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3998
September 29th, 2006 05:00
Dimension 3100 will not boot from CD drive...
I need to perform a clean install of XP Professional, something I'm quite familiar with (so it SEEMED at least). So...the Dimension 3100 setup I have has a DVD-ROM drive above and a CD/RW drive below. XP Pro in either drive gives same result - NORMALLY, hitting F12 at startup allows one to boot from CD. However, the thing keeps telling me that the drive is NOT BOOTABLE. I'm stumped! By the way, once I DO let the currently installed XP Home load the drives work perfectly. How do I get the thing to boot from CD? Is this something I change in setup (setup appears okay though)? Perhaps this is a SLAVE/MASTER issue (I haven't changed switches though). Same "problem" with the other three Dim 3100s I purchased - the Dim 5150s boot from CD no problem, however. This has GOT to be a simple fix, but I can't figure it out. HELP!
Thanks.
Scott
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Predator
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15.3K Posts
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September 29th, 2006 12:00
Hi Scot,
Have you tried entering the BIOS and setting the boot sequence to CD drive. Normally it will only boot from the Master drive which in Dell`s case using Cable Select jumper settings, is the drive in the Top bay. Change the sequence save/exit.
Best Regards!
God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell the
difference.
CD/RW Link
gwmd2000
3 Posts
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September 29th, 2006 13:00
Predator
2 Intern
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15.3K Posts
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September 29th, 2006 19:00
Hi Scott,
I checked the Dell BIOS updates for your 3100 but did not find any reference to similiar issue.
I know Dell relased updates for the 2400, 4600, etc to address ATAPI detection issue.
Sometimes BIOS updates will fix issues not listed but I cannot say for sure.
If it was mine, I would disconnect both drives and Clear the NVRAM, then attach only the one drive to the "end" connection of the IDE cable.
Then maybe the BIOS update if that did not help.
Best Regards!
God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell the
difference.
CD/RW Link