How to get to dos prompt before windows 7

If you had or have Windows 10 installed , you are unlikely to ever get Windows 7 working again satisfactorily unless you do a complete re-install. In this case, a System Repair disk is not going to help you. If you have a corrupted Windows 7 system , you are trying to recover, you want to try a System Repair disk to boot the PC. It may be more successful in fixing and offer other alternatives. Start globe, All Programs, Maintenance. You need just a blank CD. When you boot, ensure that you are in fact booting on that CD and not the hard drive.

Usually pressing F12 will lead you to the option to do so. You will need a Win7 install disk for 2 or 3. You will need a legal product code for 3 and the win7 disk must match the edition of the code and its bitness 32 or If you do not have the original Windows 7 install disk, borrow one from a friend.

Details required : characters remaining Cancel Submit. Was this reply helpful? Yes No. Sorry this didn't help. Thanks for your feedback. Ron Rousseau. I have the same question 2. Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit. Canadian Tech. Manually formatting a hard drive is not necessary. Best alternative strategies to rebuild are the following in preference order: Factory restore — replaces everything on the hard drive with exactly what it had on it when you bought it.

You access this before Windows starts using a special key that can varies by brand. F11 is the most common. This is an option only if the installed hard drive is the original.

If you are running MS-DOS with no other operating systems, the computer should be booting into an MS-DOS prompt automatically, unless you have a shell or other program loading automatically. If you are running Windows 3. If you do not want Windows 3. If you are using another operating system e. Keep in mind that booting from an MS-DOS diskette is not going to allow you to have access to the files used with other operating systems. However, if you're erasing everything and starting over, this would allow you to delete all pre-existing information and start over.

Notice For some commands and options to work in the Windows 10 command line, you must run the command line as administrator. Notice For some commands and options to work in the Windows Vista and 7 command line, you must run the command line as administrator. Tip Windows and XP users who cannot boot the computer into Normal Windows mode or Safe Mode can also enter and use the Recovery Console to manage their computer from a prompt.