This is not an entirely original subject. Apologies in advance.  Being a new user, I posted the question originally as a response to a previous message.  Here it goes.


i got this dell inspiron LAPTOP for free, so despite the 4 M hardrive and 128 RAM, i decided to clean it up and use it for basic email and word processing.  i successfully completely erased the HD using driveerase pro.  the good news is the product works. the bad news is, the laptop is rebooting from the startup floppy i CREATED but won't let me do ANYTHING else past that.  evidently, the computer has forgotten it has a cd-rom drive, so i can't reinstall windows.
 
i know there have been similar QUESTIONS posted here and i have followed the advice provided in response to those posts but i still can't get out of the little A:\ except to go to C:\, and not much more.
 
Can anyone provide specific steps i can take to get to a point where I can reinstall the operating system?
 
Thank you very much and apologies for the double-posting.

Have a great day.

Download and extract [highlight]this archive[/highlight] to a folder. It's a self extracting bootdisk image.
Run the resultant bootdisk.exe file and ensure that you have a diskette in the floppy drive. The diskette creation process will now begin.
This diskette can now be used to boot any machine with a floppy drive. It loads real mode mouse and CD drivers (The first CD device appears at V:) and several useful tools including DelPart.

An ISO image of a bootable CD that's built from this bootdisk is available [highlight]here[/highlight] if no floppy drive is available.This is tremendously helpful.  Thank you for taking the time to write.  I have followed your directions and everything happens EXACTLY the way you describe and illustrate.  won't be able to try it on the laptop till later tonight, but feel extremely hopeful that, given your help, this is going to WORK out fine.

Thanks again.  I appreciate this enormously.

Take care.

PS: ok to bug you back with further questions?

Thanks.Bug away!
But please don't PM me on matters which can and should be dealt with on open forum.
Oh, and don't bug me about my colour scheme! Quote

Oh, and don't bug me about my colour scheme!