Boot error code: 5

Nick1001 said:

Some old motherboards chipsets cannot boot from the Windows 7 Installation CD

The easiest way is to boot from a Windows Vista System Repair Disk, go to fix computer option , got to command line, then insert Win 7 install disk, enter D:, enter cd sources, enter setup

I also had to update my motherboard bios first (ASRock) to be able to even boot from the vista disk. If your vista does not boot, check your bios (enter with F2 or Del right after booting and check the Bios version or see motherboard manufacturer website how to check this) download the newest version and burn to a CD. If it's not bootable by itself you need to create a DOS boot disk, boot from that and then use it - I used the Ultimate Boot CD - Overview and booted the Netware DOS, the entered T: or whatever letter your CD drive has been assigned and updated the downloaded bios from another CD (Burn as simple ISO), then the vista boot disk worked

Have fun

refacho said:

Hello friends i'm new in this forum. I downloaded the last version of Windows 7 in microsoft page, burned a dvd and when tryed install using boot and appears this message: Cannot boot from CD - Code error: 5

Need help,

Thx anyway.

I just registered so I can thank you for this awesome info... It really helped after 12
hours on trying to install windows 7 on an old pc of mine with MSI motherboard. Thank you Nick1001 ^_^

To AlfaMikeDelta:

I cannot find the file "full.img.gz" to make a bootable disk, what am I doing wrong?
Thanks.

A.G.

What bootable disk are making?

I have a laptop that previously had windows vista on it, but now has linux mint completely on it, no dual boot just linux. I tried putting windows 7 on there, but it came up with the boot error code 5. Will the solutions on this thread still work even though it has linux on it?

Wipe the HD first to be sure all Linux code is overwritten and cannot interfere: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

All Linux code must be deleted using the CLEAN ALL command.As you have had linux on the HD you need do a Clean all & full format.

Make sure you use the CLEAN ALL command, in the above tutorial in gregrocker,s post.

Downloaded 2.4 Gujin, extracted with 7zip....but...full.img.gz is nowere to be found ??!! help, please !

AlfaMikeDelta said:

Hi everyone again!

I've managed to install Windows 7 using a boot manager floppy (you can use other media but you will need knowlege on how to make CD's or USB's booteable from a floppy image).

This method uses a linux boot manager called Gujin to "emulate" BIOS functions for booting media (any media).

Here are the steps I followed to build it:

- Download "Standard" version of Gujin from sourceforge (the latest is 2.4)
- Use your favourite decompressing software to unGzip/unTar (I recommend 7-zip, it's free)
- Inside the uncompressed folder, you will find a file named "full.img.gz", unGzip this file too.
- Now you will have a file named "floppy.144", this is the floppy image.
- Download a "Floppy Image Writer", for exmple RawWrite (or WinImage).
- Grab a floppy and write the file "floppy.144" to it.
- Put the Windows 7 Beta DVD in the drive.
- Boot your PC with the floppy, it will show a screen searching for boot records in your computer, follow the instructions about the video resolution.
- Once you are inside the GUI, there will be a list of supported booteable media, press the "F" key corresponding to the one that reads "no emul" or "no emulation" (it should be your DVD)
- Pay attention to the message "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", so do it!
- Yeah! Windows 7 installer is running!

Hope this helps you a bit with the beta testing...

AMD

PS: For instructions on how to make a booteable CD in Nero with a floppy image, read this. For Gujin documentation, troubleshooting and screenshots read this.

Okay, I've read through the entire forum on the "code 5 error" message and none of it applies to my situation. I originally installed Win7 Home premium from my purchased DVD and now I get the message when trying to do a repair install. I can boot Linux live DVDs from this drive so the drive is not the problem. Last fall I missed quickly not stopping some kind of malicious software download in a drive-by and it has corrupted my system. Things still work but there are anomalies that I want to correct. I have run every known malicious software cleaner, SFC, and Windows Defender and nothing shows up. SFC says there are system files that are corrupt but it can't repair them. They need to be taken from the install DVD which now won't boot ! My system is about 7 years old and is an Hp220, 2.7 GHz Intel processor with 2Gb of ram and has no floppy drive. The BIOS are old enough that I can't boot from a USB drive either. I can boot both from the DVD and CD drives with various Linux live CD's. I have not tried booting from a Vista or Win 8 DVD yet. What I'm trying to understand is why when I upgraded from XP Pro to Win7 with a completely clean install, did my BIOS get changed so I can no longer boot from the very same DVD I originally used to do the install !! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Are you following these steps for How to Boot A Computer from CD or DVD - YouTube ?

Do you get a prompt to "Press any key to boot disk" when you set DVD drive first to boot in BIOS setup?

If not try triggering DVD with the one-time BIOS boot menu key given on first boot screen.

If it doesn't boot then there's something wrong with the DVD, ISO or burn. Is DVD new, clean and unscratched?

If in doubt start over from Steps 1 and 2 from Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

If DVD method fails then try the USB install method given. If that fails unplug the DVD drive and try again.

If it continues to fail try resetting BIOS to defaults: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

You can also boot free Partition Wizard which will boot itself to wipe the HD: Partition Wizard Wipe Disk - Video Help. This will force the installer to boot.

PW is also on Hiren’s BootCD 15.1 which boots itself too, and can wipe the HD as well as rescue your files using XP explorer.

Meaning no disrespect, but did you read my entire post ? There is nothing wrong with the DVD as it boots on other machines. There is also nothing wrong with the DVD drive as I can boot anyone of a number of Linux live CD's. I also used this very same Win7 DVD to originally install the system so again I know the DVD is good. What happens now when trying to boot from it to do a Repair Install, is I receive a "Boot code 5 error" and the system just halts at this point. I never see any kind of a boot menu as I am still at the BIOS level. Without a DVD in the drive, the system boots normally which is where I'm typing this post in Firefox ! System File Checker reports there are corrupted system files that it cannot repair and tells me I need to get them off the install disk WHICH WON'T BOOT so I can get at them. Again I mean no disrespect but you have not really helped at this point.:)