How can I get the DOS prompt when the laptop has no operating system on it. I have tried Ctr alt del on start up and keep getting the start windows normally etc screen but I need the dos prompt to re format or is there another way??
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Judy
"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
Hi Judy, if it is an old laptop it probably still have a cd drive, thus you should be able to stick in a boot disk as Frank indicated.
When the system starts it goes looking for a start up process (known as a boot file), typically this is on the hard drive, but if your hard drive has veeb formatted or replaced it will not be there anymore, thus you need to provide something to tell it how to start.
In the bios (the permenant program that is stored in the main processing chip) it has what is called a "boot sequence", typically this will indicate the hard drive first, then the CD, then the USB. The trap however is that some companies (and individuals) removed the CD & USB from the boot sequence, thus you may need to change this to get it to read from either (whatever you have).
To change the bios boot sequence you repeatedly hit a specific function key (on a Dell it is usually F8, or F2) to get into what is called bios setup, once there there will be an option to get to the "boot sequence", try not to change anything else, and if you do take the option to exit without updating.
Thanks, I have no boot disk, so I downloaded dos boot files to a USB and changed the BIOS to load USB first and the message now is "no bootable partition in table"
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Judy
"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
Thanks, I have no boot disk, so I downloaded dos boot files to a USB and changed the BIOS to load USB first and the message now is "no bootable partition in table"
If you tell me why you are reformatting your dell, I may be able to help you do that without a start up disk.
You may need grub, or puppy linux, grub will format and put a boot loader on for you, or you can use puppy linux directly from a usb or cd to check, format and set up your system.
Thanks, I have no boot disk, so I downloaded dos boot files to a USB and changed the BIOS to load USB first and the message now is "no bootable partition in table"
If you tell me why you are reformatting your dell, I may be able to help you do that without a start up disk.
You may need grub, or puppy linux, grub will format and put a boot loader on for you, or you can use puppy linux directly from a usb or cd to check, format and set up your system.
It is an old one given to me and there is no operating system on it or it is a damaged one / and no disks came with it. So I am trying to get back to the MSDOS prompt so I can reformat it and start from scratch.
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Judy
"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
If you intend loading a windows system, you may find it won't be compatible unless you have xp, or before. if you tell me the specs, ram HD size and which Intel chip it runs on, it shouldn't be a problem to help you get it running.
You can load any number of open source systems/linux ( all free) and it will run very well. Plus you will be using state of the art software and the learning curve is about 5 minutes. Android is open source and now has almost 90% of smart phone sales and the market, far superior to anything microsoft and apple produce and free.
All you have to do is download a linux which will work on your system. Have you gone into the bios and looked at whether there is boot loader or dos system.
If you would like an XP disc with a product key then if you PM me today with your postal address I will post you one in the morning.. I will be out of here tomorra and will be on the road for about 8 weeks but will still be online from time to time.. Other than that you can find my mobile number on the website below and give me a call..
-- Edited by oldbobsbus on Sunday 19th of January 2014 02:45:46 PM
I have tried an XP disc I have here but it must be conflicting with what is already on. So I thought if I could format it I could start from scratch, that it would work!!
But cannot get a dos prompt and have tried loading dos onto a usb but that does not want to work either, needs a bootable partion on the usb.
The system is a Pentium M, 512 RAM, 60gb HD, Intel 915m/910GML
Thanks all, I do appreciate all the advice
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Judy
"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
I have tried an XP disc I have here but it must be conflicting with what is already on. So I thought if I could format it I could start from scratch, that it would work!!
But cannot get a dos prompt and have tried loading dos onto a usb but that does not want to work either, needs a bootable partion on the usb.
The system is a Pentium M, 512 RAM, 60gb HD, Intel 915m/910GML
Thanks all, I do appreciate all the advice
Any linux distro will run on that machine very well and can be updated at will. You need to realise support for xp ends in April this year, you will have to search for any fix you may need and hope there is one around. Why don't you have a look at some linux distro's whilst waiting for your xp bootable disc. Linux mint is about the simplest and best to use and you don't need drive discs as just everything works out of the box. Have a look at these two distro's which will work for you and if they don't, puppy sure will and do will all the software that goes with them and all free.
http://linuxmint.com/
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop
http://www.puppylinux.com/
If XP bootable disc doesn't work the bios may need resetting or fixing. if so, can certainly get you up and running an open source system on the dell. If you want to try xp after that, you can as linux would have set the bios and boot loader for you.
-- Edited by native pepper on Sunday 19th of January 2014 05:43:34 PM
what do you see on the screen when you try to boot from the XP disc?
you are restarting the machine after you insert the disc I assume?
frank
I get the black screen that says "start windows xp" when you do it goes to the next black screen that says "start in safe mode, windows normally, etc I have tried both and it always just reboots.
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Judy
"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
