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    boot problems

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by badgerboy, Feb 3, 2005.

  1. badgerboy

    badgerboy Newbie

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    I have a IBM notepad with a faulty "a" drive
    I have just installed a new hardrive to it, but cant start to install windows due to the "a" drive being U/S
    Is it possible to boot up say a "startup disc" from the CD rom, and how can I get the computer to see the CD rom, to start with.
    I am starting to think that it is not possible.
    I have tried the f12 at start, but dosnt seem to work, all that happenes is that it goes back to the "C" prompt
    Can anyone advise me on how to get the thing started.
     
    badgerboy, Feb 3, 2005
    #1
  2. Knight

    Knight Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am not familiar with an IBM specifically, but you want to enter the BIOS (setup) at the very beginning of the Boot process.

    Be very careful in the BIOS because you can change settings that will have an adverse effect on system performance and stability if you change the wrong values.

    In the basic setup you may be able setup the A drive:

    If you have a bad floppy and want to disable it find a line that looks similar to:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Drive A: 1.44M, 3.5in
    Drive B: None
    -------------------------------------------------------------------

    You should be able to change the 1.44... part to read None as well.
    Then your laptop will not look for the A: drive on bootup, your floppy drive will not work period.

    You should have a menu labeled Boot, or Boot Order... make sure your CD drive is closer to the top on this list than the Floppy or the Hard drives.

    I hope this helps, please do not attempt this if you are not comforable with your ability to change BIOS settings.

     
    Knight, Feb 5, 2005
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  3. hogan

    hogan Newbie

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    When I reformatted my HDD (XP) from the manufacturer's CD, the CD drive defaulted to the boot drive and I had to reset the boot prority in the bios. Not a problem I'd encountered with older MS or Lynux. HDD defaults to X too, when you take all the software off.
    ---------------------
    <blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by badgerboy
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    hogan, Feb 17, 2005
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  4. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    You can use Nero to make a bootable CD from a floppy if you are not using 2K or XP which should be bootable. When making the CD, throw 98 or ME on the disc and run setup.exe from the prompt. Good Luck.





    I know things, things that could get me killed


    Thinkpad T41:
    * 1.6Ghz Pentium M * 768Mb Memory * 40Gb Hitachi 7200RPM * Panasonic UJ-845-B DVD+RW *
     
    ZaZ, Feb 17, 2005
    #4