XP reformat w/o a CD drive?

hustler07hustler07 USA Member
edited December 2007 in Nerdery
Hi Guys,

I am having major problems with my comp. Really slow, and it's time to reformat. The only problem is my cd drive doesn't show up anywhere. Does anyone have a creative solution to this? Thanks in advance.

Jon

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2007
    The computer doesn't even boot your Windows XP CD?
  • hustler07hustler07 USA Member
    edited December 2007
    Nope, and it freezes if I try to hit F10 during startup.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2007
    Have you tried replacing the cable, or testing a new drive? CD-ROMs aren't the most reliable device out there.
  • hustler07hustler07 USA Member
    edited December 2007
    It's a laptop. The drive doesn't even show up under "my computer"
  • HarudathHarudath Great Britain Icrontian
    edited December 2007
    You can get external CD drives, may want to give one a try if you have one lying around
  • hustler07hustler07 USA Member
    edited December 2007
    Don't happen to have an external CD drive. Maybe I'll try walmart. I went to best buy today and the guy thought it was the motherboard, is there any way to test that myself?
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited December 2007
    Uh, you'd have to have a spare replacement optical drive for your laptop to find out, so I'd just go with the external one for now.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited December 2007
    If your laptop is still under warranty I'd back up my stuff and call the manufacturer for warranty service. I'd instruct them to fix the CD-ROM and return the hard drive to factory condition.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • hustler07hustler07 USA Member
    edited December 2007
    Thanks for the input guys. I appreciate it. I just got an external cd drive, but I am having trouble booting from it, I can probably figure it out though.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2007
    You will have to check your BIOS for booting from "other device" or "USB mass storage device." The BIOS probably won't recognize a USB CD drive as a 'CD' drive, but will see it at "mass storage."
  • HarudathHarudath Great Britain Icrontian
    edited December 2007
    Damn, Leo beat me to it :P
  • hustler07hustler07 USA Member
    edited December 2007
    Thanks guys. I went to bios and I have it set to boot the external cd drive first, but it just goes straight to windows.
Sign In or Register to comment.