CD works but can't boot from it

I'm about to do a clean install of XP Home to a new HD. Bios is set to boot to CD first. When I test with bootable CD the light indeed comes on but then it passes on to A: or C: drive without booting from CD. I've tried several different bootable CDs including the WinXP Home (OEM).

2 Q's:

1. How to fix this?

2. I've downloaded the XP Home download from floppies and can get some floppies and go that route but not clear if those downloads will work for a new install (I didn't have CD for computer so got a new OEM). Have any of you had experience with this or thoughts on this route?

 

Hi dscott...

1) When booting from CD you should be prompted to press your space bar to directly boot from CD-ROM emulation.

Did you see a message like that?? If so boot again this time press your space bar as soon as you see this message.

2) Yes, the floppies method will work.

http://freepctech.com/pc/002/windowsxp_cleaninstall.shtml

 

Check your BIOS. I recently installed XP on an old gateway 433 (Yes it runs... just ) I had all sort of problems not being able to boot from the CD, and I was sure this 1999 PC had the CD boot ability. After literally a few hours a trying everything including making a bunch of boot floppies, I found that for some reason the CD and HD had "disappeared" from the BIOS. I redetected both of them, saved the settings and problem solved.

 

Dobhar - I don't see that message on boot - that initial page flashes too fast to read. Thanks for the floppy info.

Paul - How did you redetect them? I'm going to look in Bios now.

 

Should be fairly obvious. I won't suggest where as it will vary between BIOS manufacturers. Probably in the first listed option?

 

hmmm! That message should show for approx 10 secs I believe when booting from CD...if spacebar not pressed it boots into OS. Sounds like you are not setup to boot from CD.

 

I didn't see any reference to CD only to master 1, slave 1, master 2, slave 2. All on auto detect (and they only detected master 1). How would I redetect?
I reset to factory defaults and I ran an autodetect routine in another part of the bios setup which showed the above. Was that the redetect?

 

A little nervous & into checking before I install.

re: using xp home floppy set - I was able to download them because MS validated that I had XP Home. Since I don't have the original CD I bought an OEM and will use that for a clean install.

I understand the 6 floppies will make it so I can use the CD I bought.

Is this correct?

Might there be some problem because it would look for the old XP and find a different one?

 

Autodetect is the correct function. Make sure you save settings to CMOS and also save setup defaults as well. Your HD should be connected to IDE0 and the CD usually to IDE1. This would mean Primary master 1 and secondary master 1.
Check the connections from the HD and CD internally and reseat both ends of the power and data connections to the Power supply and motherboard.

 

Disconnected/reconnected all wires to CD and to HD. Bios shows the same. When I go through autodetect only Master 1 shows any data (numbers other than 0 for head, etc.).

CD still runs CDs when they're put in aftwer boot up.

Guess I'll go with floppy boot to install.

 

Drat.

I assume this is still a hardware issue.

The six floppies got me to where I could start installing XP. Everything went well through partitioning, selecting file system and formatting (well, kind of - it wanted to call my new partition "G:" until I redid it and unconnected the new slave drive/old master).

After formatting it asked me if wanted to install XP on the new C: drive. I indicated yes and then it asked me to insert the CD into the CD drive and press enter. It was already in the CD drive so I pressed enter and nothing happened. I pulled the CD out and put it back in, the light came on and I pressed enter. This time there was a message at the bottom of the screen: "please wait..." and then back to the screen which asked me to press enter or f3 to exit.

How to further explore/fix the CD?

still learning...

 

Last suggestion I have is to unplug all PCI cards and disconnect all external devices. All you should have connected is Monitor, keyboard, mouse and a graphics card, if it isn't onboard graphics.

 

Removed PCI cards. Only other external device was my connection to the router.

Same results.

Thanks for your suggestions, Paul.

 

Hi dscott, when I was looking in the Sony information for your machine (it is a Sony PIII PCV R549DS from your previous posts...pls state that if you if you post in hardware, we hardware people get terribly confused if we don't know that sort of info ), look in the FAQs for your model regarding the installation of Windows XP.

I was looking at a FAQ when I was there regarding the reinstallation of Windows, but, unfortunately, cannot find it now (the Sony site does not like my browser or, my browser does not like the Sony site). Read about installing Windows XP "retail ". You might only be able to install Win XP retail or use a Sony "restore" disk. The OEM disk you have may not work on that machine.

Matt
PS If you are stuck email Sony. I gauge a manufacturers credentials by the level of their support. Do they want you to buy their products in future?

 

Thanks Matt. I'm into a few long days of busyness at work but will pursue this line of attack and let you know later this week.

 

dscott,

An OEM CD works for me all the time, and shouldn't be a problem. Your difficulty is with the BIOS boot order; I've found in similar situations that setting all the boot options to CD works; it doesn't give the BIOS a chance to boot anything else. Don't forget to set it back to the normal sequence at the first reboot during installation.

 

Thanks, I'll try that: eliminate all but CD from boot order. You've used OEM with Sony, specifically?

 

"...setting all the boot options to CD works; it doesn't give the BIOS a chance to boot anything else."

How do you do that? In this bios I've found no way to edit the options they present (CD only is not one of them).

BTW, some info about my system:
Sony R549DS
Processor
Model : Intel(R) Pentium(R) III
Speed : 752MHz
Performance Rating : PR902 (estimated)
Type : Standard
L2 On-board Cache : 256kB ECC Synchronous ATC (8-way, 32 byte line size)

Mainboard
Bus(es) : ISA AGP PCI USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
MP Support : No
MP APIC : No
System BIOS : ASUS - 58582e31
(elsewhere, Mainboard
MP Support : No
Model : ACPI BIOS Revision 3002U
System BIOS : 12/07/99-i440BX-P2B-AE???)

Total Memory : 256MB SDRAM

Chipset 1
Model : Intel Corporation 82443BX/ZX 440BX/ZX CPU to PCI Bridge (AGP Implemented)
Front Side Bus Speed : 1x 100MHz (100MHz data rate)
Total Memory : 256MB SDRAM
Memory Bus Speed : 1x 100MHz (100MHz data rate)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : SONY CPD-220VS
Adapter : NVIDIA RIVA TNT2/TNT2 Pro (Microsoft Corporation)

Physical Storage Devices
Removable Drive : Floppy disk drive
Hard Disk : Maxtor 94098U8 (38.2GB)
CD-ROM/DVD : PIONEER DVD-ROM DVD-114R
CD-ROM/DVD : SONY CD-RW CRX140E (CD 32X Rd, 8X Wr)

 

On the Sony site haven't found yet ant reference to using OEM's for install but have found - finally - the updates I need to do before install: Bios and modem driver.

 

I found the information regarding Windows XP. It relates mainly to upgrading to Win XP from the original install of 98 or ME. It looks like there should not be any problem with your OEM disk, sparrow might like to check it. At the time I previously saw it I thought you might be installing Win98 then using a Win XP upgrade disk.
http://ciscdb.sel.sony.com/perl/swu...S&session_id=6b59d05f7fc6d0fcf72c8e81dd836235 link at the top "Operating System Upgrades ".

Sorry if I made you panic.

Matt