Problems installing xp- bios won't keep boot order

snootch

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Jan 8, 2007
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I am getting really ticked at this... I am trying to install XP pro on a VIA Epia SN18000 motherboard, and I have done this before, but now it's not working. Here's what I have done:

I have a re-formatted 2.5 HDD hooked up to the IDE port with a 2.5-3.5 IDE adapter.
I have a SATA CD/DVD drive hooked up to SATA port #1 with a good copy of XP in it.
I Changed the boot order in BIOS to CD/DVD first, then HDD second.
When I restart, I get "BootMGR missing" error (like it's trying to boot from the blank HDD)
I have tried a IDE CDROM drive hooked up to the IDE cable.
I have changed jumpers, Both to cable select, CD to Master & HDD to slave and vice-versa.
I have replaced the BIOS chip (exact same results)
I don't have a floppy port on the motherboard, and there is only one IDE connector.
If I disconnect the HDD and just have the CDROM drive (or SATA CD/DVD drive) set as the only boot device, the computer boots with the XP disk, then tells me setup must close as there is no HDD connected.
Every time I go back into BIOS after trying to boot from the CD with both HDD and CD connected, the boot order has been changed to show the HDD as being #1, and the CD #2.

Does anyone have any idea of what the problem could be? Please help ASAP. Thanks!!
 

snootch

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Jan 8, 2007
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Oh, also I have reset the CMOS jumper with no effect, and set the default settings to fail-safe and optimum. That doesn't change a thing.
 

snootch

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I figured it out- My particular motherboard has a jumper you need to disable before it will let you change the boot order.