computer help thanks in advance, help please

[JohnKleeb]

I am not on my personal computer but on my brother's instead, so my computer doesnt boot up. I have windows XP btw.
and I get these messages


"Alert!, OS install mode enabled. Amount of memory limited to 256 MB. Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to set up utility."

heres what happens if I continue
"non system of disk error, replace and strike any key when ready."

I left the comptuer on saturday and left and returned that evening and it said that. odd, thanks tho.

[travisleit01]

1. Is there a floppy disk in the drive? n/t

[JohnKleeb]

3. not to my knowledge

thanks tho.

[Ready4Change]

7. That was my thought.

Remove any floppies or CDs, then turn it off and start it back up.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. doesn't sound to good.

do you see windows start to load at all, i doubt it. i have never seen this "OS install mode enabled" what kind of computer is it? what windows version?

it looks like your hard disk has gone bad.

maybe try restarting the computer and hitting the "F8" key this will attemtp to load windows safe mode, but it sounds like your hard disk isn't even being read, so basically the computer doesn't know what to do.

[JohnKleeb]

5. oh shit if I lost my hard disk, then I am fucked

its XP. I'll try this thanks.

[Kellanved]

17. it's a possibility

It might be a couple of other things:
-diskette in drive (or any other device prior to the HD in the boot queue)
-corrupted MBR (no prob)
-damged HD
-some other faulty Hardware (Mainboard/ cable/...)

You'll need a bootdisk/bootable CD with a NTFS compatible OS on it (a WinXP install CD or the system disk you can create with XP should do).
Boot with that disk, if you can access the HD, your Hardware is probably fine, if not... well...

[starroute]

4. Back in the Paleolithic era of computers

You used to get messages like that if you tried to boot up with a floppy disk in the A drive. Is it possible that something similar is going on.

[travisleit01]

6. That's what I was thinking...

but Kleeb says there's no disk in the A drive.

[JohnKleeb]

10. I aint sure but I will check

[JohnKleeb]

8. you know maybe there is

I dont know honest tho, but I will check when I have time. I hope thats what it is.

[Tempest]

9. BIOS issue

Update the BIOS on the motherboard.
Go into the BIOS and change the OS setting to Windows OS Installed.

More info:

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=oplex_bios&message.id=4630&view=by_date_ascending&page=2

[JohnKleeb]

13. how am I supposed to update if I dont have a desktop?

[Tempest]

15. Try this

1. Use the computer you have now to create a boot disk.
2. Use the computer you're using to post to DU to download the BIOS update.
3. Use the boot disk to start up the computer.
4. At the message screen, hit F1 to continue.

If the computer won't start up on the boot disk, restart it and hit F2 to go into the BIOS. Use the Change Settings To Default option and save.

You should be able to boot to the diskette.

[dedhed]

11. Dude... did you get a Dell?

I've heard of that problem alot with certain Dell laptops running Windows 98. If that's what you have, you should be able to find a BIOS update on their web site.

But, the "non system of disk error" could be a bigger problem. It means your PC can find an operating system to load. Check for a floppy disk in the drive... remove if present. If you still get the "non system disk error," your hard drive is either corrupt, or broken.

Good luck!

[JohnKleeb]

14. yes I got a dell

I have XP. there might be a floppy in there, I hope its not corrupt or broken, all that music.

[trotsky]

12. You could hit F2 for setup

and make sure it detects your hard drive properly. If your CMOS battery is low (there is a button-type battery inside the computer that retains information about what kind of keyboard, hard drive, etc. you have hooked up) then you might see something like this.

Hitting F2 should have some sort of auto-detect or reset to defaults option. That might help.

[JohnKleeb]

16. ok problem is solved

thanks y'all.

[Catholic Sensation]

18. you better solve the bigger problem like we told you to kleeb

:D

[JohnKleeb]

19. ok it sorta works

but its so slow it wont even load my screen.

[JohnKleeb]

20. update I can see a mouse but not my startup screen

[JohnKleeb]

21. kick for more help

I got it to load, and yes there was a floppy disk in there, my brother lied to me :argh: and its really slow, things take forever to load and etc. grr.

[JohnKleeb]

22. kick please help