Server 2003 Boot CD

The server CD is bootable, if your server will not boot to it check the BIOS and the CD. What are you upgrading from and will the hardware support it?

The CD that was given to me by my boss, won?t boot. I have checked BIOS ans the CD...everything seems to be ok...what i meant by upgrading was this: I changed the language verasion. I formatted the server using fdisk. Still with the problem that i cant boot from the cd.

Every Windows 2003 Server CD is Bootable. If you can not get this to boot check the CD for damage you may need to replace it if it's so badly damaged that you can no longer boot from it.

When I'm using any Volume License Stuff I always make a copy of the original Install CD/DVD and work from that and leave the original packed up properly that way I can always go back to a good working copy and make another copy as required. If that isn't working in this case and you have the BIOS set to boot from the CD/DVD as the first Boot Option you'll most likely need to replace the CD and you can obtain replacements from MS but they cost.

If the CD is OK then the only other option is that the Drive itself is faulty and needs replacing. Otherwise the system should boot off the CD.

Col

Just try few things,
Use Windows + Paus Break Key
This will open up System Properties,
Go to Hardware Tab,
Uninstall the CD ROM or DvD drivers
Reboot the System. And let the system automatically load the Drivers,
Then following as below

steps to delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values that can cause CD access problems
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To manually delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values, follow these steps: 1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate the UpperFilters value under the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
3. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click OK.
4. Locate the LowerFilters value under the same key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
5. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click OK.
6. Quit Registry Editor.NOTE: After you remove the Upperfilters value and the Lowerfilters value, if you notice lost functionality in a particular program, such as CD recording software, you may need to reinstall that software. If the problem recurs, consult with the software vendor for assistance.
7. Restart your computer.
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ALTERNATIVELY If this DOES NOT WORK
then download Daemon Tool which is an Virtual CD rom emulator and TEST your CD ROM disk by using it.

I hope that your issue could be resolved

The upgrading term means that you step to next generation from oldier. You can do that by accessing winnt32 from %cdrom%\i386\winnt32 when old operating system is up.
If you had formated hdd, you can boot from cd or use a bootable floppy with CD recognition. Do cd %cdrom%\i386 and winnt [/s:SourcePath] from prompter.
s:SourcePath -Specifies the source location of the operating system files. The location must be a full path of the form X:\[Path] or \\Server\Share[\Path].
Another way to make a bootable CD is to use an ISO program (like MagisISO, UltraISO) or Nero.
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=297