thanx. i need to formatmy hd, reason being is that the xp on my laptop is messed up and i tried running the disc its on, but xp reads it as a blank disc where as it isn't. whats the safest and correct way to copy my useful progs an external drive? any software application out there that allows you to do this?
hmmmmmmmmmm you can either create an image of entire harddisk using Norton Ghost or you can copy accros just the important data in your hard disk (if you have CDs of installed programs) and re-install them once XP is fixed.
The problem with making an image of harddisk is that IF the windows is corrupt, you will end up with a corrupted image of same operating system.
btw is that a CD you are trying to access and you are getting BLANK CD message?
yeah its a copy of windows xp, it runs ok on my bro's laptop, but when i insert in my laptop it says its a blank cd and has 702mb freem , when i know this is not the case.
yeah its a copy of windows xp, it runs ok on my bro's laptop, but when i insert in my laptop it says its a blank cd and has 702mb freem , when i know this is not the case.
what about OTHER CDs? can it recognize them? or it's just this particular CD you can't access.
hmmm so we can safely rule out a general CD access failure problem.
IMO it has something to do with the way CD is burnt. When you copy a CD you can either make it accessible to all CD drives or you can limit it certain drives.
ok, lets say i format my hd now, before doing so do i make a boot up disc, or can i just insert this current disc and hope it reads it and kicks things off?
ok, lets say i format my hd now, before doing so do i make a boot up disc, or can i just insert this current disc and hope it reads it and kicks things off?
If it was burned using "for all cd drives" then there shouldn't be a problem.
try booting from this CD and see if it picks up.** DO NOT continue installation unless you make back up of your data** otherwise you will loose everything.
make a backup of system in some other partition or external harddrive.
restore from that backup after a fresh windows installation.
ok so i inserted the cd and turned the laptop off and put it back one and it just started as normal, was i suppose to press any function buttons or anything?
oh you need to change boot sequence 1st. you can do it in BIOS settings. when you restart computer press "delete" ( orthere might be function keyF1 or F2 associated with it, depending upon the laptop manufacturer)
set CD rom as ur 1st bootdrive and try again.
xeno, can i do this then, can i download a windows xp version online somewhere on disc from my bro's comp and then hopefully use that disc on my comp and keep my fingers crossed it works?
