RLMill,

It would have been helpful if you had posted the model of your computer but the procedure for booting from the CD is similar for all Dells and is given here for Dimensions.

have you checked your BIOS setup to ensure that the CD drive is bootable and if it is, that it will boot before HDD0?
Alan,
mistywindow.com

Yeah, I'm at the BIOS settings now, and I'm looking for a place where I can change settings to boot from the installation CD-ROM. I have an Inspiron 600m

RLMill,

From Dell Support:

1. Insert a bootable CD in the CD drive.

2. Restart the system.
The Dell logo screen appears.

3. Press the key to enter the System Setup.

4. Press the and

keys simultaneously to proceed to the second page of the BIOS.
Page 2 of 7 appears.

5. Press the key until CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive is highlighted.

6. Press the key until CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive is at the top of the list.

7. Press the key.
The message What do you want to do? appears.

8. Press the key to Save changes and exit now.

Message Edited by Denny Denham on 06-24-200610:10 PM

Go into system start F2 at before the programs boot in go to boot put CD at top then use CD worked for me also when I press F12 you can select CD to boot