First of all, I want to thank everyone for taking time out to try and help me with my situation, I greatly appreciate it.

OK, I decided to purchase an IDE to USB adapter just as mailpup suggested. Once I recieved the adapter I immediately tried it out. After connecting the optical drive via USB into my PC using the adapter, I turned on my computer and before Windows Vista started up I got a black screen with a blinking white line on the upper left hand corner of the screen. I'm assuming that the DVD drive is what's causing this to happen. Everything seemed OK, until I realized that nothing else happened, the screen doesn't move on to Windows Vista.

So, I decided to disconnect the adapter from the USB port and restart my computer. WIndows Vista started up and everything seemed to be working fine again; so, I reconnected the adapter. Windows immediately began installing the driver. After it installed the driver I checked My Computer and noticed that the DVD drive icon was showing. I restarted the computer once more with the adapter connected and I got the same black screen as before.

I disconnected the adapter and restarted my computer once more; Windows Vista started up. So, I reconnected the adapter. After windows installed the driver I decided to insert my Windows XP Pro CD; it read the CD perfectly.

Again, I decided to restart my computer and as expected I got the same black screen but this time it said 'Press any key to boot from CD'. I said to myself, "yes! finally! now I can install an OS to my blank 80GB HDD." At least that was what I thought. However, when I installed the 80GB HDD into my PC then attempted to boot my Windows XP Professional installation CD from my DVD drive, instead of getting the black screen that said 'Press any key to boot from CD', I got just a black screen.

Why?! I don't understand why this is happening! This is driving me crazy. All I want to do is upgrade my hard drive.

Anyone who is willing to help feel free, I don't know what else to do.
This is so frustrating!!

I'm pretty sure that BIOS allows booting from a USB device because I'm able to boot my Windows XP CD with my old drive. I'm assuming that since there's already an OS installed in my old hard drive Windows is able to install the adapters driver.

This is how my BIOS boot sequences looks:

1. Onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive
2. Onboard or USB Floppy Drive
3. Onboard SATA Hard Drive
4. Onboard IDE Hard Drive (not present)
5. USB Device
6. Onboard Network Controller

When I turn on my computer, using my OLD drive, while my Windows XP CD is inserted into my DVD Drive, I get a black screen that says 'Press Any Key To Boot From CD'. If I decide not to press any key, after a few seconds, Windows Vista starts up. However, if I turn on my computer, using my OLD drive, WITHOUT my Windows XP CD inserted, I get a black screen with a white blinking line on the upper left corner of the screen. Whether I decide to press any key or not the screen stays this way and Windows doesn't boot up. In order for Windows Vista to boot up without me having to insert the Windows XP CD, I have to change the order of my BIOS's boot sequence so that the Onboard SATA Hard Drive boots before the Onboard or USB CD-ROM. If not, my computer will not get pass the "Black Screen of Death," as I call it.

When I turn on my computer, using my NEW hard drive, whether my Windows XP CD is inserted or not, I once again, get the "Black Screen of Death."

Also, if I change BIOS's boot sequence so that 'USB Device' is first, I get neither the 'Black Screen of Death' nor the 'Press Any Key To Boot From CD' screen, instead I get a black screen that says Missing Operating System. This happens with both the new hard drive and the old hard drive and, also, whether or not I have my Windows XP CD inserted.

Hey lechevarria89,

I noticed it's been a while since it's been posted, but I had the same issue today and finally managed to fix it. I have a Dell Dimension E310.

My CD-ROM was cable select and it kept on pulling up my CD-ROM when I tried to boot from the DVD-ROM. It wasn't even showing in the boot options under BIOS, even though it did in Windows. I changed DVD-ROM to be the master and CD-ROM to be slave and went to BIOS. Even though there were no changes whatsoever in BIOS, I was able to boot from the DVD. I can't boot from the CD right now, but not necessary anyways. Hope you won't need this and figured it out already.