Computer Question: Reinstall

[Michael]

My father wants to reinstall his Windows ME operating system due to bad files, but his computer will not boot from the manufacturer's CD ROM reinstall disk. His setup screen shows that the CD is set to boot before C: It is a replacement CD ROM drive, and can be accessed through the "my computer" icon, but won't boot when the computer is restarted.

Any suggestions?

 

[azanon]

You need to make a boot disk (3.5") using windows on that pc or another one.

 

[soupcxan]

Ugh, windows ME was one of the worst peices of crap that Microsoft ever released. Not quite 98 and not quite XP, it's a bastard that should be put out of its misery.

I'd recommend installing XP if you can swing it.

 

[OAG]

I too recommend XP but first see if there is some program that is very necessary for him which may or may not work with XP. If there is try to install that program on someones XP machine to be sure it will work. Usually everything will work but I did run into a program that would work on ME/98 and did not work on XP. Unfortunately, the program was old, the company was gone, and there was no way for me to get it to work. Just had to go get something else that would work which was not a problem, the data from the old program was the problem as it could no longer be accessed.

The boot disk will get you to the point you can reinstall ME. Just format a 3.5" disk as a "MSDOS Startup Disk". You may have to find the driver files for the CD ROM Drive in order to access it and the MS CD after booting into the system. If he does not have any disks that may have come with the add on CD ROM disk you may be able to get the "drivers" from the website for the manufaturer of the CD Drive. If you can get into the MS DOS system and access the CD ROM Drive I would then reformat the Hard Disk so that you remove all the old files including any virus or other distructive files. Should be able to then boot in to DOS, access the MD CD ROM and reinstall it.

From what I am reading and assuming from your message it sounds like this machine may be pretty old so maybe XP is not the route to go. Hard to recommend going back to Win 98 but it was better in many respects than ME, but I am not sure where MS is in the support cycle. If he uses the machine to access the Internet it may be time for a newer machine that will support XP since protecting a machine from junk out there on the internet is much easier using a current Operating System.

Good luck.

 

[bruce1]

Of you do not want to make a bootdisk go to

http://www.bootdisk.com/

They have many system disks you can download.

BRuce

 

[TromboneAl]

Instead of trying to install XP, buy a new computer with everything installed and ready to go.  Easier for him and much easier for you.  The entry level Dell (probably better than what he has) goes for $279.  

 

[Zathras]

Al's suggestion is probably the best.

Windows Me, as others have stated, is a really poor OS. If you don't go with a new computer and can't go to XP go to Windows 98.

 

[dkpearson]

or...if he's a little adventurous, and the machine is at least a 486 with 32 meg of ram, he might want to try and use a cd based linux operating system....

pop in the cd, boot, all of a sudden you have a running pc with a graphical operating system that has automatically found all your hardware, found your network...and is ready to go!

And, you can take it with you, and use on almost any machine!

You'll find one variant here

http://www.slax.org/

 

[wabmester]

My father wants to reinstall his Windows ME operating system due to bad files, but his computer will not boot from the manufacturer's CD ROM reinstall disk.  His setup screen shows that the CD is set to boot before C:  It is a replacement CD ROM drive, and can be accessed through the "my computer" icon, but won't boot when the computer is restarted.

Hey, Michael! How've you been?

It's been a while since I've even seen a Win-ME system, but it's possible that Microsoft didn't make the CD bootable. Since you're able to boot from Windows, you may be able to simply run "setup" from the CD. It may tell you that you need to run it from MS-DOS, in which case hit F8 during the Win-ME boot and you should get a menu that lets you boot from DOS.

I assume you're doing this because your dad is resistant to change, eh?

 

[donheff]

Instead of trying to install XP, buy a new computer with everything installed and ready to go. Easier for him and much easier for you. The entry level Dell (probably better than what he has) goes for $279.

I agree with Al. If, on the other hand, he is cantankerous enough to insist on keeping that old beater he may have enough patience and ornerynous (sp?) to try Linux. I recommend Ubuntu for a easy desktop install with all the standard tools. Someone else mentioned a CD Linux -- Ubuntu can be run that way if he would prefer trying before wiping.

 

[Michael]

I thank you all for your advice. I will ponder what to do.