Hey,

so i got a computer here with specs i dont know because i recieved this from a a freind at a workplace who said i could have it as long as i wipe the hardrives (and i have a windows xp disk here to wipe it). However i cant because when the computer boots i get the grub error 21. No keys respond except ctrl alt delete but even if i change boot sequence im getting the same message how can i just wipe this whole system and install my xp disk?

btw be very simple im only 16 not that super associated with computers...


Heres the message:

Verifying DMI Pool Data.............
GRUB Loading stage1.5.


Grub Loading, please wait...
Error 21

If your computer supports cd bootyou need to go into the bios & change the "Boot Priority" to cdrom, making cdrom the first device it searches for.

even with changed boot order it goes straight to that message

Put your xp disk in (after making sure you are set to boot first from cd/dvd. It should boot the windows disc and then you can install from there.

Not if it can't find a Windows compatible partition. It'll actually boot the XP CD, but quietly exit without doing anything.
@EpicDiabetic, do you have another computer you can download on (presumably yes, as you're posting here), and does it have a CD burner (and software) ?.

yes i do

O.K., you'll need a Linux CD - called a liveCD, and you use it without updating or affecting your system in any way. Do you have one - or know someone who has ?.
If not, try the "Download Linux" link on the top right - maybe try puppy, it's a small download, and will do for this. You download an iso file, and burn that as an image to a CD and boot that. Once you've got that sorted out, post back and we'll give you a command to zap that disk so you can load XP.

The reason you are getting that message is that someone had installed some version of Linux, deleted the partition the Linux system was on but did not overwrite the master boot record. This is a very common problem in this situation. According to the microsoft site, you should be able to use a W95 or W98 startup disk to do this also. I doubt you have one of those lying around.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314458

I would go with the suggestion by syg00. Definitely would be the simplest solution. If you have any data on the computer you want to save, I'd post back before doing anything.

is there a way to do this but with a bootable usb stick of ubuntu???? if so what boot priority would that be and would it matter what usb port i put it in?

Nope, that'll be good.
If the machine is capable of booting USB (BIOS setting), any slot should work.

my bios options are
USB-FDD
USB-ZIP
USB-CDROM
USB-HDD

Since you have several USB options, I would suggest first trying the USB-HDD. I have an HP computer and that's what works on it. May not be the same on your machine. Mine won't boot a flash drive when set to USB-CDROM. I would try those options first.

now instead of giving me error i stop at verifying DMI Pool Data and it doesnt move from that screen (and ctrl alt del doesnt respond now)

is there just a way basicallly to take everything and flash it to defualt and then start overa??? i just want to to boot my CD or my USB stick.

We can't see your computer so we don't know what you did. You should have an option to set defaults somewhere in the BIOS.