Solved! Need to install OS on a netbook

[jeffinak]

long story short, something happened to my windows on my netbook, I am missing several .dll files, apparently most notably "wininet.dll" so I am unable to use anything associated with windows explorer. Now normally this would be no problem, simply re-install the OS from a dvd, only problem is the netbook (an hp mini) has no disk drive, and when i try to plug in an external, or a flash drive, it wont recognize it because the thing wont launch windows explorer. is there anything I can do or is the little netbook toast?

 

[buwish]

Try holding down 0 with the netbook off and then turn it on while still holding down zero. It should present you with an option to enter the recovery console or repair windows.

 

[Supermuncher85]

Enter the bios by pressing one of these buttons at the start as soon as the computer turns on: delete, f10, f1, f2, f3. These are the most common ways to get into a bios.

Since you have an HP chances are, like with most big OEMs, that there is an option to revert to original OEM install image. This will re-set your install to factory condition. Note this will nuke any files you have on the drive, so I hope you made a backup.

Alternatively if you want to try and use the external dvd drive to try and repair the install instead, you need to make sure that the boot order is correct in the bios. I.e. start loading from the CD then HD and so on.