable booting from the CD-Rom.
>
>That is why I went on to try to open the case and remove the
>battery from the Motherboard.
>
>Since I can explore a CD on other computers (indeed when I load
>it it wants to install right away) I figure the CD is OK.
>
>Device manager tells me the CD-Rom is working properly.
>I can disable and re-enable, uninstall and reinstall it, but I
>can no longer read a CD with it. When I put in a CD
>a little spinning disc appears on the cursor and I can
>eject it by right clicking on the CD icon and choosing eject.
>
>At startup in safe mode there is a message that some hardware
>will not work in safe mode. I do not know if it is normal for the
>CD-rom to work in safe mode or not. Since I can no longer
>boot except in safe mode, I do not know if the CD-Rom
>works in normal windows.
>
>In recovery console, what does the command:
>
>bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings
>
>do?
>
>That sounds like it may be what I need to do.
From: Fred the Red Shirt on 14 Sep 2008 23:58
On Sep 14, 9:10 pm, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...(a)charter.net>
wrote:
> Well, then, how about hitting the F2 key to enter the setup, then change the
> boot order in the BIOS setup?

See: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.sys.pc-clone.dell/msg/75ee6eb7162c0470?hl=en&dmode=source



> Or power on the system, hit the F12 key to call
> up the system boot menu, select the CD/DVD drive, and boot?

I'll try that next.

>
> "The instructions I have found say to boot using six setup floppies downloaded
> from microsoft and then use the recovery console to enable booting from the
> cd-rom."  Whoever told you this or wherever you found, it is a large warm pile
> of horse manure, still warm and steaming.  Booting from the CD/DVD drive is a
> BIOS-controlled function, plain and simple.  It has absolutely NOTHING to do
> with Windows itself.

Agreed.

>
> Better yet, please cite a reference where you found this gem of computer wisdom.

It was in one of these Usenet newsgroups. Problem
is there are too many of them. When looking for it,
I found this discusion of the recovery partition and
thought maybe it would be good to ask about the
recovery console.

Have you ever used the recovery console? Are
you familiar with the sytax of the available
commands?

Do you know what the recovery console command:

bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings

Actually does?

--

FF
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