How to boot DVD Writer

Hi folks,

AMD Athlon
Asus A8N-VM
RAM "“ 1G
DVD Writer "“ (A) IDE connection
DVD Writer "“ (B) SATA connection
Boot sequence - CDRom -> HD

This is an old box. I just discovered it doesn't suppose booting DVD Writer. I need to boot/install Window Vista. I tried 2 DVD/CD Writers removed temporarily from other 2 working PCs. It can't boot Windows Vista DVD nor CD burned with Linux. However the same DVD Writers and Windows Vista and CD work on other PCs booting Windows Vista or Linux. But it boots Linux on CDRom connected to this old box.

Please advice is there any way to get the DVD Writer booting Windows Vista. Or is there any method to install Windows Vista. TIA

B.R.
satimis

 

hi,

How much ram is present in the systems you managed it with, versus this system?

Does the board in this system max out at 1 GB?

 

Hi Jilly,

4G (DDR2) and 8/G(DDR3), both dual channel. Should be both 4G as Windows only detects 4G max.

I think so. 500M x 2 RAM sticks, DDR. Vidio card has 256M RAM,DDR2, on board. There is no other device consumes RAM heavily.

B.R.
satimis

 

Hey,

Yes, my board supports 4 of DDR2, i only upped it to 3 cause XP, at least can not use more.

My feeling....and that is what it is only, is if you are trying to load VISTA, You simply may not have enough ram in the old system.

Can you go online with the system in question to the Crucial site, download their interactive app and it will tell you chapter and verse re yr board and how much & which kind ram it will support?

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/index.aspx

Now, my take, and I only tested it Beta and even before I did, I knew I would never go there, VISTA really wants 2 GBs to wake up happy and ambulate. But I am no kinda expert in this.

I do feel clear that with I GB, that system will not run it happily at all.....and may not wanna install it either.

Can you tell us about the AMD CPU in the old system?

And forgive this, but I am unclear; when you say DVD/writer, you mean an optical drive, yes?

Forgive this too, but I assume you know that MS operating systems, unless some huge vendor buys a commercial license which permits him or her to use the same COA over and over, are not not meant be used in more than one computer, yes?

What operating system is this computer running now?

 

Hi satimas

Instead of posting your details in the thread it would be more helpful if you can complete your system details it could save a lot of time when resolving this or further issues.

This is an odd one, I'd assume if your system can boot from CD then DVD wouldn't be an issue. However, depending on the age of the box perhaps the BIOS isn't 100% DVD compatible.

I'm going to side with Jilly on this, 1Gb really isn't enough to run Vista even if you can get it installed, you wouldn't put a 100cc engine in a corvette would you

EDIT:
One last thought before sleep...

You are setting the jumpers for the DVD drive correctly (ie the same as the working CD drive). Take the SATA drive out, leave the IDE connected with correct jumper settings and try a reboot... You'll still need more RAM though

 

I had no clue there were optical drives made for computers which are not combo drives that only play DVDs. I assumed any optical drive not combo, was for CDs only.

How would the Mfg load the original OS using a drive only made for DVDs? I think Satimis means either an old CD optical drive or a newer combo drive.

I like the Vette analogy cause those are my dream cars.

 

Jill,

Optical is a term used to describe any drive that uses Laser as a reading medium. HD's Floppies are Magnetic. LS120's and the like are Pseudo Magnetic/Optical. CD's DVD's Blu-Ray are Optical and Memory Sticks/Cards are Solid State.

 

I knew most of that. I think we got confused by Satimis calling the drive a DVD/writer. He mentioned both a SATA controlled optical drive and and an IDE controlled optical drive.

I would think, if this is an older system, it is probably IDE controlled, yes?

But all such drives in computers are obviously optical drives; the newer ones are combos, and some are SATA controlled. Those in both my desktops are IDE controlled.

I do hope, Satimis, you post all your accurate system specs and find out what the board in that system maxes out at re ram, and also share if this copy of Vista is fully licensed, a full, retail copy or a restore disk, and if it's been used to install Vista on some other system.

My stand alone DVD player is a combo optical drive tho does not record digitally, only plays. The one in my LCD TV, that optical drive, only plays DVDs.

Ironically, from what I recently read and posted a link to somewhere here, bet that system could install and run W7.

 

I just googled tho I can barely sit up right now. lol

I learned a new thing! You can order Vista on a CD or a DVD!

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx

I am wondering if this Optical drive or these optical drives read/ play other disks while installed. Wouldn't that be worth testing?

Jilly is now outta gas.

 

I am still totally unclear if either drive FUNCTIONS in the old system or not. If either shows up normally in Device Manager, etc.

