Cannot boot from USB to repair Windows 7, and have no DVD/CD drive

OllieNye

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Mar 1, 2012
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I have recently acquired an old laptop, then converted it to a tablet PC. I have installed Windows 7 on it, and it worked fine for a while. But after installing OpenOffice, it decided not to boot. Producing the message;

Windows failed to start.....
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc0000034
Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.

I have tried booting from a USB copy of the Install Disk, because the DVD drive connector is now murdered. It will power the original drive, but no data. So the error appears,without an option to boot from DVD. There is no way to use PLoP, or other alternative, as there is no DVD drive. Does anyone know how to force boot from USB?

P.S. The laptop originally had Windows XP on, but this OS would not support my custom driver for the touch panel. Any help for a Year 9 student?
Thanks in advance,
Ollie
 

OllieNye

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Mar 1, 2012
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I literally copied all the files and folders off the install disk, onto an 8GB USB flash drive. I used a similar method to install Windows Vista to a friends laptop. Theirs was newer, so had USB support.
I have tried to use a normal desktop size S-ATA DVD drive, with a S-ATA to USB adapter, but the USB adapter was not recognised either. The actual laptop is fairly up to date in terms of hardware, newest BIOS etc. And there is four USB ports. So I find it odd that there is no native support. Anyway, thanks for the quick reply,
Ollie
 

OllieNye

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Mar 1, 2012
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I just tried it a while ago, and the same error. The BIOS gives no option to boot from any USB device, nor an external DVD drive. So it looks like I'm stuffed!
Thanks again,
Ollie
 

OllieNye

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Mar 1, 2012
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In case it was not clear enough earlier, there is no option for anu USB boot device in the BIOS. The only options are HDD, (C), CD-ROM (damaged connector-useless), PXE LAN, and Floppy, also using the CD-ROM connector. Baring in mind that this is a home built tablet, and I am only 14, I am at a loss. Thanks for replying though.
Ollie
 

OllieNye

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Mar 1, 2012
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Still no luck. I may just have to edit the file in question directly. Thanks for all help and answers.
Ollie