computer help.... full restore disaster.

[JerseyVics]

Hey guys,

can anyone help with my little computer problem.

I tried doing full restore on my Compaq. Pop the startup disk in along with the Windows 98 CD and after the startup runs it cannot connect to the CD to download the operating system.


basically after the disk runs A:\> comes up and none of the commands I used allow me to run the CD.... the CD Rom drive is missing.

Any suggestions?

thanks,
--Russ

[amerikan]

Switch up the startup CD with the windows 98 CD... i don't think it can work off of two drives at once.

[TripleTransAm]

Looks like the startup disk is not loading up the driver for the CD rom. Windows 98... if I remember correctly, it should be loading up drivers like MSCDEX and other CD-rom related stuff. However, I also recall the windows CD being start-up capable... as Amerikan mentioned, try booting off the CD instead of the startup disk. Or if that doesn't work, have someone with a Windows 98 OS create a boot floppy for you and boot off of that. Once the menu pops up, choose the option WITH cd-rom support, and if your Compaq's okay it should read your CD-rom just fine, and you can then run setup from the Windows CD.

[engine23ccvfd]

TTA gets a cookie!!!! Should worj just like he saud of course you did mention the Dreaded "Compaq" all bets are off!

[SergntMac]

Some Compaqs run off the CD rom only, recent models come with a bootable CDRom drive and the restore session is accessed by inserting the restore CD into the drive, and rebooting the computer. If the BIOS is set correctly, the restore program will run without the floppy disk. However, if your Compaq is more than two years old, this may not apply. Let us know what happens?

[JerseyVics]

thank you for all the replies fellas,

my Compaq has never caused me troubles, the only times it gave me hiccups is when I screwed up myself trying things.... like the most recent full restore adventure that has left me PC-less for a week already... I'm using my sister's old IBM thinkpad but would really really like to use my Compaq again, I've fallen behind already on updating my sites.


Anyway, my Compaq is old I bought it in late 1999. It was working great but getting kinda slow so I wanted to wipe out all the non-essentials and leave just the operating system, AOL and Photoshop on it. I managed to wipe out even the essentials.


I went to my uncle's place and made a bood floppy from his PC with a Windows 98 OS, he doesn't have a Compaq. When I put the disk in a whole bunch of lines ran on the screen, however the last line said that the Windows 98 components were successfully loaded on my C drive and next like was: A:\>


I followed the directions on the microsoft site typing E:\>cd tools\sysrec pcrestor but that got me nowhere, the computer doesn't think it has a CD Rom drive.



I'm wondering how do people install OS's on computers that they just assembled from scratch... is there a different software for those or is there just a line of code I can punch in to make the computer recognize the CD Rom drive and start using the Windows 98 startup CD.


What do you think, and once again thanks for all the replies!

--Russ

[SouLRioT]

ok, I'm sure what you need is to go into BIOS and change the drive boot order. Move your CD drive to the first position. Restart and after BIOS loads it should look at your CD-ROM and boot from there. Here is the point if you want to reformat your computer or not. If you have your doc and any other files saved then I would just do the reformatting. Easier to add AOL and photoshop than to delete everything.

PS dont forget to put the BIOS order back to the way it was.

[JerseyVics]

I have deleted everything from my computer, including the operating system.

How do I change the BIOS on my uncle's computer so I can make another boot disk?

I'm kinda clueless.

--Russ

PS. I'm trying to add an operating system to my computer now so that it starts up, just so I can do a full restore again and this time do it properly. I want to wipe everything out, clean! Than install AOL and photoshop.

[SouLRioT]

Ok, follow my advise then, dont worry about making a boot disk. Your win98 CD has everything you need. And just to make you feel better, I've bulit 3 computers and installed the OS from scratch. Your only problem will be if you added parts that the CD dosent have drivers for. But if your able to get it on the internet you'll be able to add the drivers later.

[Rob1559]

Your problem is the reason I have a 16 year old son:D

[Mad4Macs]

I'm a Compaq tech..what model do you have? Plus, contrary to popular belief, WINDOWS IS NOT a recovery cd. All Compaq's ship with cds marked Restore or Recovery. If you install from a Windows cd, most of your peripherals (modem, sound, video) are not likely functioning correctly, and you will have NONE of your preinstalled applications restored. Can't find you recovery cds?
Compaq restore hotline is 1800-841-2761. They will charge for the cds, if they are still available.
Yes, HP bought them out, so don't panic when you hear you've reached HP. Just listen until you hear the option for the recovery disks.
And yes, I only use Macintoshes at home :)

[JerseyVics]

lol, thats some good advertising for Compaq there buddy with your Mac's at home, heh heh

I called SgtMac tonight and I think we determined that the hard drive is dead. I will try a few more things next week but I'll be looking for some inexpensive harddrive solutions in the near future....


what do you recommend?>


PS. BIG Thanks to Mac for the HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[ik04]

I have found that Compaqs run just fine once you format the drive and never install Windoze again!

Windoze sucks and AOL is a joke...

LNXGUY