'DISK BOOT ERROR INSERT DISK AND PRESS ENTER' unless i boot with CD drive.

[geowal19]

Got this old piece of **** of a comp and it will say above after posting if the CD drive with the windows install disk isn't in it. why? simple bios tweak?

 

[geowal19]

The installation went fine and is fine when the disk is in i don't press any keys to boot from cd and then a boot selector appears with:

Windows XP 32
First disk second partition
First disk third partition
First disk fourth partition
Second disk first partition
Second disk second partition
Second disk third partition
Second disk fourth partition

You can select either of them. I don't have a second disk in the and the one I have got isn't partitioned.

EDIT: Sorry I have tried the HDD boot.

 

[geowal19]

Fair enough thanks for the help i'll have a go at doing a full format.

I have never been able to find the boot.ini file on any comp what's the directory?