XP disc won't bootup

R

Raizon.I.T.

Dealer
Joined
Apr 3, 2007
Messages
292
Reaction score
0
Location
Cape Town
Basically - I have a client who owns an NPO called `Equal Education` who I help out a lot. I donate all my old PC's to them and give them reduced rates etc.

So anyway, they recently had to acquire 2 new PCs with no OS, and they really can't afford to buy a full OS so I offered to unofficially refer them to someone they can get a copy of XP and can use it to install. This was done.

Two days later (today) the guy calls me "I'm in Khayalitsha at the school installing the computers, but when `i put in the discs it comes up and says: 'Invalid system disc. Replace the disk and press enter'" - I told him to bring the PC's over and I'll sort them out. I assumed that he just didn't know how to do an install and wasn't putting in a disc or something :p

Turns out the discs actually don't boot up and that error does show. Now where would I go from here? I take it the discs weren't burnt properly to be bootable, is there anyway of rectifying this without having to reburn 'illegal' discs all over again?

Advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jaryd
 
Hmmm, that does sound familiar. Is it going to be a mission to reburn the disks and make sure they are bootable?
 
Raizon.I.T. said:
Basically - I have a client who owns an NPO called `Equal Education` who I help out a lot. I donate all my old PC's to them and give them reduced rates etc.

So anyway, they recently had to acquire 2 new PCs with no OS, and they really can't afford to buy a full OS so I offered to unofficially refer them to someone they can get a copy of XP and can use it to install. This was done.

Two days later (today) the guy calls me "I'm in Khayalitsha at the school installing the computers, but when `i put in the discs it comes up and says: 'Invalid system disc. Replace the disk and press enter'" - I told him to bring the PC's over and I'll sort them out. I assumed that he just didn't know how to do an install and wasn't putting in a disc or something :p

Turns out the discs actually don't boot up and that error does show. Now where would I go from here? I take it the discs weren't burnt properly to be bootable, is there anyway of rectifying this without having to reburn 'illegal' discs all over again?

Advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jaryd
Click to expand...

Even if u get it right, he'll call u in 30 days asking u about the "Please Activate Windows" message.
Use Linux rather.
Wouldn't want to teach youngsters how to pirate stuff.
 
alf101 said:
Even if u get it right, he'll call u in 30 days asking u about the "Please Activate Windows" message.
Use Linux rather.
Wouldn't want to teach youngsters how to pirate stuff.
Click to expand...

I agree- If it's what they are using for the 1st time they will find it easier to get to know than Windows, and it's free and it has all the same programs that Windows has :)
 
Eisch, that is difficult.

Pity it's not Linux tho.

Creating a fresh copy of a bootable disk is not an issue, but the product key will be a mission.
 
alf101 said:
Even if u get it right, he'll call u in 30 days asking u about the "Please Activate Windows" message.
Use Linux rather.
Wouldn't want to teach youngsters how to pirate stuff.
Click to expand...

Yeah I agree with that, but it's a version of XP Black I've been told - which is fully cracked to ask for no license or resigtration. :confused:

@ Henry - Atm yes it will, I'm not at home - but rather using a Mac right now at a friend which I have no idea how to use :p
 
Raizon.I.T. said:
Yeah I agree with that, but it's a version of XP Black I've been told - which is fully cracked to ask for no license or resigtration. :confused:

@ Henry - Atm yes it will, I'm not at home - but rather using a Mac right now at a friend which I have no idea how to use :p
Click to expand...

The XP Black might be the issue. Full of spyware, adware and virii :(

Linux FTW :D
 
Linux isn't an option unfortuntely :( all the other PCs I've donated and had donated are all Win XP. Wouldn't want to scramble and confuse the new computer centre there by chucking in 2 Linux machines.

I'm sure it's taken them long enough to learn XP.
 
Raizon.I.T. said:
Linux isn't an option unfortuntely :( all the other PCs I've donated and had donated are all Win XP. Wouldn't want to scramble and confuse the new computer centre there by chucking in 2 Linux machines.

I'm sure it's taken them long enough to learn XP.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, that is a tough one. Why not ask one of the Mac gurus on here to step you through burning a bootable disk? Can't be that hard...
 
Why not contact microsoft ... if the NPO is registered with Umalusi you should qualify for academic pricing
 
BT6LW said:
Why not contact microsoft ... if the NPO is registered with Umalusi you should qualify for academic pricing
Click to expand...

I will do that in the morning as I plan on starting to help out more than one NPO, thanks BT6LW.

For the meantime, a forumite has kindly offered to sponsor a working XP disc, be it real or not - it was very kind of him. It's being speed serviced tomorrow, will let you guys know the outcome.

Thanks for all the help all.

Jaryd
 
Raizon.I.T. said:
Linux isn't an option unfortuntely :( all the other PCs I've donated and had donated are all Win XP. Wouldn't want to scramble and confuse the new computer centre there by chucking in 2 Linux machines.

I'm sure it's taken them long enough to learn XP.
Click to expand...

I'd say it would be the best time to chuck in a linux box or 2. Broaden their horizons for them
 
I don't think they have a teacher or advisor that knows Linux. But yes, broadening the horizons would be good.
 
Raizon.I.T. said:
I take it the discs weren't burnt properly to be bootable,
Click to expand...
Yes.
Raizon.I.T. said:
is there anyway of rectifying this without having to reburn 'illegal' discs all over again?
Click to expand...
No easy way. I think if you create a bootable floopy disk with MS-DOS on it, boot from that and then run setup via DOS it also works. I seem to remember that that works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X