More computer help -.-

[Myrrh]

Ok well i finally got a windows cd to fix my laptop and i started reinstalling it but once it got to 53% it wouldn't download the other files and when i quit to restart it said the cd was not there. right now i am just thinking i should throw it out my window. I mean it will be faster then me SLOWLY breaking it. lol can anyone help me at all?

 

[Sculli]

Most semi-recent laptops will boot from CD. If not, you may need a boot disk that loads the driver for the cdrom. Sometimes it takes a long (and I mean like 30 minutes long) time for Windows installations to continue, I'd just try it again. Clean the CD. Hopefully that will do it.

 

[Myrrh]

Well i got a computer guy here helping with my computer and my laptop and he told me that the windows disk is messed up and i need to get a new one so he gave me a windows xp pro or something like that and now i also need to reformat my computer cause well computers hate me and they like to make my life hard lol

 

[Sculli]

IMHO reformat is the best way to go anyway, the "upgrade" option from a running Windows installation will leave too much useless junk on the machine.

 

[Myrrh]

Ok i am truly getting pissed off. I get my computer fixed and i'm happy and today i got my windows xp pro cd for my laptop. But now the laptop will not read the disk, its a new disk and i tried it on my computer to see if it was broken but nope it works fine. I have tried other cds on my laptop(an old windows cd) and it works but refuses to download the damn files.

I am really gettting pissed and i know a bit about computers(not alot but a bit)

Can someone tell me why my laptop refuses to read the cd. the cd reader isn't broken it read my other windows cd?
Now i'm thinking maybe i should just send it to the shop cause i seem to be breaking it more. Can anyone help me lol

 

[Mokk]

restore/backup discs 4tw... i know that doesn't help a whole lot right now but it's a real good note for the future, hope everything works out for ya, that sucks.

 

[Darkdante]

Not sure if you can do all this but might as well post it anyway.

Couple things to try.

1. If you can access the cd from another computer you can try to reburn the cd and see if that works. Sometimes burning the cd to another cd works.

2. You going to have to find some way to get all the cd contents onto the harddisk drive. On one of my laptops at work, I have no CD drive, and no floppy. How do you reformat such a laptop?

You can buy a $20 IDE laptop connector from compusa, this is used to connect a laptop harddisk to a desktop computer. You put all of the windows xp contents in a folder on the laptop drive after you reformat it.

On the root (the main space not in a folder, I guess what you call C put the contents of a windows ME or Windows 98 SE boot disk. make sure to include Smartdrv.exe.

When you reinstall the harddisk into your laptop it should boot into dos. Make sure to start up smartdrv.exe then navigate to the folder with the xp CD files. Look for the folder I386 and in it should have a file called winnt.exe

start winnt.exe from dos, this is the 16 bit windows xp installer. You may or may not need to restart this process couple times before it goes all the way, when it does you'll have a normal windows xp installation.

Hope that was kinda clear lol. If not just look online how to install windows xp from DOS.

And don't believe the non-belivers that tell you, you can't install xp from DOS because there are many of them. :biggrin:

 

[CmdrFly]

Can someone tell me why my laptop refuses to read the cd. the cd reader isn't broken it read my other windows cd?

One thing I have learned several times: never rule out the possibility of failing hardware. It sounds to me like there's a problem with the laser and/or head assembly in your CD drive. Hell, it might just be dirty - you can buy CD laser cleaners from London Drugs and such for ~$25 cdn.

Options:

1. Find someone with a laptop that looks the same as yours. The model number may be different, but as long as they are the same brand, there is a good chance their CD drive will work in your laptop. Pop yours out, pop theirs in, try again.

2. Take it into a shop and ask if they have a known-good (read: working) cd drive they can try in your notebook. They may charge you for their time, but make sure they know you are not buying a CD drive until you are certain that's what the problem is.