Topic: Help with Dell Laptop, please
willing2's photo
Wed 08/25/10 08:15 PM
I have a Dell and it says some of the programs are missing.
Tells me, I need a start-up disc.
Are there any start-up programs I can download or where I might be able to get the disks.

It is a windows xp pro.

Thanks in advance.

mightymoe's photo
Wed 08/25/10 08:18 PM

I have a Dell and it says some of the programs are missing.
Tells me, I need a start-up disc.
Are there any start-up programs I can download or where I might be able to get the disks.

It is a windows xp pro.

Thanks in advance.

can you make one? i don't know if you can boot it or not, but anyone with xp can make a disk for you.

willing2's photo
Wed 08/25/10 08:21 PM


I have a Dell and it says some of the programs are missing.
Tells me, I need a start-up disc.
Are there any start-up programs I can download or where I might be able to get the disks.

It is a windows xp pro.

Thanks in advance.

can you make one? i don't know if you can boot it or not, but anyone with xp can make a disk for you.

My old Emachine is xp and I tried using the disk.
It wouldn't do anything.
I'll try it again tomorrow. It's been a while since I tried it.

mightymoe's photo
Wed 08/25/10 08:27 PM



I have a Dell and it says some of the programs are missing.
Tells me, I need a start-up disc.
Are there any start-up programs I can download or where I might be able to get the disks.

It is a windows xp pro.

Thanks in advance.

can you make one? i don't know if you can boot it or not, but anyone with xp can make a disk for you.

My old Emachine is xp and I tried using the disk.
It wouldn't do anything.
I'll try it again tomorrow. It's been a while since I tried it.
dell is kind of funny that way... may have to be a dell disc
but try making a startup disk from the emachines... maybe you can find a dell startup on a bit torrent ....

no photo
Wed 08/25/10 09:26 PM
actually you cant make a bootable disk for XP, or at least it isnt an easy process..have you deleted any programs lately? could be you need to run RegEdit and clean up the registration..maybe some left over files are still there and your pc is looking for them...

http://www.glaryutilities.com/

this is a very, simple and free program that can help clean up your "start up" problems

AndyBgood's photo
Wed 08/25/10 09:38 PM
Q 1: Does it do this on Boot up or after Windows loads up?

Q 2: Do you have the recovery disks that say "Dell" on them?


you should be able to do this with any Windows Copper Install Disk for XP

Put disk in and shut down computer. Start it up again. When asked to install use the "Repair" (R) option. You will boot to DOS doing this.

After selecting the Installation to repair (windows or Number 1 typically) you will be get this - A:_ with a blinking Underscore. Sometimes it is C:_.

Type this command: CHKDSK -r -p

This will run Check Disk and will repair your Windows Install in a "Soft" way not loosing you any data.

Word of warning, this may take an hour to finish or more depending on the computer.

When you are done type "EXIT" and remove the disk from your computer and restart.

If your computer will not start up using the disk and going into the "INSTALL WINDOWS" screen, shut down, restart your computer and hit either F2 to Del to get into the BIOS screen. Go to "Boot" and select "Boot Device Order" and make CD Drive your first boot device. then restart your computer after hitting f10 to save your changes to the Boot Device Order.

If you select "Restore" you are going to loose data period! Repair is the preferred command!

willing2's photo
Thu 08/26/10 05:50 AM
Edited by willing2 on Thu 08/26/10 06:41 AM
Thanks ya'll.

Andy.
That's a lot of big words.laugh
I'll try that to.

Oh Andy It doesn't boot up. The windows screen doesn't come up at all

Tim2000's photo
Thu 08/26/10 06:08 AM
try to "restore'.. if that dont help you can google microsoft and find some free programs to download from there such as free spyware, troubleshooting, ect..