I think he said he cant BOOT FROM EITHER disk. I assumed that was the issue and not that neither drive functions in the box.

I would like more detailed & accurate info.

 

Addendum to the above:
I am pasting from the original post and will illustrate my confusion by making one statement PINK, and the maybe disparate, or, at the very least confusing bigtime.. statement TURQUOISE.

Color coding is the secret of life.

This is an old box. I just discovered it doesn't suppose booting DVD Writer. I need to boot/install Window Vista. I tried 2 DVD/CD Writers removed temporarily from other 2 working PCs. It can't boot Windows Vista DVD nor CD burned with Linux. However the same DVD Writers and Windows Vista and CD work on other PCs booting Windows Vista or Linux. But it boots Linux on CDRom connected to this old box.

I am confused. In the pink statement on top, I am wondering what is the nature of the (dysfunctional in this sytem) disk burned with Linux????

Do I understand correctly re the turquoise statement, that a disk with Linux burned on it works in the system?

If so, might that not indicate the issue may not be with the optical drive per se?

Just shoot me.

PS, I am ambivalent about posting re possible chicanery, tho I did ask about the specifics of the Vista disk early on & addressed what we all know about MS OSes, cause Doesn't compute (pun intended) that anyone with an old system, forget with Less Than specs, would spend the money on a new, licensed copy of Vista for that computer alone....which is all it would be valid for.

 

Jill,

As I understand it the system can boot CD's but not DVD's. Combi (CD/DVD) drives can fail and eg read CD's but not DVD's. It's also possible as Broni pointed out that having two optical drives on different interfaces (PATA/SATA) can add to or cause the problem.

I do agree that clarification is required as to exactly what steps/drives satimus has taken.

We'll just have to be patient and hopefully satimus will respond in due course with further information.

 

Yes, Paddy!!!!! Patience is the linchpin!

I will download more. Will be a BIG FILE.

thanks for the post, I believe it helped somewhat.

 

Hi folks,

Thanks for your advice.

I moved the test to a new box with following config;

Code:

Motherboard - Asus M4A78T (new)
CPU - AMD Phenom II 955 (new)
RAM - 8G, 2Gx4, DDR3 Dual Channel (new)
DVD Drive - Asus 24X SATA DVD Writer (new)
Hard Drive - Maxtor 40G IDE hard disk (old)

At booting DVD Drive detected the Vista installer. Then loading files started. After finish Vista screen was displayed with a big arrow on it. It took prolong time before installation began. Disregarding this is a fast and powerful PC, it also took long time to complete the installation.

Finally Vista is up running.

Now this test proves that the DVD drive is working to boot Vista. I'll move the DVD drive to the old PC to check whether the problem encountered before was on account of the old DVD drive.

B.R.
satimis

 

1) Forgive me, you are still not sharing relevant specifics I, at last, feel are needed, Satimis.

2) Everyone who has tried to help you troubleshoot this in this thread, I now get: first struggled to determine if the old system has issues with combo drives; if you maybe didn't jumper the optical drive(s) properly; if you had, at some point, installed both the IDE one and the SATA one simultaneously and there might have been some conflict because of it.

3) I think I also raised this issue of the system requiremenets for Vista (Blech) versus the inadequate specs to run it in that older system.

4) With some ambivalence, because it doesn't compute for me intuitively, I raised the important issue of no licensed copy of a Microsoft operating system can be loaded in more than one computer. I then asked if yours was a legit copy or not?

Now that you've shared that you've successfully loaded it in another, faster system, it seems, as a test, with the original goal of loading in in the older system intact, I must reiterate the question.

I do not get why you are hell bent on loading Vista, of all things, on the older system. Can you pls HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS?

5) Apart from open source OSes, do you have any other options re Windows? If this is a commercial system, might you try to get an original, OEM Restore disk from the Mfg?

 

Hi Jilly and folks,

I have been struggling 2 days to sort out the cause why the other 2 DVD drives, an IDE DVD writer and a SATA DVD writer, can't boot the Vista installer. They have been in other 2 PCs sometimes but seldom used almost new. I keep backup of all data on a LAN storage HD.

The old box is a virtual machine running Ubuntu Linux as host with KVM as virtualization software and most VMs (guests) are servers running Linux as OS. The box is still running strong without problem.

Recently I got an IPhone as gift from a relative. The latest version of Ipod, version 9, can't run properly on wine. Therefore I have to install Vista for running it. Although I managed upload music files to the IPhone running open source software but the same after upload can't be read, invisible. Because Ipod (on IPhone) has been deliberately encrypted by Apple. There are technologies on Internet to decrypt it. However in doing so it will waive the warranty.

