non-bootable laptop CD and Installing XP

[Liam]

We had to replace the CD drive on our Northgate 8060B laptop.
We got a Sony CRX850E and while it works great in WinXP, the laptop
doesn't recognize it at bootup and so booting with it isn't possible.

We contacted Sony, but it's an OEM and they don't support it.

The laptop has an Insyde MobilePRO BIOS v.4 but I can't find any update
for that.

So my first question is is there some way to get this drive bootable?
And secondly, if not, what's the best way to completely reinstall WinXP
on a laptop where yo ucan't boot with the CD?
(I do have access to a USB floppy drive.)

Thanks for any feedback!
Liam

 

[BigJim]

on my dell I have to press the F2 or F12 key for a one time boot from the
cdrom.
I only had to reinstall once so my memory on the keys are faint.
You may have to do something similar or yours may be in the bios.

 

[Liam]

on my dell I have to press the F2 or F12 key for a one time boot from the
cdrom.
I only had to reinstall once so my memory on the keys are faint.
You may have to do something similar or yours may be in the bios.

Thanks for the reply.
No, the BIOS does not recognize the existance of the CD drive, so it is
not a boot option.
Thanks,
Liam

 

[Mike S.]

We had to replace the CD drive on our Northgate 8060B laptop.
We got a Sony CRX850E and while it works great in WinXP, the laptop
doesn't recognize it at bootup and so booting with it isn't possible.

We contacted Sony, but it's an OEM and they don't support it.

The laptop has an Insyde MobilePRO BIOS v.4 but I can't find any update
for that.

So my first question is is there some way to get this drive bootable?
And secondly, if not, what's the best way to completely reinstall WinXP
on a laptop where yo ucan't boot with the CD?
(I do have access to a USB floppy drive.)

If you can boot from the floppy, prepare an MSDOS boot disk which will let
you access the CD drive; also include SMARTDRV.EXE. Boot the floppy, load
SMARTDRIVE, and execute WINNT.EXE in the \i386 folder of the XP install
CD.

 

[hassan.dar]

You can also download the official microsoft Setup Boot Disks:

Windows XP Home Edition SP2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...9F7-4A2D-983D-81C2137FF464&displaylang=en

Windows XP Professional SP2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E10-49B5-B80C-0A0205368124&displaylang=en

However be warned, they are spread over quite a few floppies so you
will need a few. However they will allow you to perform all of the
'blue screen' text portion of the installation (i.e. the formatting of
harddrives etc.) and will only actually use the CD when it comes to the
graphical installation. So if the cd drive wont allow you to access the
text mode setup you can use the floppies instead.

Good Luck,

// Hassan

 

[Guest]

Your problem is in the bios. You need to enter the bios and reset the cd rom
drive in the IDE configuration. Your manual or help files should tell you how
to enter and change the bios so the new hardware is recognized.

 

[Anna]

We had to replace the CD drive on our Northgate 8060B laptop.
We got a Sony CRX850E and while it works great in WinXP, the laptop
doesn't recognize it at bootup and so booting with it isn't possible.

We contacted Sony, but it's an OEM and they don't support it.

The laptop has an Insyde MobilePRO BIOS v.4 but I can't find any update
for that.

So my first question is is there some way to get this drive bootable?
And secondly, if not, what's the best way to completely reinstall WinXP
on a laptop where yo ucan't boot with the CD?
(I do have access to a USB floppy drive.)

Thanks for any feedback!
Liam

(Liam later adds...)
"No, the BIOS does not recognize the existance of the CD drive, so it is
not a boot option."


Liam:
Just to clarify the problem...

I take it that when you state "(the optical drive) works great in WinXP",
you are indicating that aside from this boot problem the drive is obviously
non-defective, i.e., it functions without any problem except that it's not
listed as one of the devices in the BIOS boot priority (boot order). So we
can possibly rule out any hardware problem there. Is that right?

When you state "the BIOS does not recognize the existance of the CD drive",
you're referring to the fact that the drive is not shown in the boot order.
Is that right? Obviously the BIOS would have to detect the existence of the
optical drive or it couldn't function in the system at all.

So assuming that the optical drive is non-defective and it is detected in
your system - as appears to be the case...

Are you absolutely certain that when you access the boot order (boot
priority) - or whatever it may be called in the BIOS, there is no indication
that an optical drive can be selected? What boot devices are listed?

And, of course, you've rechecked the configuration/connection/cabling of the
optical drive to ensure nothing is awry there, right?
Anna