Virus Damages System - How to Re-install XP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Reg Mouatt
  • Start date Start date
R

Reg Mouatt

Hi,
A friends PC is no longer operable due to damage caused by, as he
tells me, a virus(?) and he is trying without success to reinstall XP.
He tells me he keeps getting a 'Disc not recognised' error message
having inserted the CD-ROM. I have experience of installing an OEM W98
system using a Master Floppy to get the installation started. Should
this be the same for XP? Or does he need to go into BIOS and reset the
order of discs to boot from?
Thanks for any help,

Reg
 
From: "Reg Mouatt" <[email protected]>

| Hi,
| A friends PC is no longer operable due to damage caused by, as he
| tells me, a virus(?) and he is trying without success to reinstall XP.
| He tells me he keeps getting a 'Disc not recognised' error message
| having inserted the CD-ROM. I have experience of installing an OEM W98
| system using a Master Floppy to get the installation started. Should
| this be the same for XP? Or does he need to go into BIOS and reset the
| order of discs to boot from?
| Thanks for any help,
|
| Reg

The first thing to do is to determine that the hard diak is recognized by the platforms'
BIOS. If it is the following is reccomended.

Go to the hard disk manufacturer's web site and download their diagnostic software
respective to the installed hard disk. After the test, the user will know if the hard disk
is bad or not..

Quantum/Maxtor - PowerMax
http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm

Western Digital - Data LifeGuard Tools (DLGDiag)
http://support.wdc.com/download/

Hitachi/IBM - Drive Fitness Test (DFT)
http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

Seagate - SeaTools
http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/

Fujitsu - Diagnostic Tool
http://www.fcpa.com/download/hard-drives/

Samsung - Disk manager
http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/utilities/shdiag.htm
 
Reg Mouatt said:
Hi,
A friends PC is no longer operable due to damage caused by, as he
tells me, a virus(?) and he is trying without success to reinstall XP.
He tells me he keeps getting a 'Disc not recognised' error message
having inserted the CD-ROM. I have experience of installing an OEM W98
system using a Master Floppy to get the installation started. Should
this be the same for XP? Or does he need to go into BIOS and reset the
order of discs to boot from?
Click to expand...

He may need to go the BIOS and set the boot order to boot from CD first.

Duane :)
 
Reg Mouatt said:
Hi,
A friends PC is no longer operable due to damage caused by, as he
tells me, a virus(?) and he is trying without success to reinstall XP.
He tells me he keeps getting a 'Disc not recognised' error message
having inserted the CD-ROM. I have experience of installing an OEM W98
system using a Master Floppy to get the installation started. Should
this be the same for XP? Or does he need to go into BIOS and reset the
order of discs to boot from?
Thanks for any help,

Reg
Click to expand...

If you don't know how to install XP bring it to a computer shop.
Disc not recognized is probably not a virus infection your friend has messed
up something in the BIOS or the master boot record or the hard drive itself
is dead.

Good luck !
Mich..
 
Reg Mouatt said:
Hi,
A friends PC is no longer operable due to damage caused by, as he
tells me, a virus(?) and he is trying without success to reinstall XP.
He tells me he keeps getting a 'Disc not recognised' error message
having inserted the CD-ROM. I have experience of installing an OEM W98
system using a Master Floppy to get the installation started. Should
this be the same for XP? Or does he need to go into BIOS and reset the
order of discs to boot from?
Thanks for any help,

Reg
Click to expand...

Perhaps he should try the System Restore feature first on his XP.
I believe this can be done during an attempted bootup (I don't have XP, but
there should be a way)
If he gets it running, he should do a virus scan with the latest definitions
and/or do a free 'online' virus scan.
Lipman's advice on doing a HDD check is worthwhile.
Also, if he still wants to use the CD-Rom method, make sure the correct CD is
being used and that the BIOS is set to boot from the CD first.
 
Perhaps he should try the System Restore feature first on his XP.
I believe this can be done during an attempted bootup (I don't have XP, but
there should be a way)
If he gets it running, he should do a virus scan with the latest definitions
and/or do a free 'online' virus scan.
Lipman's advice on doing a HDD check is worthwhile.
Also, if he still wants to use the CD-Rom method, make sure the correct CD is
being used and that the BIOS is set to boot from the CD first.
Click to expand...

Thanks Guys for the advice,
It gives us something to work on. I had not thought of the
possibility of using System Restore but will research that.
Regards to all,
Reg
 
In
Reg Mouatt said:
Thanks Guys for the advice,
It gives us something to work on. I had not thought of the
possibility of using System Restore but will research that.
Regards to all,
Reg
Click to expand...

While your system is booting up, keep hitting, F8 function key until you get
the boot menu with choices, then restore to last known good config. There's
more, but try this 1st
 
In

While your system is booting up, keep hitting, F8 function key until you get
the boot menu with choices, then restore to last known good config. There's
more, but try this 1st
Click to expand...

I have just heard that following the advice I received here that my
friends PC is up and running again. Namely the F8 and 'Last Known Good
Config'. Thanks again.

Reg
 
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