Can't boot off a CDR that is BOOTABLE! (laptop)

Diabolus

Banned
Jan 1, 2002
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Here's my dilemma folks. I'm trying to boot off a Windows 2000 CD (I made a copy of my original some time ago, when it was wearing down.. now is totally gone)..

Anyways, my Compaq laptop won't boot off it. I have an original copy of Norton Systemworks, and I can boot off that fine. However, I made a copy, tried to boot from it.. it won't work. But it would work my desktop.

Anybody help me with this problem? I'm trying to format entirely and this stupid laptop isn't helping me any :(
 

Diabolus

Banned
Jan 1, 2002
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It's just a CDR.. I made a copy of Windows 2000 (as a backup, since the 2000 cd i used got a lot of abuse and no longer works).

I wanted to format my laptop and boot off of the CD, as I do on other computers. But this computer won't boot off the CD. Yet my desktop WILL boot off it! And yes, I set up all the options in the bios properly.. It's just giving me headaches.
 

spanky

Lifer
Jun 19, 2001
25,716
4
81
maybe that laptop cdrom does not like ur cdr disc. some cdrom's r picky with certain brand cdr discs. thats my best stab at it :p
 

Diabolus

Banned
Jan 1, 2002
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Originally posted by: spankyOO7
maybe that laptop cdrom does not like ur cdr disc. some cdrom's r picky with certain brand cdr discs. thats my best stab at it :p

I doubt it....

I can still get the computer to READ the CDR when it's booted up to WinXP Home (blah!), but it won't boot off it.
 

vetteguy

Diamond Member
Sep 12, 2001
3,183
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Not to imply anything, but did you make an actual copy of a legal, purchased copy of 2000? Because if you simply got the .iso from somewhere and burned it it won't be bootable. Just asking.
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,213
14
81
Check the obvious an make sure the bios is set to boot from the CD-Rom 1st


Ausm
 

ROJAS

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
811
0
71
Did booting from a cdrom ever work. If the answer is it didn't or you never tried to boot from a cdrom before. Get into your BIOS and change the boot order (exp. a,c,scsi) to cdrom,a,c. Make your cdrom the first boot device and see what happens. If it works be sure to change your boot order back to original order.

Try
bootdisk.com

ROJAS
 

Rhombuss

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2000
1,544
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Some laptops are picky about booting up cold with CDs. I usually run the initial Windows install in the existing installed Windows - and when the installation boots the laptop by itself, it will detect the CD then. This is with a Toshiba laptop, so try running the initial install IN Windows, then go from there, rather than running the setup off boot.
 

Diabolus

Banned
Jan 1, 2002
468
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This copy of my Win 2000 will boot in EVERY other computer I own, cept the laptop.

Yes, the BIOS is set up properly :)

Also, I can boot off my Norton Systemworks CD (original copy) in this laptop. It seems it won't boot from burned CDs.
 

dkozloski

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,005
0
76
Some laptops use a finarkey restore disk that has a proprietary CD-ROM boot scheme. Ordinary bootable CD-ROM's will not work when installing alternate operating systems. You must boot from a floppy and then install the new operating system. This can be a problem when the floppy-to-printer port adapter costs $70 as I found out with my Sony Vaio.
 

Diabolus

Banned
Jan 1, 2002
468
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Yea, I'm going the route of doing it by floppy boot..

I unfortunately, don't have a single floppy to my name (nor have I, for the past 3 or so years).. so tomorrow I'll run out and buy a 10 pack.

Thanks everybody.