Getting an old eMachine to work

I really have no idea where is thread belongs. As per mentioned in my other thread, in the OT, i've been trying to build a entertainment system based on 2 computers. The one I referring to here is the one designated as the file sever. When I turned it on today (fist time in at least 3 yrs), it gave me a NTLDR is missing error. Thinking that it was due corrupt windows boot files and wanting to load Linux on there anyways, I inserted the Ubuntu CD. It says its searching for a boot record on the CD, but can't get passed that. The little rectangle after this line of text has been blinking for half an hour now! I tried other CDs like XP pro and Knoppix, but none of them seemed to work. I also attempt to boot from the HD again, but got the same error. Sorry for the long post. Thanks for any help.

 

Try another cd/dvd drive, if that still gives the error, try another hdd.

 

There is only one CD ROM and all my other HDs have data on them (can't reformat). I was hoping for a simpler solution.

 

Replace the cd-rom with another.

You have a spare cd drive righto?

If not, I dunno how else you could attempt to repair it, as I'd guess something is wrong with one of those two parts.

 

No, I don't have any spare CD roms. Even if I did, they'd be notebook ones. I think i'll just replace them if there's no other way

 

now, I don't think the CD ROM is broken anymore as I was able to boot of an old Norton disk and the recovery disk. However, after the I boot into the recovery disk, there is a long beep sound and the screen goes blank. However, I was able to use the Norton disk and conduct a virus scan. Additionally, created a floppy boot disk (luckily I still has a floppy drive lying around), but that didn't work either.

 

Hum... very odd.

Could be psu.

 

Why would it be the power?

 

Emachines is the worst computer experience I ever had.

 

could u get into bios and load default definitions? verify hard drive?
cheapest way around to test, slap in another hard drive and see

cheers ...