Boot error code: 5

Hi everyone!

I'm having the same problems with Windows 7 Beta 32bit DVD ISO. As others mention here in the forum, I have used the same computer for testing Vista DVDs with no issues. In my case, I'm using DVD-RW media.

I have tested the following:

- Burning the ISO image with several burning programs (Nero 7, CDBurnXP, Alcohol 120%)
- Burning in different machines/DVD writers
- Burning at different speeds
- Using a separate boot loader to load the DVD

The ISO image is working on a virtual machine, and after a LOT of research I've found that the problem is something related with the booteable sectors of the media, in fact, if you open the image with WinImage, the ISO9660 part of the disk will show a file named "README.TXT" that reads:

"This disc contains a 'UDF' file system and requires an operating system
that supports the ISO-13346 'UDF' file system specification."

So, what we have here is a UDF booteable disk and (I'm guessing here) our BIOS does not support UDF for direct reading from a boot CD... or at least, the "EL TORITO" specification that the BIOS support does not includes reading from that kind of DVD's... and (guessing again) it should be a compatibility issue because of the "beta" status of the release, and that explains why a Windows Vista DVD (Comercial Release) can boot without problems.

My suggestions are:

- Run it from a virtual machine (try with VirtualPC, it runs flawlessly on it)
- Install Windows XP first, then run the setup from it. This is useful if you are planning to test video card capabilities (VirtualPC -and others- cannot use the hardware directly).

Good luck with the beta testing!

Oh, by the way... Windows 7 works great!

AMD

Hi darkassain! And thanks for your welcome and clarification...

I have researched a bit more and came to a couple of conclusions:

- El Torito spec is the standard used for booting CD/DVD's and is an extension of ISO9660 (the same you said earlier darkassasin) but is actually used to load a boot image from the media, in this case a boot floppy that contains the redirection instructions to load information from other sectors of the media based on BIOS interruptions.

- Everything is run using the capabilities stored in the BIOS, so if you are trying to run something your BIOS does not support, you are lost...

- I have used IsoBuster to access the original Win7 iso and a Retail version of Windows Vista, and all of them have the same contents: first an ISO9660 session with just one file (README.TXT, the one I said before), second a booteable floppy image and third a UDF session with everything else. The only difference between them is the booteable floppy image, Windows Vista has a booteable floppy with a file named "Microsoft Corporation.img" of 2kb while Win 7 has the same file with 4kb in size.

I wonder if it is possible to use the boot information from the Vista DVD to boot the Win 7 data... may be I'll try it later, but I don't think it will work, I'm pretty sure the second file has a reason to be bigger. LOL

What is clear here is:

- The boot floppy image is different
- The boot floppy image is using some funtions that some BIOS doesn't support

So, there is not a "procedural" workaround for this (I mean, writing at lower speeds, changing the media or using different burners or programs), it is a "hardware" limitation (a BIOS issue)... it is just a beta release anyway, so they are not focused in "media compatibility" for now.

Well, that was my thought...

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.

Im trying to write the file " floppy.144" with Rawwrite or/and WinImage, but it is saying or the file is not compatible or cannot find the floppy??, I wil chance computer now and see if it is working with the other.
Ill be back if it is possible to install this way
Thanks

lfete said:

Im trying to write the file " floppy.144" with Rawwrite or/and WinImage, but it is saying or the file is not compatible or cannot find the floppy??, I wil chance computer now and see if it is working with the other.
Ill be back if it is possible to install this way
Thanks

Hi lfete!

A strange issue... I have tested it with both (rawWrite and WinImage) with no problems at all. The only thing is... rawwrite will pop an alert if you dont have a floppy in the drive.

Post your experience if it finally works!

Regards,

AMD

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.

Regarding the above advice I can confirm that it works a treat for me. I burnt the Windows 7 image with img burn and installed in my Acer 5100 series laptop with no problem. However when trying in my old Amd powered desktop I got this "code 5 message" when booting from cd. As I knew the disk worked I looked for solutions on the web and found this forum. Did the instructions worked first time for me and now installing Windows 7 as I write. As previous post suggested I think answer lies in the system bios being old and not compatable with this release as no way is my old AMD vista or Windows 7 compatable but then it is only for evaluation but I know it will run. Hope this gives others hope on fixing problem

Hi AMD
My floppy disc was disconnected on one computer! and on the other it did not work, so trying to fix this. I can tell you I did try the win 7 installation DVD on another computer some years younger, installed with no problem, only one update did not went throu. Now in these days i have time to try your suggestion.
Thanks, I wil come back as soone I can.

Hi AMD
I must do something wrong!!
I open the program Rawrite then when I shal choise the file floppy.144 you have not that possibility, shall I extract this file first?? Rawrite only accept files ".img" and floppy.144 does not end with ".img"
Thank you for your post anyway