If you have the xp sp2 disc with you then doing a repair install might help. See if that gets you anywhere

Raj

Do your hard drives show up in the Dell part... BIOS? Cos it is looking like you need to go shopping for a hd..

Does anyone know why it is happening?

Will this get rid of the documents on my hard drive and programs installed?

No, your files will not be overwritten, you may have to reinstall your apps, though.

this is happening because
1 your hard drive might be bad
2 your system files are messed up
do as the previous post say do a repair install with the XP cd set your bios to boot from the cd first.

As my computer is Dell, I did not get an XP cd and so can not do a repair install. Where will I be able to get hold of such a CD?

Dell

I have been talking to Raj using personal message service, this has been very useful and so I will show our messages below for reference to all those who use the forum:

Will a repair install remove programs I have installed and my documents and files.

Thanks in advance



seeing that it is MS Windows we are talking about anything could happen, But it should not remove ur existing programs ideally. But then again Ideal is something we can not use for Windows.

I hope you have all the data backed up before you do anything as it still pose a risk to the data.

Hope this helps.
Raj


Thanks I will probably try and run a live Linux distro such as Knoppix, to access files and back up, but seeing as I need it for my school work. I will probably have to call Dell, as I couldn't find an install cd with the computer, and i had kept all their documents.

Do you know where else to get an install cd?

Thanks again for your help



For a Dell PC you ll have to use a Special Dell intallation disc as any other disc will simply not work on it. I tried to install new OS on my dell laptop with a normal installation disc and it just would let me do it. So yes the best option would be to call dell about it and they may be able to help. It is strange that you don't have their disc with the system. Cos i have a recovery disc as well as the OS disc with my laptop. But anyways, give it a go and let us know on the thread itself, i mean, what u did and how successful you were. I dont have any problem replying to private messages but it would be better if we do it on the forum so that anyone else with same issues can see the solutions as well.

Good luck

Raj