PC not booting from CD

SacamanoBob · Dec 3, 2013

My desktop freezes at "Loading PBR for descriptor 2...done". I was able to resolve this once before by running the recovery console and using FIXBOOT.

I am trying to do the same again, but my PC will not boot from the reinstallation CD (which has the recovery console). I set the BIOS to boot from CD first. When I press F12 and select CD-ROM, it takes a while and finally says "no boot device available".

I was able to boot from the diagnostic CD that came with the computer, so it's not the optical drive. I tried running the utility partition because I was curious, and I got some error there as well.

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

your windows cd looks like it is damaged. can you try it somehwere else?

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

in some cases optical drives start to not want to read dvd-s any more but read cd-s great. could be your case too. best solution is to make a flash drive windows install dvd

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

SacamanoBob · Dec 3, 2013

laviniuc :

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I have Windows XP SP3 installed.

Can I use Hiren's BootCD or Ultimate Boot CD to run chkdsk and fixboot? Is this an acceptable work around to using the recovery disk that came with my system? Also, do these tools provide a way for me to save my files to a USB?

Someone recommended the following as an alternate to using the recovery disk:
http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/?p=8

Which method is best?

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

for backup nothing beats a linux on cd distribution (knoppix is one of my favorites)

for recovery yes, i think any of those gets you access to a console to be able to run a fixmbr/fixboot/chkdsk.

SacamanoBob · Dec 3, 2013

laviniuc :

Here is my plan:

1. I'm going to put Ubuntu onto a USB and boot from it (http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows). I should be able to back up all my files through its interface, right?
2. I'll use the procedure given in the link above to put UBCD or Hiren's onto a USB.

My only concern is whether I will be able to run chkdsk and fixboot from UBCD/Hiren's. People who have had success running these commands have used the recovery disk provided with their PC. Can you walk me through the procedure or at least direct me to something that gives step-by-step instructions?

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

the recovery console thing is the same - you need it just for the command line. the idea here is to get you an environment where you can run the commands against the data on the hdd.

SacamanoBob · Dec 3, 2013

laviniuc :

Which commands should I run and in what order? I have heard fixmbr resulting in people losing their data.

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

well the chkdsk doesn't do anything. so start with the fixboot if it doesnt fix it (restart after it) then go for the fixmbr

SacamanoBob · Dec 3, 2013

laviniuc :

Are you sure fixboot can be run on UBCD? I can't find any related info. on Google.

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

http://superuser.com/questions/402065/repair-windows-7mbr-with-hirens-boot-cd
link below has details on how to setup the usb stick

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

backup first ofcourse

SacamanoBob · Dec 3, 2013

That seems a bit complicated for me. What do you think about this:

http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/?p=8

"It’s not much use on modern computers with sata drives as it does not include the drivers for such devices"

laviniuc · Dec 3, 2013

as long as you've backed up any data that you may need then you can try any of them. the mbr fix is pretty common so it should be fine whichever way you use

SacamanoBob · Dec 4, 2013

laviniuc :

Am I going to run into this problem since I have a Inspiron 530?

[ubuntu] "boot error" message on boot from usb created with "USB startup disk Creator "

The solution appears to be:

go to Bios Boot Menu...
Search for ' USB Mass Storage Emulation type'
Default:<Auto>
Change it to:<All Fixed Disc>
or something similar

I'm not sure whether my BIOS has this setting. Can you confirm? I don't see anything in the manual about it. If so, what do I do?

Search

PC not booting from CD

SacamanoBob

Honorable

laviniuc

Judicious

laviniuc

Judicious

SacamanoBob

Honorable

laviniuc

Judicious

SacamanoBob

Honorable

laviniuc

Judicious

SacamanoBob

Honorable

laviniuc

Judicious

SacamanoBob

Honorable

laviniuc

Judicious

laviniuc

Judicious

SacamanoBob

Honorable

laviniuc

Judicious

SacamanoBob

Honorable

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page