win xp pro after power loss

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

In news:C2A5FAD0-2CDF-4801-AE47-14C4783D3760@microsoft.com,
ralph m loudin <ralphmloudin@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:

> can anyone tell me a workaround to force read win xp at
> startup. i
> would like to either repair internet explorer or format and
> reinstall. my cd will load in windows but not at start up. i
> cannot
> format from command prompt or dos floppy. system restore shows
> no
> points prior to date of loss.last good start dos'nt work.i
> guess
> formatting is the answer but how?


Sorry, what do you mean by "force read win xp at startup"? I'm
not at all sure what you're asking, but I'll venture a guess: are
you trying to boot from the Windows installation CD?

If so, you need to set the BIOS boot order so that the CD comes
before the hard drive.
How to get into your BIOS depends, not on Windows, but on what
motherboard/BIOS you have. As a matter of fact, you have to
access the BIOS before Windows even starts to boot. One common
way is to press the Del key when you first power on, but that's
not necessarily right for your computer. Watch the screen
carefully when you first boot; there's often a message there
telling you what to do. If not, check your system documentation
or check with your vendor.



Also look here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm



Or just try the Del key. There's a good chance that's correct for
you.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
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