can not boot from CD

Question

My Inspiron-8200 hard drive gave up and I am trying to boot from CD to install Windows XP on the new drive but my BIOS doesn't recognize the CD. On F2, I can see the boot sequence and I have moved the CD drive to the top but no luck. On F12, I see the list of bootable devices but no CD drive is listed here as bootable (only floppy and NIC card). It just keep saying no disk and no optical device found after DELL splash screen. The CD drive is spinning when I put the CD in but could it still be defective (meaning both hard drive and CDROM gave up at the same time). Is there any other setting or loose connections etc that I can check for. What are the options to get this laptop up if both hard drive and CD drive are defective.   Any suggestion is appreciated. Thanks,

boppo · Answer

i would say you forgot to take off the blade connector on the old drive and put it on the new. if this is the case be careful when taking it off/on.

atiwari · Answer

Can you please be a bit more elaborate about this blade connector (how do I take it off. I don't think I have done it). Also I have not yet put in the new disk drive. Just struggling to first get the laptop booted up from CD.

boppo · Answer

well just look at both drives and you will see the connector. it comes streight off, i find if you pry a little with your finger nail on each side a little at a time you can get it off without bending the pins.

boppo · Answer

well i own a i8200 and a new drive come with bare pin sticking out and the drive. a drive in a i8200 has the pins covered up with the blade connector. so if you see bare pins on your hard drive that is in the i8200 you can wait til the cows come home and it will never work.

atiwari · Answer

No, no blade connector on the hard drive or CD drive. CD drive works fine (I put it into another Inspiron-8200). Any other way to get the BIOS to see it as bootable.

atiwari · Answer

I think I misinterpreted. Sorry about that. As I said before I haven't even begun to deal with the new hard drive. Assuming that I put the blade connector from old HD to the new HD, my question is how will I install windows XP to the new disk when my BIOS doesn't see the CD drive as bootable device. And thanks for putting up with me.

boppo · Answer

this is the blade connector that has to be on the drive to work. http://www.bay-wolf.com/partlist/48cvx_hddcaddy.jpg

boppo · Answer

i think you have to have a good hard drive in the system because they both are on the same controller. as you said in the first post your drive gave up.

atiwari · Answer

Common controller may explain why CD drive also functions erratic. I'll try installing new HD over the weekend. Thanks for your help.

boppo · Answer

i hope that works for you, let us know.

atiwari · Answer

Finally got the new hard drive in and got the laptop to bootup, installed windows xp etc. Thanks again for the tips. Laptop boots up in windows fine. However now when I do F2 during boot time, it goes to first page of BIOS and hangs (nothing happens on Alt-P or Esc key) and it shows a blank in front of primary disk and only way out is to power off. When I take the hard disk out the F2/BIOS works fine. I have a Samsung 80GB drive in to replace the old 30GB Toshiba. Is the drive too big for this machine (Inspiron-8200) or BIOS upgrade might help. I ran the full detailed diagnostics and all hardware seemed fine there.

boppo · Answer

A11 is the lastest bios. do you have that? if not you can get it here and use floppy version only or you might fry the MB.

atiwari · Answer

Great. Flashed my BIOS to A11 and I am back in business. Really appreciate all your help.

boppo · Answer

that what it's all about. glad to help.

Locked Topics – Laptops General

can not boot from CD

Was this post helpful?