Unable to boot from CD/DVD

[trygvehe]

I am trying to install XP on a Vista PC to be able to dual boot. I tried it on a brand new Packard Bell PC but it would not boot from the XP Pro installation CD. I selected the DVD drive from the boot sequence menu but the PC boots Vista from the harddrive.

I even tried to disable the harddrive from the boot sequence in the BIOS setup but the PC boots up Vista from the harddrive anyway. The DVD drive works fine when running Vista. I tried installing an older CD drive on the machine but with the same result. The machine would not boot from the recovery CD that I created. The XP installation CD boots fine on my laptop.

The Packard Bell support could not help me and told me to go back to the shop to get a replacement. I did and got hold of a HP Pavilion but exactly the same thing happens on this! I have contacted the shops support and the IT support for our company but no one has ever heard of this problem.

What am I missing?

 

[Shadow703793]

Have you tried a different drive? Download DSL and try booting off that.

 

[hnml24]

well then.. try disabling the hd on the bios from the boot sequence.
trying booting from other CDs...

Noam

 

[trygvehe]

I did try to remove the HDD from the boot sequence in teh BIOS setup but it booted from the HDD anyway.

I also tried to boot from another bootable CD but it is ignored and Vista is started

 

[mike99]

When you make chyanges to the BIOS, are you savig the changes on exit from setup? On the HP system, are you reading the screen, you have to press F10 to accept changes. If you removed the HDD from the boot sequence and it still started Vist, you are doing something wrong!

Mike.

 

[bobbknight]

lol no help here, but yeah what mike said.

 

[trygvehe]

Yes, I am saving the setup. After trying to boot without the HDD in the boot sequence I have to go into the BIOS setup and add the HDD back into the boot sequence, not that it makes any change. And as I sait it was exactly the same on the Packard Bell.

I feel that it is something simple and obvious that I am missing but I cant see it.

 

[ewor]

Reset your bios to default factory settings, tap F12 at startup to enter boot menu, select correct optical drive (your dvd drive) hit return to boot using this device, then you may have to hit return to boot from cd menu.

 

[trygvehe]

Yesterday I brought the PC to my office and tried to boot the CD there, and it worked fine. I did not manage to install XP due to problems with the SATA drivers.

Today I am back where the PC is going to be used and now the PC won't boot again. It is actually depending on where the PC is located. I will try to move the PC to another desk to see if that helps.

 

[trygvehe]

I moved the PC out of the room and it works.
Must be a ghost in there.

Case closed