[MelissaC]

Hey guys, just built my first computer and I'm trying to reinstall Windows XP because when I try my current hard drive setup it crashes/freezes upon load up, which I kinda expected.

So I've got the Windows XP CD and I know that you have to change the boot priority/order in the bios so that the CD is first to boot. I've done that, set CD as 1, Floppy as 2 and HDD as 3 but it still loads the hard drive first? I've also tried booting a floppy drive up and all combinations where the hard drive is #3 but it always loads up first?

This is the motherbaord I'm using... Motherboard Website

Help!!

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Do you save those options on exiting BIOS?

[Broni]

Do you save those options on exiting BIOS?

[MelissaC]

Of course I do I might be a girl but I know I should save the bios options lol

[Broni]

Silly you, being a girl doesn't mean anything...LOL

You set the CD drive to be 1st in a boot order, save changes and you restart computer with Windows CD in, right?
Do you see, at some point, this message:
Press any key to boot from CD
I assume, not?
When you go back to BIOS, is the CD drive still listed 1st?

[MelissaC]

Silly you, being a girl doesn't mean anything...LOL

You set the CD drive to be 1st in a boot order, save changes and you restart computer with Windows CD in, right?
Do you see, at some point, this message:
Press any key to boot from CD
I assume, not?
When you go back to BIOS, is the CD drive still listed 1st?

Yes.
No I get - (Press ESC to Boot.... 9) Then it counts down, but I always get that, even if I just set the HDD as 1 and nothing else, so I don't think this means the CD.
Yes it is.

Got the game problem with the floppy too, when I set that to 1 it'll still load the HDD first.

[Broni]

Got the game problem with the floppy too

Do you actually have any bootable disk in floppy drive, when you try it?

[123Runner]

No I get - (Press ESC to Boot.... 9)

What happens if you press esc?

The link only took me to the main Biostar page. Not to a specific board.
If you can give a specific board I might be able to dig deeper.

123runner

[MelissaC]

Got the game problem with the floppy too

Do you actually have any bootable disk in floppy drive, when you try it?

Yes. An old boot disk just to test it, and it doesn't work.

What happens if you press esc?

It loads the hard drive

The link only took me to the main Biostar page. Not to a specific board.
If you can give a specific board I might be able to dig deeper.

It's the G31-M7 TE. G31-M7 TE

Thankyou muchly guys for your help!

[123Runner]

Well the bios manual didn't tell much.

The BIOS will attempt to arrange the CD/DVD drive boot sequence automatically.
You can also change the booting sequence.

I hope you are using the F10 key to "save and exit"?

I will now ask a few real stupid questions. (sorry, I have to ask)
Are you sure that the CD drive is hooked up?
Is the power cable attached?
Is the data cable attached?
Do you see any lights flash on and then off on the drive to indicate that the startup even looked at it?
Is this a SATA or IDE CD drive?

If the OS is somewhat operational, have you attempted to "browse" a cd?

[MelissaC]

Well the bios manual didn't tell much.

The BIOS will attempt to arrange the CD/DVD drive boot sequence automatically.
You can also change the booting sequence.

I hope you are using the F10 key to "save and exit"?

I will now ask a few real stupid questions. (sorry, I have to ask)
Are you sure that the CD drive is hooked up?
Is the power cable attached?
Is the data cable attached?
Do you see any lights flash on and then off on the drive to indicate that the startup even looked at it?
Is this a SATA or IDE CD drive?

If the OS is somewhat operational, have you attempted to "browse" a cd?

Don't be sorry, your helping me!

Are you sure that the CD drive is hooked up? Yes
Is the power cable attached? Yes
Is the data cable attached? Yes
Do you see any lights flash on and then off on the drive to indicate that the startup even looked at it? Yes, I know it's corrected properly because it's recognised in the bios, it says CD/DVD Drive as my slave drive and my hard drive as the master.
Is this a SATA or IDE CD drive? IDE, the thick grey cable which I think has 40 bits on it? My motherboard came with an orange cable, which I guess is SATA but my hard drive doesn't have that connection on it.

Thankyou once again, really appreciate your help

[Broni]

Did you try that Windows CD on another computer to see, if it'll boot?

[123Runner]

If the OS is somewhat operational, have you attempted to "browse" a cd?

[MelissaC]

If the OS is somewhat operational, have you attempted to "browse" a cd?

I'm trying it on two hard drives, one formatted and my 'old' one which has my old computer setup. The old one starts up but goes into a restart cycle before it gets to the Windows XP loading screen. You can hear the CD spinning though.

Did you try that Windows CD on another computer to see, if it'll boot?

Yep it boots on my friends computer.

Not looking good is it?

[MelissaC]

Hi again, just to let you know I've fixed it! I changed my CD drive to master and hard drive to slave and it somehow worked.

[Broni]

Wow! That's practically never heard of...
What do we know about weird computer ways??...LOL