Building my computer.

[keithrmvt]

I have just recently purchased a bunch of parts to build my own
> computer. I
> know some stuff about putting them together but I had a guy who does it a
> lot there with me to teach me and so I know it's done pretty much right.
> However, when I loaded it and ran it, it says "Boot from CD: Disk boot
> failure, insert system disk and press enter". I don't really
> have anything
> for this computer except for CD's. When I start my computer the
> little green
> light in my CDR comes on, and in Bios i did set my first boot thing to
> CD-Rom. I just can't get the drive to open. I was going to boot with my
> Windows 2000, but the drive won't open. If you could help me, i would
> appreciate it a lot!
>
> Thanks,
>
> keith

[thePh@r@oh]

welcome to TechIMO. The drive wont open? sounds like it may be busted or not hooked up properly only 2 things i can think of.

[John Prophet]

The drive wont open at all? There is a little hole on the front of the cd drive...take a paper clip and straighten it out..then stick the paper clip into the hole...its an emergency release mechanism hole. That will open it usually.

As for why it wont boot off the cd...hmmm, maybe its a copy of a cd and not the original? sometimes bootle..err.."backup copies" wont boot correctly.

If you have another machine you can make a bootdisk or download one from www.bootdisk.com.

JP

JP

[keithrmvt]

Yeah, I'm new at this.

There is probably not a problem with the boot disk (hope not anyway), i just can't get the drive open. I'm going to try the paper clip thing. I was instructed on how to hook up the CDrewritable drive, but who knows if I messed up. I have one plug that goes into the power supply on the right side of the back of the drive, and to the left of that I have the bigger plug (that looks like a belt, lol i'm new!!) that goes from the motherboard, to the hard drive, and then to the CD rom.

I hope I'm doing this write, and thanks a ton for helping guys!

keith

[thePh@r@oh]

I hope I'm doing this write, and thanks a ton for helping guys

...i think you mean *right*.....make sure that the IDE ribbon (belt like plug) is right side up the pink stripe should go on Pin 1 of the CD drive

[sKiT]

sometimes when the eject button on a cd-rom isn't working, you can open My Computer and right click your CD-ROM drive icon and select eject. It works sometimes and others you need the paper clip. Keep in mind when using the paper clip trick, the cd tray will want to close so you'll have to tug a bit to get it out. It will "feel" like you are pulling against the cd-rom drive motor. The tug o'war of technology

[thePh@r@oh]

Originally posted by sKiT
sometimes when the eject button on a cd-rom isn't working, you can open My Computer and right click your CD-ROM drive icon and select eject. It works sometimes and others you need the paper clip. Keep in mind when using the paper clip trick, the cd tray will want to close so you'll have to tug a bit to get it out. It will "feel" like you are pulling against the cd-rom drive motor. The tug o'war of technology

that may work for him except his problem is that he needs to open the drive to get the Windows install disk in he doesnt even got an OS yet.

[sKiT]

lmao! your right..............(taking deep breath)........baby steps......I get ahead of myself.

[keithrmvt]

-I can't believe I put *write* or whatever, i'm not usually this dumb, just stressed!

Anyways, I took a cd drive from another computer and hooked it up in place of the current drive. It works properly. I guess I have just proven that the drive is disfunctional. However, the light did come on when it starts and lightly flashes when I would try to "boot from drive". When I called the company I purchased the drive from (before I determined it was broken) the man told me that if I plugged it in wrong that I could have "broken" it. However, I plugged it in the same way with the new drive, therefore I am pretty sure it was broken when I got it. I sure hope he allows me to return it!!

Thanks guys for your help!!

keith

[CraigK]

on the issue of returning the broken drive. never have the mentality

Originally posted by keithrmvt
I sure hope he allows me to return it!!

be assertive and most importantly sure of yourself when you tell him it was broken when you received it and you either want a replacementor a refund.

[thePh@r@oh]

yea but the bad news is...theyre gonna blame you theres no way your gonna convince them you didnt break it...inless its newegg(woohoo go newegg)

[JPMiller]

If he tries to blame you then make him state what specifically you could have done to break it by connecting it wrong...are there bent pins?
If there is no physical damage then what could you have done ....both cables can only be inserted one way.