I'm interning at a non-profit organization and my current task is to reformat an old Dell Dimension L500r, hopefully install Win XP (if not, reinstall 98 SE), and get it ready to be used in a library as a catalog computer. When I tried to make the boot floppy disk, the program kept having problems finding files--it acted as if the CD that I had inserted into the cd-rom drive was not there. When I went into Windows Explorer and clicked on the D:\ heading I got the following error message:

D:\ is not accessible.
Drive is not ready.

I tried removing the drive in the hardware manager, but that didn't work. The computer doesn't have access to the internet and since the cd-rom drive won't work, I can't download and attempt to install updated drivers. This computer was donated to us, so I don't know its history, unfortunately, so I'm unsure of if this is a new problem or not. I was hoping that someone here might be able to help me fix this problem on my own since we can't really afford to take the system to a repair shop or purchase a new one. I'd really appreciate any help you could offer! Thank you!

Hi

Do you know the system specs?

Also what stage are you at right now -- have you installed anything on it yet, or nothing being picked up off the CD to begin installation?

Have you tested any other CD in the drive to see if its working? It may well be the CD drive thats faulty and also check its onnctors to the motherboard power 4-pin Molex connectors from teh power supply are firmly in.

To upgrade, the best thing to do is to zero format the drive; which'll delete everything on there so it doesn't conflict or remain on the HDD after XP installation.

Is the drive D (meaning a second HDD on the PC)?
Should be C:\ if its the primary or only HDD on the PC.

Was this PC working when you received it?

Check your thin and wide ATA cable from the HDD to your motherboard. Make sure its plugged in securely. Check that the cable is not bent more than a little as the wires inside can break that way.

Also can you check on any other PC that the CD is working or good?
I would try this same procedure on another PC (just the initial stages to check if setup loads off the CD, then quit) and see how that goes.

Meanwhile find your HDD here and download its diagnostic tool. Burn the ISO image file to a CD and run a HDD scan to verify if the harddrive is still working or corrupt: http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...utilities.html

You'll need to set to boot from the CD drive, which is done in the BIOS or after POST by pressing F8 and choosing the CD-drive.

Let us know how all that goes.