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Error loading Operating system /deleted partition

A

Adelberg

Junior Member
Hello all, I have an old Dell D410. I was trying to format my drive and install XP which I did but I also deleted the partitions I'm pretty sure. Now I'm getting the message "Error loading Operating system". On start up I do get the bios page and I'm able to select f12 and set the boot sequence to boot from CD first, but still I am getting the same error message after it attempts to boot. I have an iso OEM XP copy on a disk and I also have an original windows 7 disk which was installed on the computer before all of this happened. However, neither will boot. Can anyone help me. I've seen mentions of some fixboot and fixmbr programs which I have not tried as yet because I'm not sure if that will fix the issue. I have ran a diagnostic and everything passed so I believe there is nothing wrong with the HD either.
 
Hello, if you have the CD set as the first boot device, you should get the prompt to boot from the inserted Windows disc. Are you getting that prompt?
 
When I turn the computer on I get the dell splash screen then I will hear the CD spinning while the cursor blinks and then I get the error loading message
 
Another option is to go into your computer's BIOS, and look for options for boot up. Can you boot to USB? Maybe try that, and download a free diagnostic program to analyze the disk and see what's still there. I'm sure you're fine, and the disk utility may be able to just scan the entire disk to determine where the files are, and then rebuild the "index" for the disk so everything works fine (including rebuilding the part of the disk that lets it boot up correctly).

Just focus on passively analyzing/reading the disk safely, and don't go deleting or overwriting things willy-nilly.
 
Adelberg said:
When I turn the computer on I get the dell splash screen then I will hear the CD spinning while the cursor blinks and then I get the error loading message
Click to expand...

Ok, so the drive doesn't recognise that as a bootable disc. Could be the drive, the disc, or the cable.
 
I think I've deleted and overwrited willy nilly already. Right now I cannot boot from CD or usb. I've tried booting from the USB to no avail. I don't know that any diagnostic program can work because nothing will boot. The only diagnostic I am able to run is the one on the bios set-up
 
Well, good luck. I had a similar problem last week, and while it appears the hard drive was good, it was not. I had to swap the drive before I could get it to work.

Actually, after reading your post again, it sounds like more of a cd-rom issue.

I'd go into the bios, set the cd-rom as the first boot device, make sure the hard drive is not set to boot first, and if that still doesn't allow booting to cd, then I would not know what to do. I'd start suspecting something was wrong with the motherboard or cd rom drive. You might try unplugging the power to the hard drive while you are trying to boot from the cd. At least for diagnostic purposes. Once you can reliably boot to the c.d. then plug your hdd back in and proceed with the setup.
 
Last edited:
It sounds like your iso isn't working then.

As far as booting from usb, does the board even support this?
 
The CD is fine. It's an original windows 7 disk, not a copy. I have a XP on a USB and iso copy of XP. Tried them all, no boot.
 
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