Hi all,

Need help with the following:

Original error: Verifying DMI Pool Data....

After inserting a boot disk:
Starting ….

A:\> mode code con page prepare =((850) ega.cpi)
MODE prepare code page function completed
A:\> mode code con page select =850
MODE select code page function completed
A:\> keyb gr, keybrd2.sys
A:\>

Typed the following:
sys c:
Bad command or file name

fdisk \mbr

Bad command or file name
dir

List of files on A:\>
13 files in all

config.sys
Bad command or file name

autoexec.bat
A:\> mode code con page prepare =((850) ega.cpi)
MODE prepare code page function completed
A:\> mode code con page select =850
MODE select code page function completed
A:\> keyb gr, keybrd2.sys
A:\>

F8 during booting
Microsoft Windows Startup Menu
1 Normal
Enter a choice: 1

F5 = Safe Mode, Shift + F5 Command Prompt, SHIFT+F8 Step-by-Step-Confirmation [N]


Don´t have a start up or restore CD, just a boot disk.

Thanks for your answers.

Welcome!
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Can you provide some detail about the computer and what history it has?

Have you tried to turn it out without the floppy in place?
The floppy disc you have appears to be part of an early installation set. But not all components are present. Do you have more floppy discs like that?
Hi Geek,

When I switch it on and try to boot, it freezes at "Verifying DMI Pool Data...". I made an MS-DOS boot disk from another PC that runs on XP Home. That´s all I got. This PC is a few years old, but it worked well until it got infected by malware, which I then removed. Then it started freezing. I have just exchanged the keyboard and mouse to make sure the peripherals are OK. Since the OS was pre-installed, I don´t have an installation CD. Even I had, reinstalling the OS would cause all my data to be lost, which I do not want to happen. Any idea how I can save the data?

CheersThe freeze up after DMI is almost ALWAYS caused by a hard drive that has corruption in the first sector or the boot partition. That does not mean the drive is bad. It just had a bad experience with some bad software.

Now we can make some progress. The topic has moved moved over to the DOS section because it sounded like you were working with an early DOS version. However, if your computer is less than 10 years old and it came with a preinstalled operating system, it was not DOS.

The floppy drive is not going to help you very much. To install the operating system over again requires the use of the CD-ROM drive and a suitable installation disc for an operating system. Let's suppose you had windows XP preinstalled on this computer.

Do NOT try ton format the hard drive with MS-DOS. It will destroy most or all of the data on the Hard Drive. But first, more questions.

Next question is: was this a major manufacturer ? Was it a Dell desktop? How about Gateway ? Maybe it was a Hewlett-Packard. Most OEM installation CDs are available from the respective manufacturer. Look around on the case for underside of the computer and see if there is a little tag with the name Microsoft on it and some numbers. That would be the COA, which means certificate of authenticity. If so, you're entitled to put the original OEM system back on the hard drive.

Now let's talk about backing up your data. You will need the help of a friend with another computer. The best way to do this is to carefully remove the hard drive from your computer and then slay the to your friend's computer. You can either use an external adapter, or you can just open up your friend's case and FIND the cable that goes to the CD-ROM and simply stick it on your hard drive. And of course the power connector also. If your friend has free space on his hard drive, you can make an image copy of the hard drive, or just copy over the files you need to a new folder on his PC. Later you can get it back. Such is my documents and my photos.

(I don't need to mention that you turn power off when doing stuff inside the PC case. Do I? Turn power back on only when it is safe to do so without shorting something. You can instantly sap a hard drive or motherboard if you mess up.)

Once you have your data off the drive, he can format the drive for you and you can put it back in your computer. Once the drive has been properly formatted, the thing swill not freeze up, instead say something like NTLDR is missing or No OS found, insert boot media. The drive is ready for the installation.

So at this point the important question is: what brand of computer do you have? And did you find the COA ? That is important information and makes a difference. It will determine how you will get a copy of the OS.
(On this forum we don't pirate software. But you don 't have to.)Hi Geek,

Thanks for your detailed advice. The manufacturer is Shuttle. It is a barebone. Very tricky to fix. Only opened it a couple of times when I exchanged the PSU. I got OEM software on it, but I got it through a dealer, they no longer offer support. Since I don´t want pirated software, the easiest way is to purchase a new copy. Do you think I could boot up from an external hard drive if I managed to install the new OS on it. Let´s say the external hard drive as master and the temporarily unavailable one as slave.

Regarding data backup, another tricky one. It is all confidential data. Just cannot go to a buddy and ask them to use their computer. Will have to find another way to back them up before the install. And Shuttle is a mini PC, you cannot use e.g. a Dell or other hard drive on it, they won´t fit.You can boot your PC from a CD drive that has a suitable OS on it.
For Windows, it can be a BartPE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BartPE
However, it requires a working PC to build it.
Many Linux version can boot from a CD and actually do stuff, like copy files.
There is a Boot CD for windows that is ready to go.
Here is a place to check out some free boot CDs that can help.

http://lifehacker.com/5157811/five-best-live-cds

Have a friend download one and burn the ISO to a CD, using a ISO burner. Like Nero or just about any of the popular CD burners.
Or: http://www.tucows.com/preview/507688
Hope this helps.
Quote from: imsyak on July 03, 2011, 01:46:13 PM

Shuttle is a mini PC, you cannot use e.g. a Dell or other hard drive on it, they won´t fit.