New computer build, OS/installation problems

[almost1148]

Hey, I just got done building a second computer and now having multiple problems with it.
First I can't get an OS to load on it, every time I boot it up with an OS disk it reads out the same Gd forsaken message "Please insert system disk and press enter". So if anyone has encountered a similar problem please feel free to let me know.

Might as well throw out system specs (don't laugh it's only a backup computer)
AMD X2 4600+
PNY Verto 9600GT
WDC 160GB HDD
4GB patriot RAM (4-4-4-12)
Biostar NF520-A2 SE
Antec 400-Watt

 

[dallasjoh]

Make sure you have boot to CD/DVD as first boot device in the bios?

 

[almost1148]

I do still nothing.

 

[indigoataxia]

Maybe your disk for some reason isn't bootable. Does it say "Press any key to boot from disk" before you get the error? Even if set to boot from cd/dvd you have to press a key to make it do so. If not then either your disk isnt bootable or there is a problem with your optical drive.

 

[almost1148]

hmmmm
I think its the optical drive then.
I know the disk is goo and when I hit enter it just reads the error message again

 

[JonathanDeane]

Maybe your mobo supports booting off of a USB drive and you could copy the install CD files to a USB drive (you can get a 4GB USB drive cheap these days)

but I agree it probably is the CD drive too.

Hmm not trying to boot DVD media in a CD drive are you ?

Edit: Just saying that because some of those parts are older and thought maybe you had a good CD burner laying around (I still have a 48X sony drive around here somewhere...)
and I know Vista comes on a DVD
If its a DVD drive ignore my rambling post lol

Edit 2: Some Linux versions come on a DVD too (my favorite so far is the DVD version of Mandriva)

 

[Shadow703793]

Download DSL Linux and see if it will boot if it dose your OS CD has problems.


Link:
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/download.html
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

It's only about 70MB so should download pretty quickly.

For those that are interested:

You can also put it on a USB Flash drive too.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/01/02/all-in-one-usb-dsl/

 

[JonathanDeane]

Shadow has a good idea

Anyway yeah having that around is a great tool for fixing issues like these.

hmmm I have an old 256MB drive here doing nothing I may give it a try on that... lol

 

[BeardedTuna]

Seem to remember having a vaguely similar message with incorrect slave/master jumper settings on a couple of IDE drives a couple of years back.