My Cd-rom Doesn't Work After I Used The Restore Cd

**veronica** · January 21st, 2004, 17:04 PM

My operating system, Windows XP broke. It said to use the restore CD. It

couldn't repair itself. I accidently put 2 operating systems on the same

computer. It put 2 Windows side by side. I can't get to my old files, data or

music. I know they are there because they are taking up 22 GB on my hard

drive. The hard drive did not partition. Does anyone know what to do??

Thanks in advance.

**efc** · January 21st, 2004, 17:13 PM

I think you are sunk. You can put more than one OS on a computer as long as it is in separate partitions. Anyone have a suggestion

**rik** · January 21st, 2004, 17:41 PM

You can also do parallel installs within the same partition. Veronica, What directory did the second copy install into?

[EDIT]
To clarify, only 1 install of Windows would be accessible.

**veronica** · January 21st, 2004, 17:56 PM

Originally Posted by rik

You can also do parallel installs within the same partition. Veronica, What directory did the second copy install into?

I don't know. Where do you find that out??
Thanks for replying.

**rik** · January 21st, 2004, 19:28 PM

If you boot the system into DOS or have the ability to boot to a cd and open a DOS session you should be able to explore the root of the c: drive and you may see a C:\windows directory and a c:\winnt or something close to that...

[EDIT]
what might be easier...if you go to START|RUN MSCONFIG click on the BOOT.INI tab, if there are 2 installs of the OS it should show 2 differing lines under the [operating systems] entry.

BTW, if this is a restore cd why do you think it installed a 2nd copy?

**Reverend** · January 21st, 2004, 19:45 PM

Spot on rik,you beat me to it. I was gonna suggest looking at the boot.ini

You can also access the boot.ini file in your C:\ directory if you have the following options set.

In windows explorer > tools > folder options > view tab.

enable "Show hidden files and folders" , and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files (recommended)".

Paste the contents of your boot.ini here

**rik** · January 21st, 2004, 20:19 PM

2 great minds with but a single thought eh?

**veronica** · February 20th, 2004, 19:01 PM

I now have 2 operating systems on my PC [unintentional]. I also do not get

sound. It erased some of my CD-RW program. It did not partition my PC. I

uninstalled and reinstalled the CD drive to no avail. Please help. Thank you.

**egghead** · February 20th, 2004, 19:20 PM

Please try to install this generic cd-driver and see if you can get your cd back
http://digilander.libero.it/pnavato/...p/APICD214.ZIP

it sounds like you need to have the motherboard driver disk and thats why you do not have sound or cd

Can you give us the motherboard model and or the name and model of your pc?

thanks

**veronica** · February 21st, 2004, 17:08 PM

Originally Posted by egghead

Please try to install this generic cd-driver and see if you can get your cd back
http://digilander.libero.it/pnavato/...p/APICD214.ZIP

it sounds like you need to have the motherboard driver disk and thats why you do not have sound or cd

Can you give us the motherboard model and or the name and model of your pc?

thanks

I downloaded your link. It did not fix it.

My PC is a Gateway 300S. I bought it on 01/10/03.

Where can I find the name of the motherboard???

Thank you for trying. Any more advice will be greatly appreciated.

I am not getting email notification when someone posts here. I have the email notification activated at the bottom.

**rik** · February 21st, 2004, 17:44 PM

If you have 2 installations of the OS on the system then I assume it gives you an option at boot of which one to use?

**veronica** · February 21st, 2004, 18:22 PM

Originally Posted by rik

If you have 2 installations of the OS on the system then I assume it gives you an option at boot of which one to use?

1 of the OS doesn't even boot. It's missing a file. I couldn't repair it. It

installed a 2nd OS because I didn't know what else to do. Then my

CD-Rom, sound and CD-RW software deleted. Thanks for the replies. Bump

for a solution.

**MSNwar** · February 21st, 2004, 22:23 PM

Some Gateway PCs have a CD called "Restore CD". It is used to rstore your computer to its original condition. Did any CDs come with the PC? If yes, tell us what you have. If no, go to the gateway web site, support section, and order the CD. Most times they will send it to you free if you are the original owner of the PC. Its worth the cost of the telephone call (they often do not charge once you talk to them) and its worth the trouble of trying to diagnose everything.

All you have to do with the Restore CD is put it in your CD drive and boot the system. A menu will allow you to do a full system restore to include new partition, format,installation of operating system, and all software. It will load the drivers for all your hardware, etc. However, all of your present data and any updates will be erased forever after the process is completed.

**veronica** · February 22nd, 2004, 00:55 AM

Originally Posted by MSNwar

Some Gateway PCs have a CD called "Restore CD". It is used to rstore your computer to its original condition. Did any CDs come with the PC? If yes, tell us what you have. If no, go to the gateway web site, support section, and order the CD. Most times they will send it to you free if you are the original owner of the PC. Its worth the cost of the telephone call (they often do not charge once you talk to them) and its worth the trouble of trying to diagnose everything.

All you have to do with the Restore CD is put it in your CD drive and boot the system. A menu will allow you to do a full system restore to include new partition, format,installation of operating system, and all software. It will load the drivers for all your hardware, etc. However, all of your present data and any updates will be erased forever after the process is completed.

I did that in the same partition. It erased my CD-ROM, sound and CD-RW software. I tried it again. The CD-ROM didn't work. It did not even read the restore CD. Should I use the driver CD too?? Thanks.

**veronica** · February 22nd, 2004, 01:15 AM

P.S. I didn't get a restore CD for my CD-RW software. It was Roxio Easy CD

Creator. It was erased when I used the restore CD the 1st time. Thanks for

the replies.