[geno368]

I am trying to re-install my xp home premium to my Dell Dimension 4600. I put in the cd and rebooted with f12 and selected "boot from cd" It just goes back to rebooting from HD normal. I have tried another Dell os disc with same results and even changed out the cd with another one but not sure if it is a good one. I then dissembled the drive and cleaned it. I can open other cd's like music, etc. just fine. I tried to boot a Hiren's boot disc with the same results. It's like it doesn't have boot capabilities. In setup it is listed as a boot device. What can I do now? Thanks.

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For a Dell Dimension 4600 here is 2 ways on how to choose your cd drive as your 1st boot drive:

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This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices.

Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot

Turn on (or restart) your computer.

When F2 = Setup, F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>.

If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.

The Boot Device Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. Each device has a number next to it.

At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current boot only.


Changing Boot Sequence for Future Boots

Enter the system setup program.

Use the arrow keys to highlight the Boot Sequence menu option and press <Enter> to access the pop-up menu.

NOTE: Write down your current boot sequence in case you want to restore it.
Press the up- and down-arrow keys to move through the list of devices.

Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device (enabled devices have a checkmark).

Press plus (+) or minus (–) to move a selected device up or down the list.

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Hope this helps

[Alzeimer]

For a Dell Dimension 4600 here is 2 ways on how to choose your cd drive as your 1st boot drive:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices.

Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot

Turn on (or restart) your computer.

When F2 = Setup, F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>.

If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.

The Boot Device Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. Each device has a number next to it.

At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current boot only.


Changing Boot Sequence for Future Boots

Enter the system setup program.

Use the arrow keys to highlight the Boot Sequence menu option and press <Enter> to access the pop-up menu.

NOTE: Write down your current boot sequence in case you want to restore it.
Press the up- and down-arrow keys to move through the list of devices.

Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device (enabled devices have a checkmark).

Press plus (+) or minus (–) to move a selected device up or down the list.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps

[geno368]

Thanks for your reply, but if you read my post you will see that I have done everything you have suggested. I have been told that just because the cd is listed as a boot device that it does not always mean it is. I need to know how to verify the boot ability of the cd drive

For a Dell Dimension 4600 here is 2 ways on how to choose your cd drive as your 1st boot drive:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices.

Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot

Turn on (or restart) your computer.

When F2 = Setup, F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>.

If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.

The Boot Device Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. Each device has a number next to it.

At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current boot only.


Changing Boot Sequence for Future Boots

Enter the system setup program.

Use the arrow keys to highlight the Boot Sequence menu option and press <Enter> to access the pop-up menu.

NOTE: Write down your current boot sequence in case you want to restore it.
Press the up- and down-arrow keys to move through the list of devices.

Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device (enabled devices have a checkmark).

Press plus (+) or minus (–) to move a selected device up or down the list.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps

[Alzeimer]

Usually all CD-Drives have boot capabilities, the only reasons if might not work are that your cd-drives is malfunctioning, that the cd disc you are trying to boot from is not a boot cd or that it is damage or that you are trying to boot a dvd disc on a cd_drive.

To verify if your CD is really bootable try to boot from it on another computer.

Try a bootable cd that you are certain that is working properly (tested on another computer)on your computer to see if you can boot from it.