How to open MS dos in a damaged(registry wise)pc?

Question

i run an xp pro with sp2 but i messed up with my registry and my computer doesn't boot neither in normal nor in safe mode or "my last known best config", so i need to format my c: drive. can someone tell me how to open ms-dos without actually loading windows cuz when i try to load windows, the screen freezes on welcome and thus i need to open ms dos. can someone help me?

Answer 1

Before formating, consider repairing the existing intallation, you can do this booting from the Windows' cd-rom and chosing "repair" when it asks you on what partition to install, then you'll be able to recover your datas.

If you really have to format and reinstall, what you can do is create two partitions, one with your windows install (10GB minimum) and one reserved to your data, you can even move "My documents" to this data partition. So if you have to reinstall again, you won't have to save your data.

Don't forget to get your hardware drivers first.

Then, as said in the post above, dos is no longer a part of Windows since WindowsXP. You still can run dos commands though, from the desktop click start menu, then run, then enter "cmd" without quotes.

Good luck.

Answer 2

after windows 98 dos was phased out. it no longer runs on the same kernals and is there for not present in the system. The dos prompt you see in windows is basically a simulated version. If you need to format you will also need an install disc, and that will boot right into the format/install program... as long as you PC is set to load from CD before HD, to check this enter you BIOS and find the primary boot device.