Computer won't boot up from CD

Somersetlad · 9th Sep 2006, 01:27 AM

My wife’s 3 year old Toshiba laptop modelA45-S151 needs serious housekeeping. The original setup CDs (I presume there were some) are lost. So I recently purchased a MS Windows Home with SP1 (OEM) CD intending to reformat the single hard drive, install Windows afresh and update with SP2 etc online. This CD is fully legal and verifies OK.

Problem is I cannot get the Toshiba to open up the CD at boot up. The CD seems OK as it opens up OK on the Toshiba desktop. Furthermore it boots up OK on my desktop PC. So I must presume that I need to adjust something in the Toshiba BIOS.

At last I persuaded the Toshiba to open the BIOS (F1) but I was no wiser what, if anything to adjust; or even whether there is another answer. I repeat, I want to reformat the one single drive (60GB) completely and start afresh. There is a single CD writer/DVD drive. We have backed up all data on our external Seagate drive. I have no trouble in re-installing Windows as I have extensive experience on PCs, as well installing new hard drives, memory chips, etc. But I have not had much experience with adjusting the BIOS. We are not worried about losing the original Toshiba software, as we intend to use the Toshiba laptop as a reserve to our new HP laptop.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Chai · 9th Sep 2006, 07:50 AM

You probably have to alter the Boot Sequence option to boot CD drive first. Since I'm not entirely familiar with Toshiba, I'm not even sure if there's such option. But you can try.

Adrian Wong · 9th Sep 2006, 10:36 AM

There's an option in the BIOS to alter the Boot Sequence. Just set the CD drive as the first device in the Boot Sequence and reboot the notebook with the CD inside.

Somersetlad · 9th Sep 2006, 10:45 AM

Thanks very much for your reply.

I have just run sfc /scan and that seems to have perked up the computer considerably, so I shall forgo reformatting etc. In fact sfc worked far better on the Toshiba than it ever has done for me on my Sony desktop PC, where I usually re-install Windows XP Home every 3 to 6 months.

I suppose I could have considered tampering with the Config.sys or Autoexec.com (just like the old DOS days in the early 1980s) but as the old saying goes ... if it works OK, then don't fix it. And after all it is a standby computer for our all singing, all dancing, new HP Pavilion dv8000t Notebook. An awesome creature.

Once again, many thanks!
Incidentally - yours is a great site.
In the words of the Californian state governor "I'll be back".

Olle P · 12th Sep 2006, 02:34 PM

What's sfc? ... apart from a TLA I'm not familiar with.

/Olle

zy · 12th Sep 2006, 06:54 PM

sfc - system file checker

9th Sep 2006, 01:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
Somersetlad Newbie Join Date: 9 Sep 2006 Posts: 2 Reputation: 0 Rep Power: 0	Computer won't boot up from CD My wife’s 3 year old Toshiba laptop modelA45-S151 needs serious housekeeping. The original setup CDs (I presume there were some) are lost. So I recently purchased a MS Windows Home with SP1 (OEM) CD intending to reformat the single hard drive, install Windows afresh and update with SP2 etc online. This CD is fully legal and verifies OK. Problem is I cannot get the Toshiba to open up the CD at boot up. The CD seems OK as it opens up OK on the Toshiba desktop. Furthermore it boots up OK on my desktop PC. So I must presume that I need to adjust something in the Toshiba BIOS. At last I persuaded the Toshiba to open the BIOS (F1) but I was no wiser what, if anything to adjust; or even whether there is another answer. I repeat, I want to reformat the one single drive (60GB) completely and start afresh. There is a single CD writer/DVD drive. We have backed up all data on our external Seagate drive. I have no trouble in re-installing Windows as I have extensive experience on PCs, as well installing new hard drives, memory chips, etc. But I have not had much experience with adjusting the BIOS. We are not worried about losing the original Toshiba software, as we intend to use the Toshiba laptop as a reserve to our new HP laptop. Any advice would be appreciated.

9th Sep 2006, 07:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
Chai Administrator Join Date: 6 Oct 2002 Location: Maranello Posts: 28,124 Reputation: 4649 Rep Power: 82	You probably have to alter the Boot Sequence option to boot CD drive first. Since I'm not entirely familiar with Toshiba, I'm not even sure if there's such option. But you can try. __________________ Chai (Contributor & Forum Admin) http://www.techarp.com/

9th Sep 2006, 10:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
Adrian Wong Da Boss Join Date: 10 Oct 2002 Location: In front of my ASUS F8V notebook! Posts: 33,137 Reputation: 3730 Rep Power: 78	There's an option in the BIOS to alter the Boot Sequence. Just set the CD drive as the first device in the Boot Sequence and reboot the notebook with the CD inside. __________________ Dr. Adrian Wong Tech ARP \| Blog @ Tech ARP \| The Free Trade Zone DYKT : The only offshore account I have is at the sand bank? We need PROGRAMMERS and TECHNICAL WRITERS! Contact us if you are a hot shot programmer or technical writer! My items for sale : 50x SD Card \| Memory Stick PRO \| Cyclone Energy Saver \| Seiko SS watch \| Tiger/Carlsberg beer jugs \| Travel Speakers \| Motorola V600 \| Nokia N90 SOLD! \| New Lowepro Mini Trekker AW Other items for sale @ the FTZ : Zalman CNPS9500 LED @ $20 \| Zalman CNPS7700 Cu @ $20 \| Zalman CNPS7000 Cu @ $20 \| Swarovski bracelet watches \| Dell 17" LCD \| Hi-Fi speakers \| English DIVX movies \| HP LaserJet toners! \| Office chairs

12th Sep 2006, 02:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
Olle P Active Join Date: 12 Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Posts: 815 Reputation: 315 Rep Power: 9	What's sfc? ... apart from a TLA I'm not familiar with. /Olle __________________ If you're not living on the edge you take up too much space... Asus A8E-N, Athlon64 X2 4600+, 1024MB Kingston value, XFX GF7800GT, Seagate 160GB/8MB

12th Sep 2006, 06:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
zy zynine.com Join Date: 16 Dec 2002 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 13,494 Reputation: 2276 Rep Power: 43	sfc - system file checker __________________

9th Sep 2006, 10:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Somersetlad Newbie Join Date: 9 Sep 2006 Posts: 2 Reputation: 0 Rep Power: 0	Thanks very much for your reply. I have just run sfc /scan and that seems to have perked up the computer considerably, so I shall forgo reformatting etc. In fact sfc worked far better on the Toshiba than it ever has done for me on my Sony desktop PC, where I usually re-install Windows XP Home every 3 to 6 months. I suppose I could have considered tampering with the Config.sys or Autoexec.com (just like the old DOS days in the early 1980s) but as the old saying goes ... if it works OK, then don't fix it. And after all it is a standby computer for our all singing, all dancing, new HP Pavilion dv8000t Notebook. An awesome creature. Once again, many thanks! Incidentally - yours is a great site. In the words of the Californian state governor "I'll be back".

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