PC won't start

[Ketchup]

Double checked, yes to all. Still the same message when the bios is closed. "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key" if the drive is opened and closed the computer waits for a few seconds then repeats the message.

OK. try swapping the SATA cables for your hard drive and DVD drive. If that doesn't work, try another another SATA port. If that doesn't help, try a CD/DVD that you know is bootable.

 

[NewGuy.]

There is no such thing. It sounds like you have bad media although that is a bit on the unusual side. If the BIOS recognizes both the hard drive and the DVD drive then it should be able to boot. Do you have a USB key? It's possible to create a bootable USB key with the install media directly from microsoft: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only . It's actually the way a lot of folks do the install nowadays since it's pretty easy to bake in all the drivers & updates and have the install done in a pretty short amount of time, a few minutes if installing to an SSD.

It might be the media but since I'm new to this I'm guessing it's me. I have access to a computer at work but the network will probably block a download and the computer and network are prone to viruses (I'm not sure if these can be transferred from a USB stick but I'd want to be sure before I plug one into my new computer) library might work if that's really the best way to do this.

 

[NewGuy.]

OK. try swapping the SATA cables for your hard drive and DVD drive. If that doesn't work, try another another SATA port. If that doesn't help, try a CD/DVD that you know is bootable.

Tried switching the SATA ports. Both the hard drive and cd drive still com up on the map in their new spot but it's still acting like it can't boot from the drive. I tried putting in the other support CDs (Dvd drive and motherboard) nothing came up for those either

 

[NewGuy.]

Do you have any other bootable CD/DVD to test with?

Do you have a card reader plugged in? Might want to try unplugging the case fan control, any card readers and/or unnecessary usb connections, then try the install again.

Not sure what a card reader is. I don't think I have one. The case fan control is unplugged.

 

[Ketchup]

If it were me at this stage, I would be guessing I had a bad DVD drive. When you get through POST, does the computer even try to read the disk in the drive?

Back when I worked retail I know that a DVD drive was pretty easy to find on the shelf. Not sure if that is still the case.

 

[NewGuy.]

If it were me at this stage, I would be guessing I had a bad DVD drive. When you get through POST, does the computer even try to read the disk in the drive?

Back when I worked retail I know that a DVD drive was pretty easy to find on the shelf. Not sure if that is still the case.

After closing bios if I open and close the drive it does spin. It sounds like it's trying to do something for a while. Beyond that I don't know. Is there a way to test that?

 

[nsafreak]

After closing bios if I open and close the drive it does spin. It sounds like it's trying to do something for a while. Beyond that I don't know. Is there a way to test that?

The only way to test it is to put in known good boot media. The motherboard & video card discs won't work for this since they aren't bootable. I presume that this is an OEM disc that you bought with the rest of the computer components. Are there any obvious scratches on the disc itself?

 

[Ketchup]

After closing bios if I open and close the drive it does spin. It sounds like it's trying to do something for a while. Beyond that I don't know. Is there a way to test that?

Without an OS? No. If you have another computer at the house you can use, the USB flash drive install may be your best bet for the time being.