Help! My computer is dead

[xmetal2001]

Help! My computer is dead. A while back my cdrom drives "disapeared", something about drivers being corrupt so i tried a repair install of windows. It wasn't pretty. As soon as it started it asked me for the location to file "asms" and wont let me get past that, everytime i reboot it just goes back into setup.

So how am i typing this you might ask Well, i brought up a command prompt in the setup and i can open up some programs through that so i connected to DSl and im using mozilla, Im stuck with this crappy 640 by 480 resolution.

I was on with microsoft tech support for about an 1 1/2 hours and they just had me reboot over and over and over never got anything done.

I probably gonna have to format hard drive but i have SOOO much important stuff on here, and only a little is backed up(i know im stupid). Erg, i would try to burn but my CD-Burners daed and thats how i got in this mess. Ugh, i hate this. Hmm....ok, thats my vent,

btw, any computer geniuses out there got any suggestions?

[Tunaman]

Do yopu know how to configure your bios? If you do, you shoulkd try to reset you config data, using default settings for auto . It should recognize your CDROM...maybe you have some IRQ issues that need to be reconfigured.

[xmetal2001]

Nope, no idea what your talking about, maybe i'll look it up. But it does sorta recognize it, it can boot from it, but as soon as it goes into setup or i go to a cmdprompt its like its gone

[subbeh]

Go to store, buy new CD burner, burn stuff, take out cd burner, return it :)

[than205]

Ok. If you want to be Dr. Frankenstien you could delete the System directory in your Windows directory. And then re-install the windows OS. This "MAY" save you from having to format the drive. Did you note the "MAY". During the install windows hopefully will recognize the stuff in the Program Files directory and recover usage of it without re-installing the other programs you like. Windows is very shakey and flakey. Of note while installing windows it will try to create another windows directory likely called Windows.000. Theres no reason to let it do that. Just overwrite the old windows directory.
What Tuna said about your BIOS is important, so definitely read up. Funny you know your way around a prompt and you can get Mozilla running but you don't know a thing about the BIOS? Wierd....
Anyway good luck!

[dave_p]

right after post(power on self test) hold down f8. choose logged boot, let it mess up. restart and do it again instead choose safe mode, go to c:/bootlog.txt and see where it all went wrong. post it here and we will try to see whats up.