Boot device and windows

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:10

Hi guys

Not sure if this problem could possibly be hardware related and I'll tell you why. Built my pc yesterday and it fires up first time no problems. I select preferred boot device to the cd drive and input the windows disk but it doesn't boot from the disk. I also tried it using my USB external hd and also my USB pen drive but it won't start windows install.

I get the message to input a proper media device or cd and press any key to continue which I do, but again nothing.

One · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:16

Are all the sata leads correctly seated?

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:26

marshallman05 · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:29

Is your copy of Windows downloaded and burned or an Official Microsoft disc ?

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:32

No it's an official disk, the files on my pen and external and from my own disk.

Preto · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:40

SamMillarF1 said:
...I select preferred boot device to the cd drive and input the windows disk but it doesn't boot from the disk...

If you go into BIOS-> Boot Devices, can you actually see the name of the CD drive ? And when you put the disc in it, do you see the lights working, as in trying to read the disc ?

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:44

Preto said:
If you go into BIOS-> Boot Devices, can you actually see the name of the CD drive ? And when you put the disc in it, do you see the lights working, as in trying to read the disc ?

Yes and I can also hear it spooling up which is why I'm confused as to why it's not working really. Hope it hasn't been damaged in any way

Preto · 27 Jul 2012 at 13:53

Try another bootable disc, any disk.

marshallman05 · 27 Jul 2012 at 14:05

Cirtianly does sound like the disc to me, I would try some other bootable disc just to rule it out ....

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:46

What like I could try a game cd in? Surely that wouldn't work if there's no OS?

marshallman05 · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:48

No, another bootable OS disc. Did you look in the BIOS to see if the CD drive is recognised ?

Edit: You could always try and boot from that disc on another machine to see if the disc is at fault !

shankly1985 · 27 Jul 2012 at 17:51

A quick test you could download and burn Memtest and see if that boots from the disk.

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:01

Ok got a hold of my Dad's disk and that worked so seems it's my disc unfortunately.

Another small problem, when installing windows I could see my main HD listed, but now that windows is installed I can't see it in My Computer.

I've checked and double checked all cables, any ideas?

wazza300 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:03

click start/right click my computer/storage/disk management

if the hdd shows in there right click it and mark as active

it should show up then

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:07

It's the 1TB one.

wazza300 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:09

right click unallocated and mark as active

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:10

wazza300 said:
right click unallocated and mark as active

Only get "New simple properties" and help.

One · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:10

marshallman05 said:
Is your copy of Windows downloaded and burned or an Official Microsoft disc ?

What would the difference be?

wazza300 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:11

SamMillarF1 said:
Only get "New simple properties" and help.

idk then,wont it let you format the partition? any data on there? dont format it if there is

SamMillarF1 · 27 Jul 2012 at 19:15

wazza300 said:
idk then,wont it let you format the partition? any data on there? dont format it if there is

Sorted it now, thanks!