Can't Boot From DVD-ROM drive or Floppy Disk Drive

[DaffyD®]

I'm running Windows XP SP3 and I tried inserting the setup CD to test out
the recovery console but even after going into the BIOS to configure the
computer to boot from the DVD drive, it only boots from the hard drive to
Windows. I tried the same experiment by setting the computer to boot from
the floppy drive but again it booted from the hard drive straight into
Windows. My computer was assembled by a tech at my former place of
employment so it's not a brand name. What more information do I need to
provide for help in fixing this? Thanks.
--
DaffyD® ( : []=

If I knew where I was I'd be there now.



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4751 (20100107) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

 

[Elmo]

I'm running Windows XP SP3 and I tried inserting the setup CD to test out
the recovery console but even after going into the BIOS to configure the
computer to boot from the DVD drive, it only boots from the hard drive to
Windows. I tried the same experiment by setting the computer to boot from
the floppy drive but again it booted from the hard drive straight into
Windows. My computer was assembled by a tech at my former place of
employment so it's not a brand name. What more information do I need to
provide for help in fixing this? Thanks.

Sometimes F12 during startup will get you to a boot menu where you can
select the device.

 

[Jose]

I'm running Windows XP SP3 and I tried inserting the setup CD to test out
the recovery console but even after going into the BIOS to configure the
computer to boot from the DVD drive, it only boots from the hard drive to
Windows. I tried the same experiment by setting the computer to boot from
the floppy drive but again it booted from the hard drive straight into
Windows. My computer was assembled by a tech at my former place of
employment so it's not a brand name. What more information do I need to
provide for help in fixing this? Thanks.
--
DaffyD® ( : []=

If I knew where I was I'd be there now.

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4751 (20100107) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

If we know more about your system, we can help you figure it out:

Click Start, Run and in the box enter:

msinfo32

Click OK, and when the System Summary info appears, click Edit, Select
All, Copy and then paste the information back here.

There will be some personal information (like System Name and User
Name), and whatever appears to be private information to you, just
delete it from the pasted information.

This will minimize back and forth Q&A and eliminate guesswork.

 

[Twayne]

In

I'm running Windows XP SP3 and I tried inserting the setup CD to test
out the recovery console but even after going into the BIOS to
configure the computer to boot from the DVD drive, it only boots from
the hard drive to Windows. I tried the same experiment by setting the
computer to boot from the floppy drive but again it booted from the
hard drive straight into Windows. My computer was assembled by a tech
at my former place of employment so it's not a brand name. What more
information do I need to provide for help in fixing this? Thanks.

Did you have a bootable disk inserted in each case? If no, then what you
describe is normal.

Twayne


--
--
Often you'll find excellent advice on a newsgroup.
Before you use that advice though, consider the
ramifications of it being wrong or even dangerous;
how important IS that to you?
ALWAYS verify and confirm ANY advice from a
newsgroup!

 

[HeyBub]

I'm running Windows XP SP3 and I tried inserting the setup CD to test
out the recovery console but even after going into the BIOS to
configure the computer to boot from the DVD drive, it only boots from
the hard drive to Windows. I tried the same experiment by setting the
computer to boot from the floppy drive but again it booted from the
hard drive straight into Windows. My computer was assembled by a tech
at my former place of employment so it's not a brand name. What more
information do I need to provide for help in fixing this? Thanks.

Maybe your system can't boot from the CD (it's broken) and moves on to the
next device in the boot sequence table. Rearrange your BIOS so that the CD
is the ONLY thing your machine can boot from and try again.

 

[Paul]

I'm running Windows XP SP3 and I tried inserting the setup CD to test out
the recovery console but even after going into the BIOS to configure the
computer to boot from the DVD drive, it only boots from the hard drive to
Windows. I tried the same experiment by setting the computer to boot from
the floppy drive but again it booted from the hard drive straight into
Windows. My computer was assembled by a tech at my former place of
employment so it's not a brand name. What more information do I need to
provide for help in fixing this? Thanks.

When you make the BIOS changes, are you using "Save and Exit" as the last
step ? When you go into the BIOS the next time, is the boot order still
as you modified it earlier ?

In your floppy test case, do you hear/see any response from the floppy
drive at all ? That would tell you it is plugged in. If you want something
to test it with, you could always prepare a memtest86+ floppy. The floppy
installer here, does a sector by sector copy of the memtest program, onto
a blank floppy. The floppy ends up with no file system, so you can't even
list the floppy once it is prepared. But it should boot into a 640x480
testing screen.

http://www.memtest.org

Normally, I'd suggest identifying the motherboard, but really, they
should all work more or less the same, when it comes to preparing
a BIOS boot order, and having the motherboard respect that order.
For example, mine is set to Floppy, CDROM, Hard drive, and then in a
separate menu, the three hard drives are prioritized. I also have the
option of pressing F10, to make a dynamic boot decision at startup. Not
all BIOS support the "pop-up boot" menu idea, of selecting the boot
device on the fly.

Paul

 

[Unknown]

Since your computer was assembled by a tech at your former place of
employment I would
strongly suspect you do not have a normal BIOS. It probably was modified to
prevent what
you are tryiing to do..

 

[Jose]

If we know more about your system, we can help you figure it out:

Click Start, Run and in the box enter:

msinfo32

Click OK, and when the System Summary info appears, click Edit, Select
All, Copy and then paste the information back here.

There will be some personal information (like System Name and User
Name), and whatever appears to be private information to you, just
delete it from the pasted information.

This will minimize back and forth Q&A and eliminate guesswork.

If the OP would follow the instructions, there would be no guessing
about the BIOS, motherboard, etc.