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Why Oh Why (CD boot problem)

I've had my PC for several years without any problems at all. After having decided (since it was spring) to do a wipe of my hard disk and a re-install of my Win XP I suddenly find that although I can read my CDs without any problem I cannot get the machine to boot from CD any more no matter how I adjust the Bios (ASUS) settings.

This is infuriating because I like to try out Linux distros in a dual boot system, but now I cannot any longer because I have to boot from the CD to get the Linux OS installed.

A curiosity, which may be linked, is that although I have two floppy drives the system insists that I have three which means that my CD is E instead of D. Could this have to do with the fact that since I was unable to boot my new Win XP CD to reinstall I had to go a long-winded way by first installing MSDOS 3.1, then Windows 3.1, then ME so that I could get Win XP setup to run? (both my copies of ME and Win XP are only upgrades).

I am confused as well as irritated. Obviously I have done something to upset the applecart, but what? I should be able to work out an answer but cannot. Humiliating it is but I am forced to turn to wiser souls in the computer community for ideas on how to put matters right again please.
 
If they are upgarde CDs then I dont think they are bootable.

See if you can get a copy of XP on CD, not an upgrade version.

However, I am not sure as to the legalities of this, although you have ( I assume) a legit copy of XP upgrade, I dont know if your licensed for the upgrade only or XP itself.
 
Old dude,


The Windows CDs are legitimate and I have had no problems in booting from them before when installing. It's nothing to do with the CDs.
 
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Then its most likely your motherboard bios.

Could you disconnect one or both of the floppy drives for the duration of the install?
 
uch i cant believe some1 would go through that many windows upgrades...i wonder what % of performance u lose for doing that? Not to mention the time it would take...and as dos/win 3.1/win 9x (me) dont support NTFS u might end up just reformatting anyway to install XP.

AAAANNYYYWAY.

U need to make sure ur CD drive (regardless of drive letter) is in the boot sequence. Preferably as primary boot device for the duration of the install
 
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