Re: Windows XP PC question

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: John (johnw_94020_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 12/12/04 

Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 08:07:58 -0800

Thanks for your help. But tell me on newer PC's do you need to boot to
a DOS prompt (or whatever its technically called) when performing
advanced disk editing chores? How about if your os is not bootable?
Someone told me a story of a time when his XP machine could not boot, so
he had to boot into a command prompt (its not technically called dos,
but it looks like dos) and run a registry fix or restore from the floppy
to get it back.

I always wondered if the newer XP machines were as much of a pre GUI as
the macintosh was. I could never get a straight answer out of PC techs,
because very few had extensive knowledge of the mac. Most if they ever
used a Mac, did not use it for such techie uses. I've been working on
Macs for a long time. I've done far more than thus type a paper, or
browse the Internet.

John

In article <OGXKQuC4EHA.2592@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>,
 "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote:

> A BIOS does not have DOS instructions - it is indenpendent of
> the operating system. You can easily prove this: Disconnect the
> hard disk, then reboot the system. The BIOS will still work but
> you certainly won't get a DOS prompt!
>
> To get to a plain DOS prompt, you need to boot your machine
> with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com. If you then
> wish to remove WinXP then you can run fdisk.exe and remove
> all existing partitions.
>
> A better way would be to boot your PC with your WinXP CD,
> then allow the disk to be repartitioned when prompted.
>
>
> "John" <johnw_94020@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:johnw_94020-91464E.00543312122004@msnews.microsoft.com...
> > Do newer PC's yes with XP still have DOS instructions written on their
> > BIOS chip? I have not tried it yet, but is it possible to wipe out XP
> > on a newer Dell or whatever and get back to a plain DOS prompt? Most PC
> > people claim that XP/2000 whatever does not have any DOS below its OS
> > like Windows 98 or have any DOS instructions on its ROM BIOS chip but I
> > do not believe it. I have not tried inserting a DOS boot floppy, and
> > testing it for myself. In my 98 machine I can boot from a floppy, wipe
> > out the hard drive, partition and then do a format C: /s and the machine
> > will boot with only DOS. I wonder if XP works the same.
> >
> > I guess my main comparison would be the classic Mac OS which is full GUI
> > and no command prompt. On my Mac for exmaple, I can wipe out the hard
> > drive with my boot CD, and then install the boot files with the CD and
> > the Mac boots into a GUI. I doubt XP is a full GUI and does not have
> > command prompt instructions in BIOS, but perhaps I am wrong. I doubt
> > PC's can ever move away from any DOS instructions in their ROM BIOS, but
> > maybe I am wrong.
> >
> >
> > John
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Windows XP PC question
    ... Someone told me a story of a time when his XP machine could not boot, ... he had to boot into a command prompt (its not technically called dos, ... because very few had extensive knowledge of the mac. ... > you certainly won't get a DOS prompt! ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Windows XP PC question
    ... Someone told me a story of a time when his XP machine could not boot, ... he had to boot into a command prompt (its not technically called dos, ... because very few had extensive knowledge of the mac. ... > you certainly won't get a DOS prompt! ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Windows XP PC question
    ... In XP you can open a command line window from the ... Run menu or you can boot the CD to the recovery console. ... But if Windows XP is booted and running it is not using DOS. ... The BIOS will still work but |> you certainly won't get a DOS prompt! ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: Windows XP PC question
    ... In XP you can open a command line window from the ... Run menu or you can boot the CD to the recovery console. ... But if Windows XP is booted and running it is not using DOS. ... The BIOS will still work but |> you certainly won't get a DOS prompt! ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Windows XP PC question
    ... In XP you can open a command line window from the ... Run menu or you can boot the CD to the recovery console. ... But if Windows XP is booted and running it is not using DOS. ... The BIOS will still work but |> you certainly won't get a DOS prompt! ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)