System Disk Problem

[mdbr2020]

I have finished my computer (Athlon 1800+, Gigabyte GA-7vaxp Mobo, 512 memory, etc..) Everything comes up fine initially, but it says System disk failure, please insert system disk. I have a disk I created from my old Windows ME, and I am pretty sure it has all the proper files needed on it. Also my lite-on 48x12x48x CD-RW did not come with a driver disk, since i need my CD to be running to install windows XP,where could I get one? Anyway no matter what I do i keep getting a system disk error. Any suggestions please?

[ktkendall]

When you say I finished my computer, may I assume that to mean you have all the hardware peiced togother and now want to install the Operating System (ie..windows etc..) The cdrom you have with windows on it should be bootable, and the cdrw should work as a basic cdrom for you to get windows loaded. There should be a place in the BIOS to choose the boot devices and order that the PC will search for a valid one. Check that and make sure cdrom is a choice and try booting with the cdrom in the drive.

[mdbr2020]

I did try booting from the XP CD, it didn't work either. The problem i think is that it doesn't even recognize the CD-ROM.

[ktkendall]

Even if you get that WinME boot floppy working, which it should at this point, you going to need a functioning cdrom. Those boot floppies will give option to boot with or without cdrom support. Is that cdrw being detected by the BIOS??

[mdbr2020]

I don't think it is being detected, it would be under the regular bios screen right?

[easyco16]

what i think ktkendall is saying (i may be wrong here)....is that even though you have the boot disk working, it should still read teh cd-rw and you can use it as a basic cd-rom to get windows installed....(wow...i just read that post and its really stupid)

[mdbr2020]

i think i understand, but the boot disk isn't working, and i don't think bios has detected my CD drive, how would i get it to even do that?

[Alfie]

How do you have the cdrw set up, on what ide and how is it jumpered?
Set the bios to auto detect drives.

[mdbr2020]

i think i understand, but the boot disk isn't working, and i don't think bios has detected my CD drive, how would i get it to even do that?

[ktkendall]

Go into your BIOS and on the first page with the basic configuration of the IDE devices you want auto on the ones you actually have a drive connected to. You should have your harddrive as Primary master and CDRW as Secondary master if thats all the drives you have. CDRW should be jumpered as master.

[mdbr2020]

I have it jumped to be the master and it is in the ide 2 slot on my mobo

[ktkendall]

Pretty much right after you power up system and the video card posts then you should see the memory count, then comes the ide drive detection. Problem is that nowadays the boards are so fast you can barley see what flashes on there. If you catch it just right after the memory count and hit the pause key during drive detection you should see what drives are being properly detected. Also in the bios too, when you reset them to auto it should show up with what drive is there. Maybe you just have IDE cable backwards on that cdrw.

[Cricket]

Hi mdbr2020,

There's another BIOS option screen where you can choose to set the CD-ROM to be the first boot device (I forget which one, maybe Advanced CMOS Setup?). After you do that, put the WinME CD into the CD-RW, Save and Exit...the system will reboot and it should boot from the WinME CD in the CD-RW. The drivers for the CD-ROM are on the WinME CD already.

Cricket