booting issue

Got my own PC sorted now thanks to this forum, I am trying to sort my other and having boot problems. When i switch the PC on it starts to boot, it goes as far as the timer…`seconds until windows starts` the timer goes from 29 down to zero and than just hangs there. I will not let me scroll up to safe mode or last known good configuration. I am basically stuck at this page. I would be quite happy to reinstall windows if need be . I have tried booting with windows disc in the drive but nothing happens. Any ideas on what to do. thanks

Hi scudo,

Are you able to enter the BIOS? If so, be sure to check that the CD Drive is set to boot before the hard drive. Then reboot with the Windows CD in the drive, it should ask you to press a key to load setup, so press one of the keys on your keyboard at that point.

Let me know if this helps.

Troy

I have managed to get into the BIOS menu and have set the boot to CD drive (and double checked this), but it still hangs tried a re boot but doesn`t seem to pick up the CD. I have managed also to get to safe mode but it does a page or so of `script` and then just hangs.

If it doesn't pick up the CD, I should think your CD drive isn't working properly. Are you using a genuine Windows OS disc? Is it in good condition (no scratches)?

I have now managed to get it all working in another `tower` unit. I am going to check all is ok and then go back to the other tower over the next day, I have a couple of spare CD units and another spare hard drive so I will play around and see what I can do. One of the hard drives is my old one which I know has a working copy of xp on it. It may well be the settings in the BIOS are wrong. If I still cant get working then I will post some pics of the settings for someone to look at as I don`t have much of a clue in there.

As long as the CD Drive is set to boot before the hard drive (within the BIOS settings), and a bootable CD is in the drive on startup, it will load the disc instead of the hard drive. Some pictures might be handy if you still are experiencing problems, be sure to let me know. Troy

Ok I transferred to tower 2 and got win xp to load and working ok. When I transfer back to tower 1, not working.
The clock is not set at the correct time, and I am unable to change it, it does have a new battery.

Below are the settings from tower 2….

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In the third picture down, you have the boot sequence set to search for a floppy drive first, then the hard drive. You want to move the CD-ROM above the hard drive. Troy