XP Not bootable?

Kerry_20

I am trying to reinstall XP on a new dell computer. The XP disk is not a bootable disk so I'm guessing I can just use a Windows 98 bootdisk. With doing this would I just use fdisk to erase the partions, reboot, create a partion, reboot, and then format the drive. Then start the compter with the 98 boot disk (enabling cd rom support) and open the WINNT file located in the i386 folder. Please correct me if i'm wrong on this. Also, can you delete NTFS partions with fdisk or will have to use Delpart.exe?

--Kerry

garv221

You could re-burn that cd into a bootable CD. Anyways, you need delpart on a bootdisk so you can whack a NTFS drive.

Ricka182

Or you could do a low level format. That will erase bring the drive back to factory condition. As for installing, I would just reburn the drive, but the bootdisk method will work as well.

Kerry_20

garv221 wrote:

You could re-burn that cd into a bootable CD. Anyways, you need delpart on a bootdisk so you can whack a NTFS drive.

How would I re-burn the the cd to make it bootable?

--Kerry

lazyart

Just boot up with the 98 disk, pop in the XP CD and run WINNT.EXE. You can manage things from there to set the size of the system partition. Once installed you can do the rest. Don't bother with FDISK.

rais

Kerry_20 wrote:

I am trying to reinstall XP on a new dell computer. The XP disk is not a bootable disk so I'm guessing I can just use a Windows 98 bootdisk. With doing this would I just use fdisk to erase the partions, reboot, create a partion, reboot, and then format the drive. Then start the compter with the 98 boot disk (enabling cd rom support) and open the WINNT file located in the i386 folder. Please correct me if i'm wrong on this. Also, can you delete NTFS partions with fdisk or will have to use Delpart.exe?

--Kerry

did u set the system boot from the cd drive? this shud resolve the issue of win xp cd booting up

Kerry_20

Yeah its just not a bootable cd. I tried to partion the drive just using the cd without fdisk and for some reason it will not let me and says something about smartdrive is needed?

--Kerry

Ricka182

Smartdrive is a file cache that speeds up the install process. Without it, it could take a few hours to copy files for Windows. It is on the CD. You could also try making new boot disks, or the re-burn method.

allylaurente

i thougt all xp license cd is bootable? is that a license CD

Kerry_20

It's a Dell cd.

lazyart

::groan::

I thought they only distributed recovery CDs....