"press any key to boot from CD or DVD" doesn't always appear at bootup

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  1. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       #21

    I'm not sure you understand what I am saying.

    A "bootable" device is, by definition, a device that has a self contained program installed on it that can load and run independent of any operating system outside of the bootable device. Everything you see on your screen is being run from the program code on the Bootable device (the CD/DVD).

    For instance, the Minitool Partition Wizard program on "Bootable CD" is a Linux program that loads onto your computer from the CD using the Linux Boot-Loader.
    It is not "compatible with" Linux - it Is Linux.

    Have you done the test where you disconnect all the extra internal and external optical drives and then tried to boot one of the problem CDs?

    The purpose of this test is to see if the BIOS is not able to detect the bootable media because it is busy checking too many devices at once.
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  2. RCM
    Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Professional x64
    Thread Starter
       #22

    Thanks for the response Victor S and TVeblen

    Have you done the test where you disconnect all the extra internal and external optical drives and then tried to boot one of the problem CDs?

    Yes, I have, multiple times, just to be sure.


    the Minitool Partition Wizard program on "Bootable CD" is a Linux program

    It is not "compatible with" Linux - it Is Linux.

    I'm very well aware of that. It is still not recognized. Is it because it is Linux? Why does WinXP recognize it and boot it & not Win7?

    Ron
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
       #23

    @TVeblin +1 on your last 2 posts explaining boot-up !

    @RCM
    Can you disconnect the bootable HD so the PC will not boot?
    Does it sit there waiting for a bootable CD/DVD.
    Are any messages displayed?
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  4. Posts : 290
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       #24

    @RCM

    You are missing the point.
    When booting with CD/DVD or USB, Windows 7 or XP has nothing to do with the boot process.
    You have a BIOS or hardware problem.
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  5. RCM
    Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Professional x64
    Thread Starter
       #25

    DavidW7ncus & Bumpkin thanks for responding

    I'm not going to start taking the computer apart when it is working.

    This is not a BIOS or hardware problem. If it were a BIOS or hardware problem, none of the disks would boot at all, or they might boot sporadicly. The disks that do boot, boot every time without hesitation.

    So, after so many post about the disk that do or do not work.....

    see my post #6
    It seems to me that something in the autoboot header of the disk is not being recognized or accepted by Windows 7 or the BIOS. However, the boot files of one of the disk that does work, and one that does not, appear to be identical. I've even tried copying the 'good' to the 'bad', but that did not work either.

    It seems obvious to me that the problem must have something to do with the 'booting files' that these disks are incorporating. Does anyone have a good suggestion about how to burn bootable disks with a good working boot file, or incorporate the good 'boot files' to end up creating a bootable disk?

    Ron

    And, looking back at my question #2:

    I presently have 10 'primary' partitions. Both Drive(0) & drive (1) are shown as 'Active'.
    To my humble knowledge, shouldn't partitions 5 through 10 be 'Logical Partitions'? And shouldn't Drive(1) be a 'Logical Partition', and not "Active'?

    I have read in several posts that there is a limit of only 4 'active' partitions. Is this correct? Does it make any difference? What is the best way to correct this, if it is a potential problem. DiskPart?

    Ron
    Last edited by RCM; 22 May 2012 at 18:01.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       #26

    RCM said:
    And, looking back at my question #2:

    I presently have 10 'active' partitions.
    To my humble knowledge, shouldn't partitions 5 through 10 be 'Logical Partitions'? And shouldn't Drive(1) be a 'Logical Partition', and not "Active'?

    I have read in several posts that there is a limit of only 4 'active' partitions. Is this correct? Does it make any difference? What is the best way to correct this, if it is a potential problem. DiskPart?

    Ron
    I think you are trying to say "Primary" partitions.

    An active partition is one that has a (oh God no) Bootable OS on it. And unless you intend to have a multi-boot system you should only have one ACTIVE partition.

    Up to 4 PRIMARY partitions. One Active partition per Operating System.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #27

    If you try and create more than four primary partitions on one drive you risk causing Windows converting the drive to a dynamic drive, which would cause boot problems.

    You can have up to four primary partitions on a single drive and only one of those can be Active. If you need more partitions you can create logical partitions as part of an extended primary partition.
      My Computer


  8. RCM
    Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Professional x64
    Thread Starter
       #28

    Thanks for the reply TVeblen,

    You are right, they are all 'primary', not 'active'. (I corrected my post).

    So, should I edit the other 6 partitions and 'correct' them? There has not been a problem presented, so far.

    Ron
      My Computer

  9.    #29

    Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk management drive map and listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu.
      My Computer


  10. RCM
    Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Professional x64
    Thread Starter
       #30

    Thanks for the reply Seavixen32

    I corrected my previous post to show 'primary', not 'active' (my bad)

    If you try and create more than four primary partitions on one drive you risk causing Windows converting the drive to a dynamic drive, which would cause boot problems.

    I did not try to create 'primary' partitions. I used the Computer Management/Disk Management to create the partitions, and it made them all 'primary', without any option or choice to do otherwise. There does not appear to be any option in Disk Management to reset the partitions to 'logical'. There has not been any indication of a problem, so far (but I haven't sneezed today lol).

    That is why I was trying to find some software (2 of the non-booting disks) to help correct the partitions back to 'logical', thinking it might be a potential problem later on.

    Ron
      My Computer


 
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