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Johnnie2x · 17-Nov-2002, 10:38 PM **#16**

Okay, I FINALLY got it to go to DOS mode...

Can someone help me restore my laptop now....

I've made the 6 BOOT DISK set, but can't figure out how to run the dam things...

I'm helpless.. Pleae help!

~Candy~ · 18-Nov-2002, 02:00 PM **#17**

Are you at a c: prompt now? Or at an a: prompt?

Jedi_Master · 18-Nov-2002, 09:53 PM **#18**

Well...

I'm assuming that it is booting from the floppy now, can you insert the CD-ROM in the Multibay, and put the XP CD in the CD-ROM and see if it will install from there ?

Johnnie2x · 18-Nov-2002, 10:42 PM **#19**

Okay, this sucks, NO LUCK yet, and it's a new day... 24 hours later and STILL no luck...

I was able to FDISK both partitions, deleted EVERYTHING and figured I could start fresh, so I created a new Partition, C:, formatted the C: drive, gave it a label, and restarted....

I inserted the XP CD and tried to let it boot itself...

NOW IT TELLS ME:

"Invalid System Disk
Replace the disk, and the press any key"

what to do, what to do?

~Candy~ · 19-Nov-2002, 08:44 AM **#20**

Do you have a floppy disk in the floppy drive?

Is your boot order in your bios set to boot to the cdrom first?

Jedi_Master · 19-Nov-2002, 02:05 PM **#21**

Hmmm...

With the XP CD in the CD-ROM ( assuming that the Multibay is the first boot device ) boot the laptop, and watch real close and see if you get a message at the bottom of the screen saying "Press any key to boot from CD.. " if you do, tap the space bar a couple of times...

If you don't see it, reboot the laptop, when the Compaq splash screen goes away, start tapping the space bar, and see if it will boot from CD, I've seen on occasion that the message is out of the viewable area of the screen, if that doesn't work, we'll have to take more drastic measures to get the OS on there...

Johnnie2x · 23-Nov-2002, 05:12 PM **#22**

Jedi Master, i've been away for a few days, but trying what you said worked, sorta....

NOW I have another issue...

It starts loading the XP CD, and acts as if it's going to be okay, THEN I get an error message...

"File atapi.sys caused an unexpected error (5056) at line 3514 in d:\xpclient\base\boot\setup\setup.c."

Press Any Key To Continue

What's that?? I'm lost... Please HELP!

I need to have this laptop up and running by Tuesday b4 I leave for St. Thomas, USVI.....

Jedi_Master · 23-Nov-2002, 06:39 PM **#23**

Just a few things to try...

Can you clean the XP CD ? it may have some smudges on it.

And...

Try removing the CD-ROM from the Multi Bay and reinserting it, and see if it helps...

Johnnie2x · 23-Nov-2002, 07:11 PM **#24**

Jedi, I done that... Now it says...

"atapi.sys is corrupt"

What is 'atapi.sys', and what corrupts it???

Jedi_Master · 23-Nov-2002, 07:31 PM **#25**

Hmmm...

Atapi.sys is what drives the CD-ROM, and as far as to what corrupts is, it all depends on which stage of the install you are at...

Are you at the very begining of the install, or after the file copy and restart ?

Johnnie2x · 23-Nov-2002, 07:37 PM **#26**

It starts the beginning of the intall then gives me that 'atapi.sys' corrupt file...

but it does START to install....

I also tried a Windows2000 disk that loaded just fine, but it's not mine, so I don't have the Authentication Codes...

I only loaded that to see if it would work... works JUST FINE, just no codes, so I Had to cancel it out, and fdisk from DOS again, so it wouldn't be there...

tried to load the XP and it acts ugly.... 'atapi.sys' again... crazy huh?

Jedi_Master · 23-Nov-2002, 07:53 PM **#27**

Ok...I think I see what is wrong...

Can you inspect the XP CD for any scratches or smudges, ( there are some CD repair kits on the market, or you can go to Microsoft and get a new CD, but I don't think it will be delivered by Tuesday ) because it sounds like you have a bad CD, since the W2K CD loaded...

Johnnie2x · 25-Nov-2002, 06:37 PM **#28**

Okay, you can mark this one SOLVED also...

I finally got the XP to load....

I finally was able to get hold of a Windows98 CD and load that one first, which installed all the necessary drivers for my laptop, then after that was fully loaded, I did the XP Install from Win98... works like a charm now....

Never thought drivers would hold me back, but someone explained to me that a CLEAN hard drive lacks alot of things, and drivers are crucial.. I didn't quite understand him, but oh well, loaded the Win98, did XP Install over that and it works fine...

Thanks for all your help guys!!

cmpcmp · 02-Jul-2006, 09:27 PM **#29**

Your suggestion from 4 years ago helped me get a Gateway going.

Holding down the fn button ( on the gateway) and tapping the F11 key
brought up the Windows boot menu.

Thanks again...
cmpcmp

imbusel · 30-Aug-2007, 04:53 PM **#30**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnnie2x

Okay, you can mark this one SOLVED also...

I finally got the XP to load....

I finally was able to get hold of a Windows98 CD and load that one first, which installed all the necessary drivers for my laptop, then after that was fully loaded, I did the XP Install from Win98... works like a charm now....

Never thought drivers would hold me back, but someone explained to me that a CLEAN hard drive lacks alot of things, and drivers are crucial.. I didn't quite understand him, but oh well, loaded the Win98, did XP Install over that and it works fine...

Thanks for all your help guys!!

So is the blameless Armada behaving itself still?

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