Help SOS My Sons Pc Wont Boot Up Not Even From CD

[nopcpro]

id really apreicate some help with my sons pc
i have the blue screen and famous error message which goes something like this
we have shut your system down please select from safe mode or safe mode with network ect or last good settings
i tried booting in safe mode and that dont work
i tried booting in last good configeration and that dont work
im running windows xp sp2 on a dell dimension 5000
i done hardware tests that seemed to work out fine
i also set up the bios to start from cd/dvd rom as no 1. and i just get a message saying boot device can not be found and i can select try again f1 or set up f2
whats real strange is a just took the old hard drive out and added a brand new unformatted one hoping it will automaticly read the o.s. instal cd and give me options to install or repair
i cant even get to a repair stage niether can i get to boot from the o.s. disk
please help im really stuck

 

[kimsland]

OK so brand new formatted drive ? I think
And Xp Cd in the CD drive
CD doesn't start

First confirm your bios is set for CD start as the fist bootable device
Then confirm your CD is clean (or clean it, ideally)

Has the Cd drive had any problems in the past ?

 

[nopcpro]

i have two drives installed

one is a brand new pioneer dvd in the second tray and the first tray has the original dell also.

i tried both and they dont work , and i know they are working

i set my bios using cd/dvd rom drive as no 1

the cd is clean and in fact is the first time it was ever used , i opened the seal on the disk for the first time 2 days ago

this is the very first problem i ever had with the computer its sole use is world of warcraft and msn messenger

thanks ever so much for your time

p.s. brand new un formatted drive , because i cant get my computer to boot from the cd or boot up at all

id prefer to try to repair the old drive if i could get the computer to boot from the cd ?

OK so brand new formatted drive ? I think
And Xp Cd in the CD drive
CD doesn't start

First confirm your bios is set for CD start as the fist bootable device
Then confirm your CD is clean (or clean it, ideally)

Has the Cd drive had any problems in the past ?

 

[kimsland]

Can you just attach the brand new DVD drive as Master and remove (tempoarily) the Dell old CD drive (data cable out will do)

Go back and confirm in bios Hard Drive is seen and DVD is first boot (again)
Then try the Windows Disc again

By the way the new DVD drive is working ? not DOA

 

[nopcpro]

the new dvd drive has been working fine
i even did diagnostic test which read from the disk and test passed
i will try to unplug the the original drive in a sec

thanks agian

Can you just attach the brand new DVD drive as Master and remove (tempoarily) the Dell old CD drive (data cable out will do)

Go back and confirm in bios Hard Drive is seen and DVD is first boot (again)
Then try the Windows Disc again

By the way the new DVD drive is working ? not DOA

 

[nopcpro]

its just booted up from the cd after i unplugged the first drive
i get the repair console now
now what do i do ?
use the command fixboot ?

 

[kimsland]

If this is a clean install just install Windows

If you are repairing your Windows do fixboot

Not sure which one you are fixing here

 

[nopcpro]

i want to fix my original drive so i use fixboot yes ?
or shall i do chkdsk first

then afterwards i will wipe and install o.s. on the new drive as a backup drive

any suggestions for running a tight setup with two drives ?

If this is a clean install just install Windows

If you are repairing your Windows do fixboot

Not sure which one you are fixing here

 

[kimsland]

i want to fix my original drive so i use fixboot yes ?
or shall i do chkdsk first

Yes ChkDsk first
Then Fixboot

then afterwards i will wipe and install o.s. on the new drive as a backup drive

Good idea

any suggestions for running a tight setup with two drives ?

Yes one at a time !

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[nopcpro]

well the pc is working again thanks to you my friend
im running a couple of updates
im killing spy and adware at the moment
i will let it run over night and check entire system for virus just incase
the dell disk utility is going to check the drive on restart
i will let you know in the morning if all is well
i think it wil be fine now
if you have any other tips for me they would be much apreciated
thanks again

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[kimsland]

Tip:
Run CCleaner regulary to keep your system clean