pdragonfly,

Am assuning you only have a Restore DVD and NO complete O/S CD of any flavor.

Don't know why your DVD is not working but it is going to have to work to install anything unless you are connected to a server network.

Go into the laptop Bios and re-set to the default settings which your machine came with.

Choose the Boot Device Order of CD/DVD FIRST.

Also CLEAN the DVD Restore Disc until it "shines".

Post back with make and model of machine.

Regards,
Rick P.

Hi,
I have a Toshiba Satellite A20.
I do have a os of xp pro with service pack 2. I was thinking maybe a partitioning with the new os, but not really sure how to do that. It doesn't have the drivers I would need, but then again, not sure if all my drivers are working right.

I did try and install all the updated drivers from the internet, hoping that it would solve whatever problems the computer was having, but it hasn't. (downloaded to another computer and then flashed it to the Toshiba).

The DVD stopped playing about 3 years ago. The restore DVD was inserted from its casing which was wrapped in celophane, so it was shinning new.
The computer doesn't connect to the internet (probably my doing somehow - it no longer recognizes the connection)
And to k9, yeah I'm sure it doesn't boot from usb. Tried it with my ext dvd in the usb and no matter what I choose it didn't work.

Hi, I can copy the drivers that are on the restore disk to a usb via the external hard drive, I have the latest downloads for it as well.
Will try to do the clean install. Wish me lucks!! thanks.

Hi,
Slipstreamed windowsxp sp 2 with drivers. However, seems my dvd drive won't even read this now.
I did however get a hold of a pxmia (whatever its called) cd drive which works.
But can't get the computer to boot from it. (its an iso used nlite).
I f2 the restart chose the pxmia thingy but its not booting from that.

So.... what next. Thanks for hanging in there with me Rick

Carol Ann

Hi,
Its a pc interface card that has a cd drive at the other end of it.
Nothing is working in the dvd/cd drive. Not anything I put in it.

My bios is set to boot the hard drive last, so it been trying to boot from the cd drives w/o success.

The 'original xp pro' is part of the installation disk, but its on a dvd, which my drive isn't reading (its not reading anything now).

Thanks

pdragonfly,

I have a complete copy of your manual and machine specs now.

Post Back with results.

Regards,
Rick P.

Pdragonfly,

Well you are making progress GREAT !

Still need to get all the (Hidden) partitions, whatever off the hard drive. That may not be possible as I believe you really only have a copy of XP Pro Restore Disks BUT can't tell because there are (3) disks. Some may contain hardware drivers and such and one may be the actual XP Pro disk.

You will have to give more info.

Go here to get your device drivers, manual, etc...:

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi.....modSel.jsp

Also you can go to http://www.bootdisk.com and burn a copy of some boot CDs with utilities on it.

DOWNLOAD AND READ YOUR Satellite A20-S259 MANUAL + SPECS FIRST !!

Post Back.

Regards,
Rick P.

Pdragonfly,

I was speaking of making a Boot CD with utilities which can completely wipe the HD of all partitions and then doing a Clean Install of XP Pro on the 40 Gig HD from scratch HOWEVER keep on doing what you are doing.
===============

I think what you are seeing in the fast black windows are notifications that some drivers are not installed like the VIDEO, SOUND, LAN, WIRELESS, MODEM, ETC., ETC.. and other devices which need to be loaded after you successfully load XP.

Upon loading XP, go to: Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager and see what Devices have a RED X or Yellow ! marks. These are the Device drivers you need to install.

Remember the ones on the Toshiba site are all probably updated since you purchased your machine to include the latest Bios Update.

I am taking a special interest in your issue as you have a nice laptop computer, that when straighten out, will serve you well. I would very much like to have an old Satellite A20 computer with XP Pro just to experiment with (LOL) (LOL).

By the way, you can purchase new parts for that machine from parts dealers for very inexpensive prices now.

Think of this installation as if you were doing a complete Clean Install of XP on a machine that someone just gave you and you know nothing about the machine except from what is on the website.

I think you have more computer expertise than you let on.

Post Back as to your progress and any other questions you may have.

Regards,
Rick P.

pdragonfly

The (PXE-MOF Exit PXE ROM) refers to network booting.
Disable this option in Bios Boot Order or reset boot order to:

First IDE CD-ROM Drive
Second Diskette Drive (A:)
Third Hard Drive (C:)
Forth Network or Ethernet Controllers or Lan OR DISABLE

Let me go to site to check something.

While I do that, Check Boot.ini file to ensure the machine is really booting to first partition. Drives switch letters with (2) partition systems and can fool you so the Boot.ini on C: partition will have to look like below.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP (LINEWRAP in this post) Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

If Boot.ini file is correct, format E: partition and change CD/DVD drive letter to G:

Reboot and see what you get. I will be here after checking Toshiba site.

Rick P.

Hi, I don't have a drive A (floppy). Toshiba doesn't seem to have the bios you are referring to. I did look it up at intell, but their instructions are for floppy's.

how do I get into boot.ini I just get pictures when I press f2 for hard drive, cd drive, etc.