Hardware

Ask something
Question Locked

CD/DVD drive not recognized in bios boot sequence - help please?

0 helpful
6 replies

by craigfrombath

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Hi.
I am doing a clean install of XP on my PC but bios wont recognize my CD/DVD (Pioneer) in the boot sequence so I cant reinstall windows.

I have noticed that it does show up as my secondary master on the main bios screen but when I try and change the boot sequence the bios only shows up my HDD (maxtor). It does give an option to boot from CD/DVD but my my drive isnt listed (no drive is listed in fact). It just reads CD/DVD:

Is it time to update my bios from a USB stick (can you do that?) or is there some other explanation.

Many thanks

6 replies

by Former member

When you bootup your computer, press these keys together: CTRL + ALT + DEL (not the "+" key), this might bring up a box that lets you select either to boot from your hdd or dvd drive. Also an update of your bios (if you motherboard is new) is a good option, though you will have to put the updated bios files onto a floppy disk or usb drive (if your motherboard supports "usb disk boot").
Hope this helps you.

Please post back if you have more problems or questions.

by thmiuatga

Craig:

This doesn't sound like a BIOS problem whereas you'd have to update. this does however seem to be a need for a BIOS reset.

First check the connections and the jumpers for your DVD Drive. If you have just one optical drive and one hard drive, set them up as master drives but connect them to separate IDE connections on your motherboard. In any case you'd want your hard discs as master drives because they are faster than optical drives and set them up as primary on the connection chain. (not needed for SATA)

After you check your connections, reset the BIOS manually. there should be a jumper or switch on the motherboard. make sure you do this with the power off and the computer unplugged! even with the computer off, the power supply feeds current to the motherboard and you will damage it and/or anything you plug into or remove from the board so make sure you unplug the power! While you are doing this, make sure you check the IDE connections from the motherboard to the DVD drive and it's power supply feed. If the IDE connection is not complete, the drive will not be detected by the system BIOS at boot up or the OS in the system device hardware control panel.

After you reset the BIOS, reboot the system and check the devices identified in the BIOS.

Last but not least for future reference, whenever you are performing any maintenance on your computer (requiring you to access the motherboard and components) ALWAYS check and re-seat your expansion cards and memory plugged into the motherboard. Something will always be jarred loose while you are working so it's best to check and re-seat your plugged-in hardware. I hope this helps you.

Good luck!

by craigfrombath

Hi guys - thanks for your help on this.

I have done most of the things that have been suggested but to no avail! I spoke to an editor of PC Plus magazine in the UK and he told me that the name of my CD/DVD drive doesnt necesserally mean that it wont boot from it. However I now have another problem....

Everytime I try and open a set up file from the desktop to install a program, the following error comes up 'only part of a readprocessmemory or write processmemory request was completed' - what is that?

I have changed my virtual memory settings but still I cant open anything.

Also, I deleted a few things off my desktop, jpgs etc, but upon restart they still appear on my desktop. Again, any help with this would be appreciated before I reformat the drive.

Many thanks
Craig

by Former member

Put your DVD/CD drive on to another connector port/cable so that you can check if it is either the cable or if it is the drive, make sure that it is selected as "slave" if connected with a hdd or "master" if connected on its own. Hope this helps you.

Please post back if you have more problems or questions.

This discussion is closed to new replies.