<pobnospam******.com> wrote

> paulmd@efn.org wrote:

>> pobnospam******.com wrote:
>> > Its a Dell Laptop L400. I used Norton Partition Magic and now I get No
>> > operating system found. I tried placing a Windows XP (full version-not
>> > upgrade version) and I continue to get No operating system found.
>> >
>> > If I go out and buy a new hard drive, will the laptop still work ?
>>
>> Yes. But you don't have to replace the drive. At least not yet. Clearly
>> your partitions are screwed up or corrupted. But the drive itself is
>> probably fine.
>>
>> First check a few things in the bios.
>>
>> Check the boot order (aka startup sequence and a few similar sounding
>> things) includes the CD drive before the hard drive.
>>
>> Try to boot from the CD again. If you can get somewhere, then just redo
>> the partitions reinstall the OS.
>>
>> If you can't do anything because the partitions on the hard drive are
>> totally corrupt. Then A drive wiping utility can be handy. I've used
>> DBAN for this purpose. You need not let it complete, just 1 or 2
>> percent is good.
>>
>> dban.sourceforge.net
>>
>> Then reinstall the os.
>
>
> I am using DBAN now, its at 3% (running autonuke). I initially tried
> the interactive mode and I got a message saying I had a bad sector.

I suggest you download a drive diagnostic utility from the drive
manufacturer's website. This will create a bootable floppy or CD. Boot
from that and run the diagnostics on the drives(s).



--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]