[caron1959]

This is a biggie.....I'm in deep doo-doo and really need some help! So TIA, everyone......BIGtime!

1) I have reformatted atleast 10 desktops in past --- from full re-installs of O/S's to upgrades. Usually reads the new O/S in the drive and asks if I want to reformat. Now, I have a VAIO laptop. Came bundled with XP Home Ed. I got a new, FULL install of XP Pro, not an upgrade. I restarted -- after stripping most programs --- with Pro in the drive. I got a blue DOS-like screen. Came up with an error, saying I already had a win o/s on there. Didn't even ask for a key. I restarted and THEN put the CD in, got hte key prompt. It let me go thru the setup, but I have now found that I have BOTH O/S's installed....makes me choose on start-up. This has never happened b4 --- particular to laptops? XP? I can't figure out, now, how to strip it clean and do a brand new Pro install.

2) I had a Linksys PCMCIA card on the laptop. I went to reinstall and --- again --- I guess I'm just the error Queen today --- errors everywhere! In which order do I have to do what? Since I share with my wired desktop.....do I have to call my ISP for any reason to share with my laptop while/b4 reinstalling the network? Is the reason for the card error, perhaps, because I have 2 O/S's on the laptop? I called Linksys BEFORE I uninstalled and they told me that it would auto-detect the reinstallation, but said nothing about what other things might come into play b4 I could actually make things work. PS --- In the card install, it lists two networks that are NOT Linksys.....doesn't give me an option to choose one that's not listed and install.

This is a HUGE, loud call for help. Any takers?

Thanks very much,

caron1959

better get this moved to the hardware or XP forum or maybe networking...Digital Photography & Imaging
is probably not the place for it...

click on the report button to request it moved

buck