Laptop Question

[foulshot]

I was just given a newer Toshiba laptop, Only problem is that the hard drive has been wiped clean. ###Is there a way to establish a path to the cd drive to install the OS?
There are currently No files on the hard drive.

Please speak in laymens terms if thats possible.
Thanks for any help.

Zach

[Kickaha]

A couple suggestions:

(1) You'll probably need to boot from a floppy disk that contains drivers for the CD drive. ###The computer should have come with such a disk when new. ###Or you may be able to find a disk image on Toshiba's web site. ###A PC disk image is an .EXEcutable that recreates the physical floppy disk. ###Anyway.... ###Once you boot from the floppy with the CD driver, you'll be able to access the CD drive.

(2) Depending on your laptop, you may be able to boot directly from the CD. ###You'll need a CD with an OS on it. ###The computer may have come with one of those. ###

(3) What you probably really want is to install an OS on the thing, correct? ###If so, find a copy of the OS you want that starts the install via ###floppies -- nearly every MS OS does this. ###This means that you boot up via the floppies (supplied with the OS) and those floppies take care of reading the rest of the OS from the CD. ###When it's done, your computer will be working and you should have access to the CD. ###Again, depending on the specific model you have, Toshiba may have custom floppies for this purpose.

[foulshot]

Thanks Kickaha, I'll give those things a try.

[wvhunter]

One thing to look for is the drivers for your specific laptop. ###Laptop drivers can be VERY specific if you don't have the correct driver for your motherboard, sound, video, etc you can end up with a very unstable machine.