My comp won't let me boot from CD...

[Ragnaroth]

Hi there!

I'm new, so i apologise if this is in the wrong forum.



For the past two days i have been building my new computer (first time builder) and last night it was finished. I found it to be extremely difficult, but anywho...

Next i had to install Windows. It seemed to be going fine, i made the partition on my new HD (250Gb WD) and it completed the partition, which showed i had slipstreamed my SATA drivers ok. I thought that would be the hardest parts over but upon completing the installation of Windows (it reached 100%) it said there had been an error of some sort and the computer rebooted.

If i try to boot from HD it says "unable to find BOOT.INI", which confirms that Windows failed to install, obviously. It suggests i input the CD-ROM again and repair from WindowsSetup.

However, i can't. I was able to boot from CD the first time, but now it won't let me. I've put it first in the Boot order, and when i go to setup it says "Hit any key to boot from CD". I hit alot of keys but it never boots, and after about 10 seconds it attempts to boot from HD. (the keyboard is fine because i can use it to move around the BIOS settings.

I've asked for help elsewhere but the only suggestions i get are, "recheck your IDE cables, refit your RAM; try using only one DVD-ROM drive; reset the CMOS". I've tried all this but nothing works. I've also tried booting from two different drives, but neither work, so there is no problem with my DVD-Drive. Also, the BIOS recognises them, which shows its ok.

I'm assuming i've messed something up while connecting everything together during the build, but why did everything work smoothly the first time, but not now? It doesn't make sense to me.

I'm feeling a bit helpless, as no one i know in real life has any tech knowledge, and my own is limited enough, so i won't know what to do should i not be able to sort this. I suppose i should never have attempted to build my own computer in the first place, but it was cheaper so i thought i'd give it a go.

Anyway, sorry for blabbering on, but does anyone know what the problem may be? Is there perhaps a problem with the disc? (i doubt it, but perhaps the data got corrupt during the installation?)

Thanks to anyone who offers any help or advice.

~Ragnaroth

 

[MichaelD]

So you could boot from the CD the first time, but not later? Sounds like you burned a bad CD.

Even though it did boot from it the first time, it should boot from it every time if that's what you choose. "Boot from CD" with a good CD in the drive will override booting from the HD every time.

Can you burn another CD? OR, do you have another optical drive to try? Some drives are more sensitive to "semi-bad" CDs than others.

ps
Welcome to Anandtech!

 

[Ragnaroth]

I tried booting it with two different drives, which is why i thought it may be the CD. But i set an old drive with this comp just now and the CD booted up fine.

I'm all out of ideas to what the problem can be now.

 

[mechBgon]

Welcome to the Forums What are the exact specs/brands/models of your computer's components?

Also yeah, it sounds like there's something wrong with your slipstreamed CD. Try the original, but make sure your network cable is unplugged so that your computer can't be molested by network worms.

 

[Ragnaroth]

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
RAM: OCZ 2Gb PC3200 Dual Channel Platinum Series
GPU: PowerColor ATi Radeon X1900XTX
HDD: Western Digital Caviar 250Gb SATA2
Mobo: DFI LanParty UT nF4 Ultra-D
PSU: Tagan 530W
DVD: Pioneer DVR-111DBK DVD-RW Dual Layer ReWriter

 

[Ragnaroth]

I also have a version of the CD without the slipstreamed drivers, but that doesn't boot either. And the drive partition was completed so doesn't that mean that they worked?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Ragnaroth
I also have a version of the CD without the slipstreamed drivers, but that doesn't boot either. And the drive partition was completed so doesn't that mean that they worked?

You don't need to slipstream drivers if you're using one SATA drive hosted by the nForce4 SATA controller, as long as you didn't set it to RAID mode or something. A raw WindowsXP CD will work fine as-is.

It being a DFI, do check that you got all four of the power connectors hooked up: http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/DFI_SLI_POWER_FITTINGS.gif (numbered in red).

 

[Ragnaroth]

Problem solved!

Turns out the CD-ROM wasn't getting a chance to boot due to the fact that the BIOS switched over to the second boot device so fast (the HD). So i unplugged it from the mobo and then reconnected it after the WindowsSetup screen came up.

Haha, weird problem but atleast it's over. >_o

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Ragnaroth]

Ohhhh. I didn't have the little FDD power connector hooked up. Just checked and it's sandwiched between my graphics card and my Scythe Ninja. XD That'll be the graphics card coming out then. Will hook it up now, thanks for the heads up.

 

[Zepper]

What kind of keyboard do you have - PS/2 or USB? If USB, then be sure USB legacy support (for kbd/mouse) is enabled in the BIOS.

.bh.