Dimension 4100 -- Can't Boot from CD

Ryan

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Mar 31, 2004
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I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
something?

Thanks in advance,

Ryan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hello,

If you want to upgrade to Windows XP, we suggest using the Windows XP
boot floppys if you are having CD Rom boot problems.

You can e-mail us for a link to the boot floppys.


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Technical Support Team

Check out some of the items we are offering
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Be sure to visit http://www.jlaenterprises.com
"Ryan" <rfrenz@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb5f69a4.0407190859.30ea3ddf@posting.google.com...
> I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
> Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
> from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
> different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
> I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
> ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
> this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
> something?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Ryan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Is the CD-ROM drive jumpered for master?

"Ryan" <rfrenz@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb5f69a4.0407190859.30ea3ddf@posting.google.com...
> I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
> Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
> from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
> different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
> I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
> ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
> this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
> something?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Ryan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hope not. Shouldn't it be Cable Select?
"WSZsr" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:EjXKc.15145$vk3.10084@newssvr23.news.prodigy.com...
> Is the CD-ROM drive jumpered for master?
>
> "Ryan" <rfrenz@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eb5f69a4.0407190859.30ea3ddf@posting.google.com...
> > I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
> > Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
> > from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
> > different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
> > I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
> > ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
> > this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
> > something?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Ryan
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Coincidentally I had to replace the HD of a P3 1Ghz Dimension 4100 yesterday.
After installing the physical replacement HD, I entered Setup, changed the CD
(more precisely the DVD) drive to second in boot order. I really only moved it
ahead of the hard-drive, but let the Floppy stay as one. I never looked at
jumpers, or the master/slave selection, so perhaps I was just lucky, but my PC
booted from the Dell supplied Windows XP Upgrade CD no problem.

FWIW, this situation was discussed in a different thread, and there were
conflicting opinions on whether I would need to present the original WindowsMe
CD to the install process. I did.

You should certainly be able to boot from an install CD.
Jere
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hi Ryan,
One thing I ran into recently might help. On some machines when the bios is
set to CDROM as first boot device, on start up a prompt shows up with "press
any key to boot from CDROM" but there is a few second time limit before it
continues to the next boot device (hard drive, floppy, etc). I had a
monitor that would not "wake up" fast enough to even see the message.

Carl
"Ryan" <rfrenz@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb5f69a4.0407190859.30ea3ddf@posting.google.com...
> I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
> Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
> from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
> different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
> I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
> ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
> this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
> something?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Ryan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

master position (last connector) on the cable is what I meant. sorry to
been confusing.

"Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:WJKdnUY0u5hZ4WHdRVn-rw@comcast.com...
> Hope not. Shouldn't it be Cable Select?
> "WSZsr" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:EjXKc.15145$vk3.10084@newssvr23.news.prodigy.com...
> > Is the CD-ROM drive jumpered for master?
> >
> > "Ryan" <rfrenz@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:eb5f69a4.0407190859.30ea3ddf@posting.google.com...
> > > I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
> > > Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
> > > from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
> > > different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
> > > I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
> > > ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
> > > this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
> > > something?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > >
> > > Ryan
> >
> >
>
>
 

Ryan

Distinguished
Mar 31, 2004
551
0
18,980
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I got the system to boot from a Win98 Installation CD. There must be
a problem with the older CD-ROM and newer Win2000 Media. Either way,
I got it installed via 98-->upgrade to 2000.

Thanks for the replies,

Ryan

"Carlshead" <carlshead@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<rb0Lc.7572$pR5.1785@fe2.texas.rr.com>...
> Hi Ryan,
> One thing I ran into recently might help. On some machines when the bios is
> set to CDROM as first boot device, on start up a prompt shows up with "press
> any key to boot from CDROM" but there is a few second time limit before it
> continues to the next boot device (hard drive, floppy, etc). I had a
> monitor that would not "wake up" fast enough to even see the message.
>
> Carl
> "Ryan" <rfrenz@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eb5f69a4.0407190859.30ea3ddf@posting.google.com...
> > I'm trying to upgrade a Dimension 4100 (P3 866, 20 GB, 256 MB) to
> > Windows 2000 from ME. For some reason I can't get the system to boot
> > from the Installation CD. It's not the CD (used it to install on a
> > different machine) or the CD-ROM drive (swapped in a known good one).
> > I upgraded the BIOS to A11 to be sure, with no luck, and yes, I have
> > ATAPI CD-ROM set as the 1st boot device in Setup. Has anyone seen
> > this in the Dimension? Is there a Mobo jumper I need to set or
> > something?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Ryan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On 20 Jul 2004 10:16:50 -0700, rfrenz@gmail.com (Ryan) wrote:

>I got the system to boot from a Win98 Installation CD. There must be
>a problem with the older CD-ROM and newer Win2000 Media. Either way,
>I got it installed via 98-->upgrade to 2000.

Never heard of that. I can boot 2K on a five-year old Optiplex.
Maybe the CD itself is bad?
--
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/top10/
 

Dave

Distinguished
Jun 25, 2003
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0
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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I've got a very similar problem on my 4100 as well. Cannot boot from a
Pioneer DVD writer. Recently added a Promise SATA card and drive to my
system. During the startup the SATA posts then the CD drive shows active a
few seconds. Then the SATA posts again and the system restarts. Keeps doing
this cycle until I remove the CD from the drive. All BIOSs are current rev.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Very few BIOSes are designed to work with SATA cards, and most of the Intel-made
P3 boards (as used by Dell, even with Dell BIOS) are unlikely to boot from even
a Promise ATA100/66 card... Ben Myers

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 22:29:21 GMT, "Dave" <dshirsh@comcast.net> wrote:

>I've got a very similar problem on my 4100 as well. Cannot boot from a
>Pioneer DVD writer. Recently added a Promise SATA card and drive to my
>system. During the startup the SATA posts then the CD drive shows active a
>few seconds. Then the SATA posts again and the system restarts. Keeps doing
>this cycle until I remove the CD from the drive. All BIOSs are current rev.
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:40fdbf74.34430077@news.charter.net...
> Very few BIOSes are designed to work with SATA cards, and most of the
> Intel-made
> P3 boards (as used by Dell, even with Dell BIOS) are unlikely to boot from
> even
> a Promise ATA100/66 card... Ben Myers
>
>

<snip>


Ben,

Are you speaking of optical drives w/regard to booting from the ATA cards?
With regard to hard disks, Dell used to routinely sell XPS T and B models
that used Promise ATA 100 cards from their factory - as they did with some
SATA RAID cards in the Dim 8300. ?


Stew
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for the clarification. My bad. Haven't touched a 4100 in some time...
Ben

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 13:03:07 GMT, "Dave" <dshirsh@comcast.net> wrote:

>The 4100 has no trouble booting from the SATA card, the BIOS boot selection
>is 'Option ROM'.
>
>