Hmm, well I did consider that, I'm going to say I turned it on and that just happened(don't need unnecesary punshiment). Anyways Taw I need more specific instructions than boot the cd and stuff, so if you could give me some step by step ones I would appreciate it.

Curses! I missed the chance to abuse WinME again! Damn modem *grumbles*.

ok Jag, try this

when your pc first comes on, press the del key at boot. this will take you into your BIOS. got advanced, and change the boot order to cd first, then hd-0 (not 1, in puter terms 0=1, 1=2 etc) then floppy. save and exit, making sure your xp cd is in the cd-drive. reboot, then as it boots you'll "searching for boot record from (your cd device)" immediately followed by "press any key to boot from cd" do so, and you'll be taken into setup screens that will tell you what to do next. You're looking for "repair an existing windows installation"

if you get stuck, you know where we are, Esqy will be glad to help you I'm sure, I'm gonna be busy after tomorrow (unforunately )

Okay I'm gonna go tryt his. EDIT-When I start my comp. it brings me to the screen where it let's you start in safe mode,safe mode with command prompt, star Windoze nromally, etc. I pressed Del. but nothing happened and I was taked to the BSOD as usual.

Edited by - Jagged on 6/27/2004 12:34:21 PM

Edited by - Jagged on 6/27/2004 12:35:04 PM

no before that, when you switch it on at first. when you hear the beep and see the memory test run, anbd the hdds being detected (P.O.S.T. we call it, power-on self test)

I really really think you should get it down the shop for Windooze to be reinstalled, make sure they don't reformat it for you unless they really have to.

Memory test? On mine it just starts and goes to the selection screen. What shops do you suggest? Oh I got to this thing that is called the boot menu, would the things be in there? Here's what it says
1.normal
2. Hard-Disk Drive C
3.IDE CD-ROM Device
4.System Setup
5.IDE Drive Diagnostics
6.Boot to Utility Partition
Hope that helps.

Edited by - Jagged on 6/27/2004 1:40:30 PM

IDE-CD-Rom device should let you boot from the xp cd, but have a look in system setup first and report back, see if you can find something that relates to boot order. don't chnage nothing without asking first.

guess not jag, wish i could be of some help i'm just as lost, i have trouble making a backup let alone a boot disk

Yeah I found something called boot sequence, here's what it says.
1.Hard-Disk Drive C
2.IDE CD-ROM Device
I think I'm nearing my problem's end. I'm having dreams about me fidning a way through the problem but they only start after the problem is fixed and I'm buzzing around the internet and my normal activities, then I wake up and I have that glimmer of hope that God answered my prayers and fixed it, but there's that saying'God helps those who helps themselves' so I guess I'll have to work on it(I hate manual labor).

you should have the choice there to change the boot order (something like 'move up' or 'move down') move the IDE CD-ROM drive to the top of the list and put your HDD second, tell it to 'save and exit', confirm, and the computer will reboot.
Now, put you XP cd in, and it should come up. Thats about as far as i can take you, never actually reinstalled XP myself, so i wouldnt able to guide you...

good luck

erm.. sometimes reinstalling windows is not a good idea, simply because if the damage has infected system attributed files, or registry, reinstalling widows XP still will bug your comp with the same problem. What i usually do is Delete Windows(not including all the directories),System32,System Folder, then reinstall it with the install packages form Windows/options/cabs or Windows/options/install (not sure which one). of course u Must have DOS knowledge or you can't do this. And if You are using NTFS, I have no suggestions, because DOS environment is largely supported by FAT32. I prefer FAT32 over NTFS. because easier to reinstall my windows should it broke.

*Deleteing windows folder-accesing Dos environment(startupdsk-goto c:\windows by pressing c:, cd windows)-attrib all to be deleteable(attrib *.* -r -s -a -h)-delete all files in windows folder-(delete *.*)

argh i'm never gonna get paid, Goodbye a million credits

Sorry all that just went by my head, oh well, also , should I re-do the settings if I get it working?
Well I'l' get on reinstalling ASAP but right now I'm not feeling to good(too much gatorade!!). I envision a long and restless night with waking up in sweat, puke, and seeign smiling cows at the foot of my bed. Whoah did I say that last part out loud? People will think I'm on drugs!

Edited by - Jagged on 6/27/2004 8:44:44 PM

Gatorade's a drug .

just wondering, how would you put an external drive as an slave, or can you?