What's this mean?

alan & adryn - i really appreciate the info. i'll go through the links you provided and try to get the BIOS update. i'll be at work all day (as if trying to work on my computer at home isn't work enough ) so i'll give these things a try when i get home tonight. alan - the disk is a microsoft disk and i'm not completely sure of the disk size because i'm not sitting right there with it now but i can let you know tonight. adryn - i remember reading somewhere in a post about updating BIOS before the install of xp (which i thought i had done) but i looked last night and it lists the BIOS as being in 8/2000 or sometime in 2000. hopefully that might do the trick. all read and do what you guys have suggested and try to get you all updated later tonight. thanks again - as i venture further into the abyss of technology!

 

Well in the event there is not a newer BIOS flash available, try loading the standard HAL (Hardware Abstraction layer).

 

what's your suggestion for steps that i try to take?

BIOS update first, then debug, then HAL?

is it better to try one first or does it matter?

 

Order doesn't matter, just what works. So I would try whatever you feel is quickest.

I would say,

Bios Update, if that doesn't work or isn't available,
Load a standard HAL, if that doesn't work,
Debug the drive.


I'm off to my morning workout, but I'll watch this thread from work and help, if I can.

Just to clarify one thing. You did say Windows ME works fine on this computer, right?

 

it works fine other than the usually blue error screens and lockups that seem to be notorious with ME. but, yes, i'm able to reinstall ME and get it up and running. thanks for the clarification about order to follow.

 

Just a random thought but how much RAM have you got in the machine?

 

hey guys, i apologize for not getting back with you. my internet was down at home last night so i couldn't get online to try those things you suggested adryn and alan. so, i'll have to try again tonight (i hate waiting for stuff) but gotta put food on the table i guess. anyway, will try then.

Scousetechie - it's got 384. should be sufficient although 512 would be better of course.

will keep you all updated. thanks again

 

alright, i'm ready to give this all a try. i've got my 98 boot disk made and i'm ready to find the right BIOS update. how do i go about doing that. i've got aida32 on my computer - where do i look to get this info?

 

anybody - i could use some help. i've created the FlashBIOS disk as instructed by Dell. when i reboot with the diskette in the floppy drive it comes back up with a message saying

Remove disks or other media.
Press any key to restart

ideas? how can i get my BIOS updated?

 

Hmm, I'll take a loom at the Dell site.

What Dell is it?

 

deminsion 4100

 

Know what I would do? I would format a floppy with the sys command.


format a: /s

Then I would download and copy the bios exe to the floppy and then run it from a command prompt when you boot to floppy.

Try it at your own risk, of course.

 

i get to a prompt then type in format a:/s ?

 

yes,

 

no go! here's exactly what i see and what i type:

A:\>format a: /s
Bad command or file name

i've tried several other combinations but none seem to work

 

adryn - i know you gotta be getting frustrated with me and my problem computer if you want to say forget and check out i'm cool with that. i don't want to be a drag and crash on other people's problems that you could be helping out with. so, you're call. i would understand!

 

Nah, I dont mind, I'm just a little busy

Gimme a few

 

that's cool. i wasn't saying that you were taking too long just that i know i'm frustrated so i know you must be too!!

 

http://ftp.sanguine.jp/pub/sahughes/utils/dos/drdflash.exe

Try this bootdisk from bootdisk.com
It allegedly loads no drivers.

Copy the bios exe to it and then boot to it and run the bios flash.

At your own risk, naturally.

 

copied it onto diskette and dropped it in. got to a: prompt. from dell website it says:

NOTE: If the flash BIOS program does not start, and you see only an A:\
prompt, refer to the instructions from the Dell File Library page for the
BIOS update or to the Readme.txt instructions. Generally, you will type
the name of the executable flash BIOS file such as 8100_A09.EXE for BIOS
version A09 on the DimensionTM 8100 series system.

so, i'm assuming i'd type in 4100_A11.EXE as that's the file name that i downloaded.

 

Yep, thats how I read it too.

 

ok, that was successful. now, think i should try to install XP now or load the HAL?

 

Try XP.

If that fails:

Then try the HAL.

Then if it fails, low level format the drive.

 

no go with XP

will try HAL now.

 

Let us know how it works out, friend.

 

XP no go

HAL no go

going for debug (i don't even know what face to put here now!!!)

 

Doh....
We are running out of options Tito.

If that doesn't work, I don't see any other options available for us. At that point, XP is completely rejecting your hardware, either due to a impending failure (9x is a lot more tolerant to failure), or incompatibility.


Maybe someone else has some ideas.

 

would be at all possible that the disk is damaged? after trying to format that is the error message that i receive. your disk may be damaged. jsut a thought.

 

Its a possibility, thats for sure. I didn't mention anything because I thought you checked it with several diag tools.

Got another hard drive to try?

 

i've got my laptop - but obviously i'm a little nervous about trying that as i really can't have it disabled because i need it for work.

 

any diag tool suggestions to check my xp cd with?

 

just to say thanks to all of you who attempted to help me with my xp install problem. guess it's a bad hard drive. it was a crazy journey but i really learned a lot. THANKS!!!! this board is way cool!

 

Glad to hear it worked out.

 

just have to get a new hard drive now - any suggestions?

 

Learning is good, we'll make a geek out of you yet!

Even though your failed drive is a Western Digital, I would still recommend their drives.