Cannot boot upgrade CD

I strongly suggest NOT flashing your BIOS for a problem like this. Do so at your own risk. It could very possibly render your machine useless.

Then what would you suggest? I'm unable to boot from any type of media, and now it seems I cannot even access safemode. I have access to the keyboard, but I am unable to use it at the actual prompt, although, I can get the prompt to pop up, and yes, USB support is on. I have a feeling my computer is just gone.

There is nothing unsafe with Updating your BIOS if done from Windows. We have helped hundreds of people here with installation issue who have updated BIOS without any problem, and never had a failure I know of.

Read all of the instructions given with BIOS upgrade. There may be a way to back up current BIOS first.

What were the results of your Memory and HD diagnostics test. Still waiting to hear. Have you tried zeroing your HD as suggested earlier in order to force DVD to autostart? You can use free Partition Wizard bootable CD which also autostarts to Wipe Disk to apply zeroes.

I want to update my BIOS first and see if that cures the problem before zeroing my hard-drive. I'd rather that be a last ditch option. I'll get those results on the mem / HD test to you ASAP.

Snadbad said:

I want to update my BIOS first and see if that cures the problem before zeroing my hard-drive. I'd rather that be a last ditch option.

I would zero out a HDD before I would flash a BIOS. I've zeroed out at least a few hundred hard drives, and it's completely safe. Flashing a BIOS isn't, and I've never had to do it once in almost twenty years. Your choice.

Yes, but I don't have any alternative computers to use at the moment, so for all my school work and such, I still need to chug along on this thing. That's why I was anxious to get to Win7 quickly. When it didn't work, I was more than dismayed because I can't really take risks with this computer now like I can when I don't have school.

Have you tried running the WIn7 DVD from Vista? If it will run, create a second partiiton in Vista Disk Mgmt to install Win7 onto.

If the infection hampers you from trying this, then run Microsoft Security Essentials to clean it up.

Later we can help you remove Vista once you know Win7 works right.

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista

I can't because the Win 7 license I have is for 64 - bit, not 32. However, I suppose I could email Microsoft and ask to exchange or something.

DocBrown said:

The win7 license Key Code you have should work with either the 32bit or the 64bit,
but since I asume your student download was the 64bit, therefore you don't have any 32bit media to try to install.

Huh? His CPU supports the x64 platform.

And yes, the product keys work with both achitectures.