I set my computer (Dell Dimension desktop, XP Pro) to boot first from the CD
drive to load a Live Ubuntu CD. The CD is good-- I can boot from it in other
computers but when this Dell starts, I get a one line message saying
"Booting From CD" with a flashing cursor-- for a minute or two-- but it
doesn't boot. After a while, it boots Windows normally from the HD.

The CD drive is OK-- it plays music CDs and I can install software there.
The computer is fine- all updates installed, fully protected, etc.

Any ideas to fix?

"Piso Mojado" <floormop@bucket> wrote:

Dirty CD. So it works on others, just clean it.
--

magic eye
http://vortrack.net/wp-content/uploa.../magic-eye.gif
can you make it out?

"Piso Mojado" wrote in message
news:4_idnQBytMfhdEfanZ2dnUVZ_umlnZ2d@comcast.com. ..

You sure the Dell isn't telling that it found a bootable CD but is
waiting for you to hit a key? Many computers are setup that they
require you to hit a key when they find a bootable CD. If you don't
hit a key in time, the prompt times out and the BIOS boots from the
next device in the boot device sequence.

<Pennywise@DerryMaine.Gov> wrote in message
news:ujrlt3t4kdchi4rm87c8fik5edaqqrkeef@4ax.com...

I don't think that's it. If the CD was dirty, it wouldn't boot on the other
computers, eh?

"VanguardLH" <V@nguard.LH> wrote in message
news:freufi$1cr$1@registered.motzarella.org...
I'll try that-- but if it needed a key-hit, wouldn't there be a message to
that effect?

"Piso Mojado" <floormop@bucket> wrote in message
news:LsGdnTDbQKq8mUHanZ2dnUVZ_v6rnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
CD Drive is a little crappy too then the combination of the 2 Could...I said
Could...cause your problem

"Piso Mojado" <floormop@bucket> wrote:

I just bought Counter Strike, 4 DVD's and not a one could be read.

I washed them - really windex and a towel, and they worked just fine.

Windex and a towel isn't advised, but it sure beat trying to get my
money back for an open game.

--

magic eye
http://vortrack.net/wp-content/uploa.../magic-eye.gif
can you make it out?

"Piso Mojado" wrote in message
news:1_qdnbB47JfNmUHanZ2dnUVZ_hSdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
Yep, but this is on the text screen after POST and could be a short
1-liner, like "Hit a key to boot from CD ...". So you might miss it
if your eyes aren't aimed at the lower part of the screen. The
message may only be there for 3 to 5 seconds. Dell, HP, and other
pre-built makers love to shove their spam screen (i.e., to announce
their brand) on bootup so they may be oblitering this post-POST
message when the BIOS detects a bootable disc in the CD drive.

Do you have more than one CD/DVD drive in your system? Only the first
physically detected may be usable as a boot device. Some hosts will
only boot from the first physical CD/DVD drive. Some will list
multiple CD/DVD drives *if* it finds bootable discs in each one.

"Piso Mojado" wrote in message
news:LsGdnTDbQKq8mUHanZ2dnUVZ_v6rnZ2d@comcast.com. ..

Not all CD/DVD drives are created equal; otherwise, there would be
just one brand. Some are also less tolerant of unbalanced discs.
Does this bootable CD have a user-applied self-stick label on it?
Also check for cloudy areas *inside* the disc (i.e., a defect where
the disc becomes increasingly cloudy over time starting from one spot
and growing from there).

Are you inserting a bootable CD into the drive? Or are you inserting
a bootable DVD disc into the drive? I've seen users that have a
CD-ROM drive, a CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive, a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, or a
CD-RW/DVD-RW drive, and something they have 2 of them in different
combinations. It could be that you are trying to boot from a DVD disc
but putting it into a CD-ROM or CD-RW drive which doesn't understand
how to read DVD discs.

Piso Mojado wrote:
It may not be seeing your hardware correctly. I've had trouble with
Linux CDs not booting in one and not another, especially older
computers. Some give the same message that you get. Will any other cd
that is bootable boot. Might I recommend PcLinux mini edition to try.