Windows XP PC shut down crisis.

[Anamika]

About 3 weeks ago, I loaded Windows XP on a Windows 98
machine. I had forgotten about the *old blaster worm* and
was promptly infected. As I was downloading the patch,
the RPC shut down happened again. Since then, I have been
unable to boot up my machine. As I try to start it, the
computer seems to start as expected: I see the Dell icon
and then Windows XP starts loading but it shuts down
before the desktop icons and taskbar appear. A Blue screen
flashes for 1 second, gives me a system error message that
I can barely read and the shutdown happens immediately.
I now figure that I need to re-install XP on the same Hard
Drive. Alternatively, I dont mind purchasing a new Hard
Drive ( all my stuff is backed up)

In any case, I do think I need to boot up my computer from
a CD (I also have my old Windows 98 and then 2000 CD)

Could someone please tell me how to start up my machine
from a CD (I cant go into bios etc. and instruct the
machine to start from a CD since my PC shuts down
immediately).

Any help is sincerely appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Michael Dauria]

If Windows XP is able to start loading then you most definately can go into
the BIOS.

You access the BIOS screen when you turn the machine on and before windows
even starts loading. To get into the BIOS you usually turn on the machine
and then hit some key (this varies from machine to machine but most of the
time its something like 'F2' or 'del')

 

[Anamika]

Thanks. I will try pressing the F2 ot the Del key.
Somonelese told me that the key is F8. Is this the same
for all Dell PC's or does this vary from machine to
machine. How can I find out which key is the appropriate
one to press before starting up?

I am actually quite sick of Windows XP and its problems
and would prefer to be running Windows 2000 (I also dont
have the processor speed or the RAM to be effectively
running XP)

I would now prefer to have Windows 2000 installed on this
machine. To do so, I imagine that I must insert the CD
and try to start boot up the machine from the CD. Will
this also allow me to un-install the existing Windows XP
OS on this machine?

Thanks in advance for any reply

 

[hermes]

Before the MVP (M$ Victim Poster) Hermes responded, Anamika typed:

Thanks. I will try pressing the F2 ot the Del key.
Somonelese told me that the key is F8.

The F8 key will boot windows in safe mode, but will not get you into the
bios. I think F2 will work on all Dell machines (it works on mine).
Booting in safe mode may also help, so you still should try it. You could
also try booting up while having the network cord unplugged (IF you are on a
high speed connection to the internet or on a LAN) This will help your
machine at least boot normally IF the problems you are having are from the
blaster or sasser worm. Good luck.

Is this the same

for all Dell PC's or does this vary from machine to
machine. How can I find out which key is the appropriate
one to press before starting up?

I am actually quite sick of Windows XP and its problems
and would prefer to be running Windows 2000 (I also dont
have the processor speed or the RAM to be effectively
running XP)

I would now prefer to have Windows 2000 installed on this
machine. To do so, I imagine that I must insert the CD
and try to start boot up the machine from the CD. Will
this also allow me to un-install the existing Windows XP
OS on this machine?

Thanks in advance for any reply

--
hermes
DRM sux! Treacherous Computing kills our virtual civil liberties!
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html

Windows XP crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.

 

[Malke]

About 3 weeks ago, I loaded Windows XP on a Windows 98
machine. I had forgotten about the *old blaster worm* and
was promptly infected. As I was downloading the patch,
the RPC shut down happened again. Since then, I have been
unable to boot up my machine. As I try to start it, the
computer seems to start as expected: I see the Dell icon
and then Windows XP starts loading but it shuts down
before the desktop icons and taskbar appear. A Blue screen
flashes for 1 second, gives me a system error message that
I can barely read and the shutdown happens immediately.
I now figure that I need to re-install XP on the same Hard
Drive. Alternatively, I dont mind purchasing a new Hard
Drive ( all my stuff is backed up)

In any case, I do think I need to boot up my computer from
a CD (I also have my old Windows 98 and then 2000 CD)

Could someone please tell me how to start up my machine
from a CD (I cant go into bios etc. and instruct the
machine to start from a CD since my PC shuts down
immediately).

If your pc shuts down before you even get through the POST (before
Windows even starts to load), you have hardware problems. If the
machine is successfully doing a POST, then you can get into the BIOS,
because the BIOS has nothing to do with Windows.

Malke