dell dimension 8100 won't boot

I have a 4 year old Dell Dimension 8100 windows ME system. 1.4 GHZ 256 MB 40 GB hard drive. It wouldn't updgrade to internet explorer 6.1 which Turbo tax required. I downloaded and ran Registry Mechanic which corrected over 300 errors but my system would not boot afterwards. I got the dreaded blue screen. I was able to get it into safety mode but it would not restore to a previous checkpoint. Although the system is set up to boot from the CD drive when I tried to reload Windows ME the sytem asks if I want to boot from the hard drive or the cd and is defaulting to the hard drive. It is not letting me make any changes from the keyboard. It also does not recognize my keyboard if I try to type something in windows mode.

Any ideas how I can force a reformat of the hard drive and a reload of the operating system.

Thanks

 

If you want to format, reinstall Window ME. Follow me below:

1) Boot from CD-ROM

2) Choose: Start Computer with CD-ROM Support

3) When the DOS screen comes up to A:\ type in the following:

First, type in D:\ (If your drive letter is different then replace D:\ with it.)

Second,, type in cd win9x

You should now be at D:\WIN9X

Third,, type in format c: /q (If you get an error, procede with unconditional format)

NOTE: After the format, you need to reboot. After your reboot, procede to the next set of steps.


First: Boot from CD-ROM

Second: Choose: Start Computer with CD-ROM Support

When the DOS screen comes up to A:\ type in the following:

First, type in D:\ (If your drive letter is different then replace D:\ with it.)

Second,, type in cd win9x

You should now be at D:\WIN9X

Third: Now type in setup /ie /is and procede thru setup

 

BJ,

Thanks for the useful information as I didn't realize this could be done with a ME CD. This one I will try to remember!

 

Your Welcome, I've used this procedure for reinstalling ME for years, you can change the x to 8 and use it for Win98 to.

 

The problem with choosing or typing anything is my keyboard is being ignored.
It will take the f5 key to get in safety mode but will not take anything else from the keyboard.

Set-up says boot from cd drive if something is there but the default is coming up hard drive AND WILL NOT let me toggle to D drive

 

Do you have another keyboard you can use?

 

I attached the keyboard to a Laptop and the keyboard works fine. The Dell does not seem to be recognizing the keyboard except the F keys when it initially boots. f5 brings up safety mode and f8 brings up start-up mode but if you need to enter an option or type something the keyboard is ignored.

 

Are you using a PS2 or USB keyboard?

 

usb keyboard

 

That's probably the reason, do you have a PS2 keyboard you can use during the reinstall?

 

I would have to ask around - why would that solve the problem

 

Most likely.

 

Let me know how everything works out.