my computer keeps rebooting on start up!! before windows loads!! win i use the function key it still restarts!! no matter what i choose to start in!! so i have read in many instances that i need to reinstall!! so the question is if i download windows xp pro to my hard drive!! can i run the installer from dos mode??
Tagged with: dos mode • function key • hard drive • instances • windows xp
Filed under: Clean Up Computer
No. If you cannot boot from the hard drive, you cannot reach any file you have downloaded.
Set the BIOS to boot from the optical drive first. Put the XP disc in the optical drive and boot from the disc.
Windows XP does not have a DOS mode. It does include a Dos like shell called the Command Prompt. But as it is the WIndows program that is running the Command Prompt, you can not overwrite Windows from within the Command Prompt.
The Window install has to be run from a bootable device. Usually that is a CD. But if you have a computer that can boot from a USB device, you could also run the install from a flash drive or external hard drive.
But you can not run the installer from inside of the program it is installing – meaning you can not install Windows inside an XP Command Prompt.
The title of your question is a little misleading, but after I read all of your question the answer is yes. I don’t remember all the steps involved because it’s been two or three years since I did it. You have to have the entire I386 directory on the hard drive, then boot up in dos mode using a dos boot floppy. Then cd your way over to the c drive and the I386 directory. There you enter in a command that will install windows xp. You will need to yahoo\google it to find the syntax. Sorry I just don’t remember it. But you CAN DO IT! Good luck!