Changed boot sequence in BIOS, but nothing's happening

[Illumination]

I'm using a Sharp laptop.. I don't know the model number but it's tiny and it doesn't have in interal cd-rom drive. It came with one but that one's broken now or doesn't read CDs or something, so I used the other external DVD/CD-RW combo drive we have. The model number for that is LiteOn SOHC-5232KX. I've used this to format my other laptop (Digimate X-1110), just simply by changing the boot sequence. Now for some reason, even after changing the boot sequence in the Sharp, it still boots up normally as if I didn't change any settings. The combo drive has been plugged in already, and I've put the Windows XP Pro (bootable, I used it for the Digimate already) CD in too.

Long story short, the laptop boots normally as if I've changed nothing, even after everything's been plugged in and it is not the combo drive or CD's problem.

Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Raje]

I'd say try once more with a floppy. If still will not boot, see if there are updates for you BIOS. I'm not 100% sure- but you may have a bad MOBO. Try to format the Hardrive with a boot disk if needed--- then obtain the six floppy disk setup and see if that will allow you to boot from that external drive.

Now I don't know if this will work in a laptop, but this is waht I've done on another system with a bad BIOS system. I switched out the hard drive into anther working computer. I then reinstalled the OS on that Hard drive in the working computer. When it came up with the message saying windows has installed and needs to restart to setup your computer(or when ever you see the first restart prompt) Shut down the pc and switch the hardrives again, this time putting the newly imaged drive back in the unresponsive system. The it installed pretty slowly, but worked, and still works as a matter of fact.

 

[Illumination]

Whoops sorry when I said it didn't have an internal cd-rom drive but it came with one I meant it came with an external one.. there is no bay for an internal one.

And I also forgot to say there's no floppy anywhere... no floppy disc drives around at all.
Sorry for my ignorance.. but what's a MOBO?

I've still been trying to boot from CD-Rom today.. and yet again without success.

 

[Des]

MOBO is short for motherboard. Errmmm - I'm afraid that's the limit of my help on this one, but good luck in getting in sorted!

 

[Cache-man]

Just check the basics again....go into BIOS and set the desired boot order, and make sure you save the settings before leaving BIOS.
Is BIOS recogising the drive?

Also, you sometimes have to press a key when booting from a CD, and then if you don't press one for a short time the CD is skipped and booting continues as normal....are you seeing this request to press a key?

 

[Raje]

Just check the basics again....go into BIOS and set the desired boot order, and make sure you save the settings before leaving BIOS.
Is BIOS recogising the drive?

Also, you sometimes have to press a key when booting from a CD, and then if you don't press one for a short time the CD is skipped and booting continues as normal....are you seeing this request to press a key?

I forgot all about the key- you have to do that for Sony computers, try rebooting and tapping f-10

 

[Illumination]

I have no idea if the BIOS is recognising the drive, but the computer is. Now the computer doesn't even boot up.. it'll go to Windows, but it has those error things.. and then it doesn't load explorer.exe I think. When I could boot up normally before, it did detect the drive. Yea I have saved the settings.. it's at..
1. Option CD-Rom Drive
2. Diskette Drive
3. Hard Drive

I just tried booting it, while pressing F10 rapidly. Just before it shows the Windows ME (it's on ME) boot screen comes up, I see some weird things at the top of the screen and it goes away quickly. I just switched it on to see if I'd see it without pressing F10 and I don't see anything.

Btw Raje I think you mean Sharp laptops?

 

[Raje]

No I meant SONY (r) . I do some tech support and we constantly have to teach people how to reinstall thier operating systems, and I was just stating that I know for a fact that SONY you need to tap f-10. Insiginia are f-9 and some others f-11. As far as Sharp laptops I have to admit I'm unfamilar with Sharp computer components. The again , you said you did see something when hitting f-10 thats a plus. Just try all the function keys, but to save a little time try f-3, f-5, f-8, f-9, f-10, f-11. Those are genrally all the function keys that have anything to do with booting.
Hope it works