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Can't boot from Windows 7 Inst DVD

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12 replies

by cccondo

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Im trying to install Windows 7 on a computer and I have the boot priority set to DVD Drive but everytime it asks me to 'Press any key to boot from CD' it just goes into XP.

Very frustrating, solutions anyone???

12 replies

by tobif

Does the dvd-unit work correctly?
If not, perhaps an external optical reader could help.

by cccondo

It works fine and I have even tried an external drive and it does the exact same thing

by musenwaid

If it gives you an option to prees any key to boot from DVD, I think you just have to wait and see were it will end. I ecperienced it once when it start with XP but at the end it will install Win7

by cccondo

I will try this and see if it works then ill post up how it went

by tobif

Are you trying to make a clean install or an update?
In case of an update, I guess, you don't need to boot from the CD.
By the way, what type of computer are we talking about (just in case that particual model is known to behave in interesting ways...)

by tobif

In order to wipe XP off the disk, you need to boot from something different. An installation DVD, for instance. But that's what we're trying to fix in the first place :)

by santeewelding

Turned out that, when I thought I had arranged the BIOS order appropriately, I had not. You know -- like forgetting to hit F10 to save.

In the alternative, the W7 disc can also be inserted while XP Pro is up and running. Open it, and go from there ("Are you sure? All data will be lost!").

by oh smeg

Did you save the changes as you exited the BIOS?

If not the system will be booting from what it was previously.

Also is this a DVD Drive or a CD Drive?

Even if it's a DVD Drive it's still possible that the CD side of it is working but the DVD Side is no longer working. What happens if you leave a DVD in the drive constantly is that the LED's that provide the light for the Laser Beams loose intensity so that type of LED wears out so to speak. As DVD and CD use different LED's to generate the light it's quite possible to have a CD work and the DVD not work or vice versa. But here as you are using a DVD I would be looking a the DVD LED.

Also is the Windows 7 DVD Data Face Clean?

If it has finger prints or scratches on it it's quite possible that the Drive can not read the Disc correctly so the system is starting to read the DVD but then defaulting the the HDD.

I would try another Boot Disc to rule out a faulty Windows 7 Disc.

If you don't have one I suggest Boot & Nuke available free here

http://www.dban.org/

Or Kill Disc also free from here

http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

With some systems Kill Disc is easier to use but it doesn't do as good a job of Wiping the HDD as Boot & Nuke does. Or you can try the Ultimate Boot CD also free from here

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

Any one of those 3 will work as a Boot Disc to test your Optical Drive. ;)

Col

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