my computer wont start, its asking for bootable media,?

Question

i put in my windows setup disk , but says cannot boot from cd..i know the cd works...what other kind of boot is there and how do i get it...also when trying to boot says drivers are missing and to use the setup disc to repair, but it wont or cannot run the disk

how i am posting this question is we have three computers on line

i set the boot to boot up from cd , says cannot boot form cd, when i set it to boot from hard drive , says needs bootable media, i tried with/without cd,(windows xp pro service pack 2)

each boot set up went #1cd- #2 hard drive-#3 was floppy- it wont let me boot cd 2nd

Answer 1

Well almost anything is considered to be boot-able media now-a-days, with the advent of boot-able flash-drives.

In your case though it is safe to assume it means the disk that contains the files needed.

Most of the other postings are correct in a way, but the most important one is how to resolve the computer not seeing you disk.

At restart or boot-up as soon as the computer starts whirring and before it has time to start its beeping for video and memory checks, start pushing the delete key. (sometimes it may be the F2 or F12 keys. If none of these work try to look up how to access Bio's for the machine in question using your other machine.)

Once you have located how to access bios then look for how to select the Boot Sequence / Boot Devices

Once you have found this then check the Boot Order:

1: Hard Drive
2: CD Rom or DVD Drive
3: What ever you want next. (Used to be floppy drive) Could be flash drive.

Move the CD/DVD drive selection up the ladder by using the +/- selections on the key pad. (Sometimes Up or Down arrows)
Play with it till you can see CD/DVD as selected first Boot Device

Once it is where your Drive that has the boot disk will be selected first. Escape or select out to be able to save your changes. Once your changes have been saved then make sure the disk is in the drive, and let the machine re-boot. It should then read the disk and the rest you know.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

You have to go into the bios and change the boot sequence to cd first hardrive second and floppy last. It usually is the floppy is first thats why it cant find the cd. Also the cd has the bootup install files on it so that the computer will start up and do the install!! So basicaly the other answers are right!!!

No kidding gee I didnt know that 1 NEDAN!!

The problem is if the floppy is set to boot first the bios WILL NOT SKIP IT TO GO TO THE TO THE CD ROM, IT JUST KEEPS ON LOOKING FOR THE FLOPPY BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT IS SET TO BOOT FIRST! YOU CANNOT SET THE HARDRIVE FIRST EITHER BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE THE BOOT FILES ON IT YET. THE BOOT FILES ARE ON THE CD WHICH HAS TO BOOT FIRST!!!!!

Leave the cd first its the bootible media. Do you have 2 CD players if so try the other one you might have tried the install on the one that is the slave and not the master. If that doesnt work then try unpluggung it for about 5 minutes. If the floppy was first the first time you tried the install it might be stuck Bios wise in the old setup even tho you changed the order in which case you would have to reset the bios and change the bootup to cd first and start again. Let me know what happens!!! If have the book that came with it it should tell you how to reset the bios by setting the cmos jumper on the board!!! or taking the battery out for 5 minutes and putting it back in!!!

It does sound like because you never finished the install when it was set floppy first that it is still trying to do it that way. Usually there is a section on the install disk that will allow you to make a set of bootable floppy's. You are going to need at least 5 of them and remember to lable each one. Put the setting back to floppy first, hardrive second, cd third. Put the first floppy in and it should boot off of that. The only other way is what I said above to clear the bios to get it unstuck from trying to boot from the floppy.

ZEUS
Certified in Computer Networking, Comptia A+ Certified to repair,build and troubleshoot

Answer 3

You must give more details,,, what is your operating system you try to install,,, however,,, you have first to adjust your bios to boot fron CD drive as follow:

when the screen turn black in the first few seconds during start up,,, click (del) button,,, you will be prompted to bios setup,,,enter bios features setup and serch for booting sequence,,,and choose CD rom to be first,,, then restart

Answer 4

You can boot from hard drive, cd and floppy. Try removing the disk and booting. If that doesn't work go into your net-bios and change the boot up sequence.

Answer 5

Is your CD drive set as a boot device? If not, enter setup by pressing delete or whatever it says to press to enter setup. Then, go to something that says perephrials or something like that. Scroll down to something like "boot device" and make sure your cd drive is one of them. Also, make sure your hard drive is a boot device also (it should be named sumthing like {QX-0000-0000-2-33} or something like that).

Answer 6

that mean that your oper os got damage.and it needs to be installled again. you can do it with a foppy disk or if your computer surport booting from a cd rom. or you could have left a floopppy diskin the drive if just remove it

Answer 7

have you set bios to boot from cd? if not, set it to do that by pressing delete a bunch when you start it up.

Answer 8

OK so your computer wont start? then how did you post this question? You don't make any sense!