Laptop won't boot from external CD drive yet internal one is unresponsive

Hi, Try to set-up your bios setting need first boot cd/dvd drive.Power on your PC, then press F2 to go bios setting, change first to CD/DVD drive first boot and then insert your cd or dvd operating system.if same problem. try also yung USB external cd or DVD drive.

You can install the operating system using an external CD/DVD drive. for dell systems, make sure you have the external drive connected then when you turn on the computer press F12 to access the one time boot menu. on the boot menu choose the option for CD/DVD drive. after pressing enter it will prompt you to press any key. once you get to the welcome page just follow the onscreen instructions to install a fresh copy of windows

A computer tries to "boot" from many devices:

* 3.5-inch floppy-disk (if available)
* USB memory-stick (if connected)
* internal CD/DVD device
* external CD/DVD device
* internal disk-drive
* over your network-cable, by talking to a "network boot server".

When it tries to boot over the network-cable, and *NO* "boot-server" responds,
you get the "check cable connection" and "exiting from P(re)(e)X(ecution)E(nvironment)" mode.

If it cannot boot from your 'C:' drive, and cannot boot from the network boot-server,
your computer responds "no bootable device" and "insert boot disk" (into CD or floppy-disk),
and "press any key" (to try again to boot).

What this USUALLY means is that your 'C:' disk-drive has stopped working,
meaning that Windows cannot be "booted" from it.

Seek help from a qualified technician to trouble-shoot your disk-drive, and/or to replace it, and/or to reinstall Windows, and/or to "repair" your existing Windows installation.

Your computer tries to "boot" from various devices:
* internal disk-drive
* internal CD/DVD drive
* internal 3.5" drive
* external USB device (memory stick, external CD drive, et cetera)
* via your network-adapter -- trying to connect to a "boot-server"

So, restart your computer, and enter BIOS SETUP mode.
Be sure that the disk-drive *IS* listed.
If you want, exclude the "network" boot-device,
since the error-messages that you are seeing are indicating that *NO* boot-server exists on your network.

What the messages *COULD* imply is that there is no media in the CD/DVD drive,
no media in the 3.5" drive, nothing "bootable" connected via a USB port,
*AND* that your computer *TRIED* but *FAILED* to boot from your disk-drive.

That is, your disk-drive either is electrically disconnected (no power reaching it)
or electronically disconnected (the "data" cable is not attached)
or that the disk-drive itself is "dead".

Take your computer to a qualified technician for trouble-shooting.
You may have to replace the "dead" disk-drive with a brand-new one.

connect an external cd/dvd drive & see if its working or not. If yes, then you need to replace cd/dvd drive of your laptop.

it would be easier to use an external dvd/cd drive if in case your internal dvd drive is defective. thereon, you can start re-installing the XP OS using the external dvd/cd drive. hope this will help your problem. thanks

Yes you can use a usb external cd/dvd-rom to any operating system as long as the bios allows you to, most bios's have the capability.

When the external usb drive has been connected power up the mechine, in post it should tell what to press to enter your boot menu without entering your bios and choose usb drive to boot.

u must either have one of the foll...to boot and install OS...also the seq in BIOS must be availabe and enabled
1 Floppy
2 CD Rom Drive - internal
3 CD Rim Drive - External connected thru USB
4 You can also try to connect a USB pen drive having the OS install program and try - I have not tried that so not sure if this option works...sorry
5 If u can open the machine then u can connect another internal HD(this can contain ur OS install files) to the cable (connector points in the flat cable) that connect your internal HD to the Motherboard.

if i can think of anything else i will post
all the best

you can try to install throu USB Drive. Search google there are many tricks how to bootup with your Pen Drive.

please try to remove the connection between motherboard and vd/dvd drive.

then perform the previous steps.