Re: Compaq Armada 1592DT


"Skavenger" <bilharvs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dhri1s$jio$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> The Laptop is running Windows Millenium, pressing F8 only gives you 4
> options
>
> 1. Normal
> 2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
> 3. Safe Mode
> 4.Step-by-step confirmation
>
> Once its booted up there is no option to restart in command prompt mode so
> I cannot boot from CD or Floppy.
>
> All I want to do is Format the Hard Drive and carry out a clean install of
> probably Win98 its an old PII model so need an OS that it can handle OK.
> Once its sorted I plan to send it to a friend in Kenya, to have a PC would
> be like having all his Christmas's arrive on the same day.
>
> Any ideas?

Will the laptop boot from the CD drive? When you said in your original post
that the floppy works but you can't boot from it, I assume you have a proper
floppy boot disk? I didn't realise you were using Windows ME (probably the
biggest pile of crap Bill Gates has ever produced).

I've never used Windows ME, but I'm guessing Mickeysoft took away the
restart in MD-DOS mode option in the shutdown menu? This exists in Windows
98.

When you said that pressing F10 didn't work how many times did you try it?
Best to keep pressing F10 as the machine boots or you may miss the BIOS
opportunity.

If you are really stuffed and can't get to boot direct to DOS the link below
might help. But be warned messing around might stuff it completely!.


http://users.iafrica.com/c/cq/cquirke/me-dos.htm

One final option might be to remove the hard drive and plug it into your
desktop (you might need an adaptor cable for the IDE interface and simply
wipe the disk and copy all the bootable files over, then replace the hard
drive.

If you can get windows 98 to install it might be an idea to create a small
parition on the hard drive and keep all the drivers there (and the Win98
folder) this would allow for a nice straighforward re-install in the
future!!!!!

Martin









.

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