No operating system found on any device

I was having some problems with my Compaq desktop pc running Windows ME.
Eventually I gave up trying to fix all the problems, copied files I needed,
etc., and did a factory restore. I then followed the suggestion to create a
user backup, also tested it a few days later by doing a user restore. Had
everything working fine, and did another user backup just to be safe, but
this time it needed to increase the size of the partition and did so without
prompting me for permission. In the middle of this operation, it went to a
blue screen and told me to remove all disks and shut off the machine. I did
so, and when I turned it back on it now tells me there is no operating
system found on any device.

Is there anything I can do with it at this point, or is my hard drive now
useless? Thanks for any help you can provide.

I doubt if the hard drive is useless - it sounds like it's been wiped of all
files/programs, etc.

If you have a boot floppy use it to boot the computer and see what, if
anything is on the hard drive. If it looks like stuff is there but screwed
up you'll just have to reformat the drive and reinstall ME - from scratch.

"Zimagirl79" wrote in message
...
I was having some problems with my Compaq desktop pc running Windows ME.
Eventually I gave up trying to fix all the problems, copied files I
needed,
etc., and did a factory restore. I then followed the suggestion to create
a
user backup, also tested it a few days later by doing a user restore. Had
everything working fine, and did another user backup just to be safe, but
this time it needed to increase the size of the partition and did so
without
prompting me for permission. In the middle of this operation, it went to
a
blue screen and told me to remove all disks and shut off the machine. I
did
so, and when I turned it back on it now tells me there is no operating
system found on any device.

Is there anything I can do with it at this point, or is my hard drive now
useless? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Thanks for your reply. I did find out that the stuff is there, so I will
have to go ahead and reformat and reinstall. I only want to get it up and
running so my kids can play some games.

"Jerry" wrote in message
...
I doubt if the hard drive is useless - it sounds like it's been wiped of
all
files/programs, etc.

If you have a boot floppy use it to boot the computer and see what, if
anything is on the hard drive. If it looks like stuff is there but screwed
up you'll just have to reformat the drive and reinstall ME - from scratch.

"Zimagirl79" wrote in message
...
I was having some problems with my Compaq desktop pc running Windows ME.
Eventually I gave up trying to fix all the problems, copied files I
needed,
etc., and did a factory restore. I then followed the suggestion to
create
a
user backup, also tested it a few days later by doing a user restore.
Had
everything working fine, and did another user backup just to be safe,
but
this time it needed to increase the size of the partition and did so
without
prompting me for permission. In the middle of this operation, it went
to
a
blue screen and told me to remove all disks and shut off the machine. I
did
so, and when I turned it back on it now tells me there is no operating
system found on any device.

Is there anything I can do with it at this point, or is my hard drive
now
useless? Thanks for any help you can provide.

If the files are there, this *might* just work!!

Boot, using your WinMe Startup (floppy) Disk. Select 'With CD-ROM Support'
and wait for the A:\ prompt.

At the prompt, type "sys c:" (No quotes but notice the space before the c
and the colon after it) then press return.

Remove the floppy and re-boot your machine (Ctrl+Alt+Del should do it)

See if that gets it to recognise the C: drive

well... could you tell me how the heck you got "sys c:" to work ? I keep
seeing references to it, and every time I try it I get a "can only be
run from Setup on the CD" message :/

see last section of:
"Windows Millennium Edition and Real-Mode Functionality"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;272488

Mart


"Zimagirl79" wrote in message
...
Thanks for your reply. I did find out that the stuff is there, so I will
have to go ahead and reformat and reinstall. I only want to get it up and
running so my kids can play some games.

"Jerry" wrote in message
...
I doubt if the hard drive is useless - it sounds like it's been wiped of
all
files/programs, etc.

If you have a boot floppy use it to boot the computer and see what, if
anything is on the hard drive. If it looks like stuff is there but
screwed
up you'll just have to reformat the drive and reinstall ME - from
scratch.

"Zimagirl79" wrote in message
...
I was having some problems with my Compaq desktop pc running Windows
ME.
Eventually I gave up trying to fix all the problems, copied files I
needed,
etc., and did a factory restore. I then followed the suggestion to
create
a
user backup, also tested it a few days later by doing a user restore.
Had
everything working fine, and did another user backup just to be safe,
but
this time it needed to increase the size of the partition and did so
without
prompting me for permission. In the middle of this operation, it went
to
a
blue screen and told me to remove all disks and shut off the machine.
I
did
so, and when I turned it back on it now tells me there is no operating
system found on any device.

Is there anything I can do with it at this point, or is my hard drive
now
useless? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Ooops... Please ignore the three lines with the chevrons - copied and
pasted from a previous post - sorry.

Mart


"Mart" wrote in message
...
If the files are there, this *might* just work!!

Boot, using your WinMe Startup (floppy) Disk. Select 'With CD-ROM Support'
and wait for the A:\ prompt.

At the prompt, type "sys c:" (No quotes but notice the space before the c
and the colon after it) then press return.

Remove the floppy and re-boot your machine (Ctrl+Alt+Del should do it)

See if that gets it to recognise the C: drive

well... could you tell me how the heck you got "sys c:" to work ? I keep
seeing references to it, and every time I try it I get a "can only be
run from Setup on the CD" message :/

see last section of:
"Windows Millennium Edition and Real-Mode Functionality"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;272488

Mart


"Zimagirl79" wrote in message
...
Thanks for your reply. I did find out that the stuff is there, so I
will
have to go ahead and reformat and reinstall. I only want to get it up
and
running so my kids can play some games.

"Jerry" wrote in message
...
I doubt if the hard drive is useless - it sounds like it's been wiped
of
all
files/programs, etc.

If you have a boot floppy use it to boot the computer and see what, if
anything is on the hard drive. If it looks like stuff is there but
screwed
up you'll just have to reformat the drive and reinstall ME - from
scratch.

"Zimagirl79" wrote in message
...
I was having some problems with my Compaq desktop pc running Windows
ME.
Eventually I gave up trying to fix all the problems, copied files I
needed,
etc., and did a factory restore. I then followed the suggestion to
create
a
user backup, also tested it a few days later by doing a user
restore.
Had
everything working fine, and did another user backup just to be
safe,
but
this time it needed to increase the size of the partition and did so
without
prompting me for permission. In the middle of this operation, it
went
to
a
blue screen and told me to remove all disks and shut off the
machine.
I
did
so, and when I turned it back on it now tells me there is no
operating
system found on any device.

Is there anything I can do with it at this point, or is my hard
drive
now
useless? Thanks for any help you can provide.