I succeed installing Vista on a VM on the old box from the DVD drive mentioned without problem. The Vista is a LEGAL copy. However Vista running on VM can't detect the IPhone. Therefore I have to reinstall Vista direct on a HD but the installer of the same can't be booted on DVD drive. Then my curiosity began.

I purchased a new Asus SATA DVD Writer and installed the same on a brand new PC which is built for testing statistical computing software, such as PSPP, SPSS, Openstat, R-Project, etc., not for this simple task. This new box is also a virtualization machine.

My preliminary conclusion on my finding on the problem mentioned before is the DVD drive not compatible with the mobo. I don't use DVD drive installing software. I download the netboot image of open source OS on usb and booting the later to install the OS. All DVD drives are standing idle on the PC, almost useless.

I run Windows for testing only NOT for daily work. I have a very old copy of XP. I suppose, it is the first generation version.

That is the complete story. Lot of thanks for your assistance.

Vista is now running with all necessary drivers installed and updated successfully. Adobe Acrobat Reader, OpenOffice, Flash Player, PDF writer, etc. have been installed. When time allows I'll test sound later. Afterwards my adventure on installing Ipod will begin.

B.R.
satimis

 

Hi, Satimis,

Your level of expertise in this technology is very high...far, FAR higher than mine.

I appreciate your posting all those above data, some of which I understand and some of which I do not.

I think I now get why you needed VISTA on the old machine despite, no way can it run normally.

But I still do not get how any modern computer's mobo could be not compatible with an optical drive, again, assuming if, by what you call DVD writers, you mean combo optical drives.

It IS possible it may not be compatible with optical drives that write CDs and DVDs as opposed to just playing them. Ironically, I have a couple of old, sound optical drives I have pulled from discarded computers in this building. I am sure you could find one on eBay for practically nothing.

I am happy to know the copy of Vista is legit. Tho I still do not get how it got installed on more than one system.

I will be most interested to read what the real experts post now in this thread.

Best,
Jilly

 

Hi Jilly

Agree. Vista can't run properly on an old PC. Some of the drivers may not easily be found without injecting tremendous efforts. However I only need it for installing Ipod 9. Actually Windows and other Open Source OS are only a platform for running other software which you need to do your job. What I need to run Ipod 9 is to upload music files to IPhone. This is my temporary solution. Very soon solution will be discovered in open source without Ipod 9.

It is true. The old combo optical drives are far better than the new model in quality. It is because of the keen competition on price in market their manufactures don't keep stringent control on quality.

I think it is not easy. During installing Vista you have to register it with MS. When you run Vista MS will detect your PC. Although it is NOT absolutely impossible, it is out off topic here. Neither I'll discuss it.

You need Windows as a platform for running other Windows application/software? OR you need those small application/software packed with Windows? In the former case you can run them on Open Source OS via "wine ", the emulator. Please google-search "wine emulator" on Internet to find it. I'm not going to list its thread here.

Merry Xmas
satimis

 

Hi again, Satimis,

While I obviously agree, what I meant too re your situation was, it's maybe the rW feature in the newer drives that could be causing a problem in the old machine.

"Not easy' is not the issue, not LEGAL is. To say nothing of NOT SAFE, GIVEN, nobody who manages this by dint of some technique can receive updates/hotfixes/patches for the OS and so that system will be in harm's way, AND INCREASINGLY.

I am no more delighted about many aspects of MS, including the cost of their software, than anyone else, but I take responsibility for having chosen to stay with Windows and this means I agree to abide by their rules.

True and beside the point. The NUCLEAR point is, software has SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. It must be compatible with the computer on which it is installed. Apart from the other "OMG, you must be kidding" ill conceived elements of Vista, it also requires serious juice...re both CPU & ram.

That the old system no way has those, which may make it hard for YOU in the ways you mentioned is not the real issue. Bottom line is you are asking---no, demanding---that the computer perform in ways it was NOT ENGINEERED TO DO.

I think of my computers as living beings. It is my default mode internally. This allows me to honor them by learning everything I can about them to keep them safe, lean, healthy, & yes, I think of it as HAPPY. I treat them no differenty from the way I treat the living beings in my life....actually, ALL living beings, unless I discover the being in question does not deserve this. A very painful phenomenon, but also part of life.

Same deal, I just realized, with, say an air conditioner. Esp in Manhattan, you don't have its evaporator coils--the whole unit-- cleaned every other season: you put needless stress on the unit, including the compressor; it works less and less efficiently and uses more and more energy, and it is UNHAPPY.

I do admire you've mastered all manner of open source everything....but life, including technology which does not exist in a vacuum, requires we grow some nuanced perspective re core values ....again, a great privilege and adventure.

We can learn a great deal from our computers & our relationship with them, and not all of it is technical!