troubles.

[bbychop]

My boyfriend is trying to fix his parents' desktop so that internet could be hooked up to it without problem.
Over a year ago, it had crashed because of a virus and he figured since it had set, whatever virus that crashed, would have killed the virus. I have never heard of that before but anyway.
We have been trying to get the log in page to show up on the computer while in safe mode and it turns to a black screen.
Is there any way to clear out the hard drive on it and put a new version of Windows XP on it or is it not savable?
It's a Dell Dimension 2400 Series. Thanks :)

[Commander Thor]

My boyfriend is trying to fix his parents' desktop so that internet could be hooked up to it without problem.
Over a year ago, it had crashed because of a virus and he figured since it had set, whatever virus that crashed, would have killed the virus. I have never heard of that before but anyway.
We have been trying to get the log in page to show up on the computer while in safe mode and it turns to a black screen.
Is there any way to clear out the hard drive on it and put a new version of Windows XP on it or is it not savable?
It's a Dell Dimension 2400 Series. Thanks
:)

Ahh, better. Now I can READ it.

Do you still have the Windows installation disk that Dell shipped with the PC?
-If not, can you access the repair partition?
--(While the system is at POST (The Dell logo with the loading bar below it), press 'Ctrl+F11'))

[Cromm]

As long as the HD still works, it's totally salvagable. If it comes down to it, use another computer to make a clean boot disk of WinXP, format the hard drive and do a clean install.