Author Topic: just installed XP Pro and... (Read 453 times)

pugg666 · « **on:** August 13, 2005, 04:13:13 PM »

I can't boot nor install anything if a cd is my cd drive

any ideas?

boots just fine if there's no cd in the drive

Russian · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2005, 04:19:50 PM »

Change BIOS to boot from HD....

WindX · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2005, 04:33:15 PM »

Go into your bios and set "First" boot device to Hdd or Fdd. If you set first boot device to Fdd and you have a fdd in the drive and the disk isnt a boot disk youll get a Non System Disk error when you startup. When done most bios will allow you to hit F10 to save changes and exit. On Dell systems just hit esc till you get the save changes and exit yes or no, select yes by using your arrowkey and hit enter.

pugg666 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 13, 2005, 05:02:09 PM »

Quote

Change BIOS to boot from HD

wow, thank you captain obvious, where would I be with out you?

anyways, if I start my pc with a cd in the drive it will endlessly reboot just after the bios check, if I start it without a cd in the drive it will load normally...in windows if I insert a cd it will reboot and continue the aformentioned loop

clues? ideas?

amd 2000+ WD 80 gig harddrive, lg read/write 52. 32 re-write drive.MSI 5200fx geforce 128 meg vid card.soundblaster live. motherboard asus a7n8x-x, 640 megs of generic ram

Nash · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2005, 05:21:38 PM »

This may or may not have anything to do with it....

I just did a reformat and installed XP a couple of weeks ago. After only a couple of uses, my comp started doing that reboot loop you're talking about. It would get just to the point where you'd normally see the login window, then reboot.

There was a cd in the drive - but I never associated the problem with it. Skuzzy hinted that it may have something to do with viruses or worms or whatever.... so I got some demos of anti-virus programs and ran ad-aware and all the rest of it, and sure enough my computer was choking on them. The anti-virus software did its thing, and problem solved.

Might not be the case with you, but ya never know.

Raider179 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2005, 06:49:01 PM »

another tip on the anti-virus/spyware. I have read that you should run them in safe mode. Especially the anti-virus.

SOB · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2005, 06:57:20 PM »

Is any of the hardware newly installed? Either way, it's prolly be a good idea to do what Nash mentioned first.

Russian · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2005, 07:02:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by pugg666
wow, thank you captain obvious, where would I be with out you?

Now that you gave me enough information I might be able to help.
First make sure that CD is causing this problem. Unplug it from MOBO and see if everything is running OK. If it is the problem....

If it reboots when attempting to start OS….
Go to Device Manager > IDE Controller > Secondary IDE Channel (if CDROM is installed on it) and change it to PIO from DMA. (opposite of what ever is currently selected)

WindX · « **Reply #8 on:** August 13, 2005, 07:28:30 PM »

Quote

wow, thank you captain obvious, where would I be with out you?

Your the one asking for help here and your being rude to the people who are trying to help you resolve the issue with your system! In working for Dell tech support for three years I have seen many things that can cause the problem your having. The most common being the OBVIOUS that we mentioned above! If your going to ask for help, dont bite the hand the feeds you!:rolleyes:

pugg666 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2005, 01:37:21 AM »

Thanks for the help Russian

I switched to PIO and no change.

To make this clear xp will boot properly and run in a stable fashion (yes bios is set to boot from my HD, first thing I change whenever I install an OS) if I open the cd drive and close it, no problems..if I open it and insert a cd, it starts to spool up then WHAM reboot...no error message, nothing. If I don't remove the cd from the drive it will reboot just after the bios flash screen, just when the xp loading screen appears.

I tried a different drive (sony 32X plain cd rom...bullet proof since 98 or so) same thing

I've reverted to win98se (add remove programs/XP) and the system runs like a charm, cd drive and all

checked for virus and spyware and I'm clean...

cd drive is slaved to my hard drive on the primary IDE channel if that helps any.

Windx, my comment was tongue in cheek.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2005, 01:51:22 AM »

I know this may sound silly but.........

Go into your BIOS setup and go to the page with the drives listed. Tell it to scan for the drives hooked up to the computer. Make sure that when they come up, they still read like they are supposed to. In other words, make sure the Hard drive still shows as the master, and the CD ROM still shows as the slave. I know, you would remember if you did something like move the jumpers, but I've had a BIOS actually lose the information and get it reversed. I had to physically unplug the drives, scan the motherboard in the BIOS, then hook them back up and scan it again. Dont ask me why.

Only other thing I can think of is that you either have a bad or corrupted driver for the CD ROM in your XP setup, or you have an IRQ issue. Sorry I cant be more help, but as anyone in tech support can tell you its hard to diagnose problems like this long distance. Esp. since I'm not familiar with your specific hardware interactions.

Russian · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2005, 02:52:25 AM »

Interesting and challenging problem. I love playing Sherlock Holms…

I’m leaning more into hardware problem then software. This is definitely not a virus or such. Let us continue….

If you boot into safe mode, can you recreate this reboot error.
If so,
Give this CD it own IDE cable. Make sure to properly select all pins in the back.

pugg666 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2005, 02:01:22 PM »

Just flashed bios to the lastest version. going to put the cd on the secondary IDE channel and see if that helps any. Both the hard drive and burner are basically new (2-3 months old), motherboard and cpu, maybe a year old, ram 2-3 months (bought it at the same time I bought the drives) both drives are listed correctly in bios.

And like I said last post, I reverted to win 98 SE and I don't have the same problem, so I'm unsure about it being a hardware issue *shrug*

Russian · « **Reply #13 on:** August 14, 2005, 02:06:32 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by pugg666

And like I said last post, I reverted to win 98 SE and I don't have the same problem, so I'm unsure about it being a hardware issue *shrug*

I understand it, but sometimes windows likes things certain way or it will not run at all. You kind of have to adapt to it or it will not run at all, and I call that hardware problem.

Give us pull specs of your system...

pugg666 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 14, 2005, 02:40:05 PM »

AMD Athlon 2000+ not overclocked

640 megs kingston 233 mhz ddr premium ram (my mistake, it's not generic)

Asus a7n8x-x motherboard revision 1010 bios

western digital 80 gig hard drive 7200 rpm...don't remember all the details on that

LG 52/52/32 cd burner read/write/rewrite

sound blasterlive 5.1

MSI geforce 5200fx 128 meg vid card (ya I know, don't say it)

Dlink dfe-538tx net card