Help building a computer

[ostrich69]

I just bought a computer, and I'm using older spare parts for a 2nd computer. I had to take apart the 2nd computer and build it from scratch.

I just finished assembling all the parts, and now after post it says "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER"

I have the CD ROM as the primary boot device and I'm trying to install Windows XP Pro.

Can anyone help?

 

[wolluf]

Are you sure you have CD as primary boot device? Are you sure both the CD ROM and XP install disk are working properly? (because that message sounds like its trying to boot from hard drive that has no o/s on - or, old chestnut I'm sure won't apply, you have a non-bootable floppy disk in the drive.

 

[ostrich69]

The CD ROM is the only device listed in the boot options in the BIOS, it is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd device.

I know the disk works properly, because I have used it many times before.

There is no operating system in the hardrive. I had the partition deleted on the hardrive before it was removed. I'm just trying to get everything running, so I can boot from the XP cd and install XP Pro.

 

[flubbard]

Have you checked to make sure that the power and ide cable are properly attached on the harddrive. Re-seat them both and see if they show up in the bios screen. Can you hear the harddrive spin up when you power the computer on? If not, then it is probably a power issue, otherwise it is probably that the cable is loose either at the board or at the disk.

Also, make sure that your ide cable has Pin 1 in the proper place.

If you can, also just try a simple floppy boot disk and see if you can access anything.

- flub

 

[ostrich69]

I was just in the BIOS, and I noticed that the BIOS had "none" under the floppy section. I selected "1.44 Floppy" and now after the memory test, it says "Floppy disk(s) Fail (40). and stops there.


I also set the hardrive to be Primary Master and the CD ROM to be secondary master.


Primary Master - HD
Primary Slave - None
Secondary Master - CD ROM
Secondary Slave - None


However, since post stops at the floppy disk error screen, I am now stuck there.

 

[paparazi]

ostrich69
Sounds like you have either bent a pin on the floppy drive power connector or the cable orientation is incorrect (twist in cable goes to floppy drive and red stripe to pin one)
Check you have all four channels primary master/slave and Secondary Master/Slave, set to auto detect.

Keep the hard drive in the boot sequence but set CDrom first
Note* press any key, to boot from CDrom, when prompted!

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[wunkunn]

I know this is a foolish question, but, is the XP Disk a bootable cd or does it require the floppy disk series to load.

 

[G0AOZ]

To the best of my knowledge, all XP installation CD's are bootable - no floppy required...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[edfair]

Yes, the CD is bootable.

Your floppy problems are usually cable related. There should be a split in the cable at one end. That end goes to the floppy.
On most floppies it is possible to connect backwards or one pin offset. If the cable is backwards on either end the drive select LED will stay lit. If the cable is backwards on both ends the drive doesn't work. If it is installed offset by a pin the drive doesn't work. If the drive doesn't work your POST will hang since you've set CMOS to use it.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.