While attempting to install Windows 98 SE on my Dell XPS600, I inadvertantly wiped out my Win XP on Drive H:. When I turn on the computer now, all I see is 'missing operating system' and then it goes no further.

Can someone please tell me how to retstore my Win XP. I tried using the Dell Operating System disk that came with the computer but nothing happens. I have the Spotnau Boot Disk, that did nothing also.

Jesse

What did you do to wipe the drive? Partition, format or both?
If you partitioned it, I don't know a way to recover it. If you just did a quick format, the data is still there, you then need to find a program to recover it.

See if it has a restore partition from the factory. Turn on the computer and hold the F11 key, see if you get a restore computer option. If so this will restore it as it came from the factory.

You need to boot from the XP CD to reinstall the operating system. Since you tried installing 98 so I think that the restore partition won't be there anymore.
Still there is no harm in trying that. Restart the system and hold the CTRL key down and when the Dell logo screen appears, tap the F 11 key thrice, slowly. If the restore partition is still intact then you will get the Dell PC restore screen, select the option, restore my system to original factory settings and click next, mouse won't work so use the keyboard to select the options. Then select the confirm button an.d press enter. The restore process would start.
If the restore partition is wiped out then you need to boot from the XP CD, the steps are as follows:
Restart the system and tap the F 12 key when the Dell logo screen appears, it will take you the boot device menu. Select the IDE CD-ROM drive option ( it can be DVD or CD -ROM so don't get confused, there would be only one optical drive option so select that .
Then place the XP CD in the optical drive and press enter, soon you will get a message saying "Press any key to boot from the CD". Don't waste even a single second and press the enter key.
You will get a screen that will say set up is loading files. Once its over then you will get three options, the following link has the step by step instructions with screen shots from how to take on from there.
Welcome To Gur.in Your Complete Windows Troubleshooting Guide
After you have installed theoperating system make sure that you install all the drivers. If you don't have the drivers CD then give me the service tag of your notebook computer and I will give you the link for all the drivers and the sequence in which you need to install and apart from that I will also give you the link for the necessary applications that you may need.
Good Luck!!!

Thanks for your suggestions. It looks like the restore function has been destroyed..No luck at all. I have decided to pull the drive and ship it off to a Data Recovery facility because I have files on it that hopefully have not been totally lost.

Jesse

I tried your suggestions with no luck. I have decided to ship the hard drive off to a Data Recovery Facility and hope they can save some of the files on the hd.

I knew that the restore partition would have been destroyed still there was no harm in trying. If you want to get your data recovered then you can contact an outsourcing Firm names Flameberg Technologies (http://www.flameberg.com), its an outsourcing firm based in India and their charges are very resonable, almost half of what you would pay for the similar kind of service in the USA. The hard drive will be picked up by FedEX and shipped to India where the data will be recovered by trained professionals in the lab. Once the data is recovered then the hard drive and the DVD's of the data will be shipped back to you. This whole process takes 10 business days and I can assure you that the technical capabilities of Indian techs are amazing.
I might be banned for promoting a company in this forum however, I just want to help and make people aware that don't pay astronomical amounts to get the data recovered in USA. Data recovery is tough however, the charges in USA are nothing short of a loot so I gave you an option that is efficient and resonable.
Good Luck!!

Thanks, but I believe there has already been too much outsourcing to India, so I am using a Data Recovery Facility here in the good old USA.

Jesse