Bootable disk for ME/HELP!

[LKrasiewic]

Yesterday afternoon my computer crashed/Gateway Windows ME/. After many hours on the phone with gateway, still not resolved. I only have system restoration disk #2 and they will not send me #1. Downloaded GWscan from their system and it does not work. They told me to go to this website and that was as much as they could do.

When I turn on my computer, I get a screen that gives the option to Start up with 1. normal, 2. logged, 3. safe and 4. Step by step confirmation. Any option then produces :It is now safe to turn off your computer"

Can anyone help??

Thanks!! Lynn

[Strider]

Hi Lynn,
Go to Bootdisk.com and download a ME boot disk (I think there's a link here at CTH somewhere). If you can boot to a DOS prompt (A:>) see if you can navigate to C:\Windows\Options\Install. I don't know about Gateway, but other makers that give only recovery CDs stash Windows there. If you can find it, you can run Setup.exe to do a repair install of Windows. Doing it this way shouldn't lose your data and force you to reinstall all your apps.
An easier way, if you know someone with a real Win ME install CD you can borrow, you can reinstall with it after you make a boot disk. You're not pirating--you own a licensed copy.
To be safe, if you remember where all your irreplaceable data files (pictures, documents, spreadsheets, etc.) are, and if you remember some of your DOS commands and you have a supply of floppies, you can back up your priceless data, just in case.
HTH,

[LKrasiewic]

Strider:

Thanks for the information. With only 8 days left on my warrenty, I shipped the darn thing back to Gateway this morning. It is just too nice outside right now to be stuck inside trying to figure it all out.:eek:

Lynn

[Strider]

Better than my solution... ;)