[SOLVED] Boot from disc issue...

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 10:44 AM

Gateway MX8738

I am trying to reload the laptop with Vista Home Premium (it is a bootable CD as I have used it numerous times for reloads)

I have tried re-ordering the BIOS to boot from the optical drive first. No luck. The laptop simply displays that the "Operating System is not found"

Madcatz · 08-04-2009, 10:51 AM

are you able to boot from other cd's? have you tried accessing the boot menu and telling it to boot from the cd drive?

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 10:54 AM

I have tried a Windows XP and Windows 7 disc as a test and no luck. And I have tried the F10 Boot menu and selected the drive but it goes straight to "operating system not found"

Madcatz · 08-04-2009, 10:57 AM

ok, then I would try and reseat the cd drive, if it still doesn't work, then its probably a bad drive and should be replaced. or you could use an external to install the OS.

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 11:04 AM

I actually have tried an external optical drive but it doesn't even bother to attempt to read the disc. Do you know what would cause this?

Madcatz · 08-04-2009, 11:34 AM

that, i would check the bios and make sure the USB settings are enabled, and also set to legacy USB boot devices.

but same thing with the USB devices, best to boot from them from the boot menu, that normally even tells you wether the bios sees it as a boot device or not.

Edit: You may also want to try updating the BIOS and resetting it to defaults. Just thought that its possible your internal cd drive may have been disabled as a boot device too, but normally disabled devices don't show up in the boot menu.

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 11:49 AM

I have tried the USB trick in the BIOS and regretfully the PC is still the same.

Madcatz · 08-04-2009, 11:55 AM

try updating the BIOS and setting it to defaults after the update is done.

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 11:57 AM

Exactly how do I go about updating the BIOS?

Madcatz · 08-04-2009, 12:01 PM

you'll have to go to gateways support website, look up your unit, and download the latest bios update. most updates now have an option to install from in windows, just close any programs you have running and make sure its plugged into the ac adapter. Don't do anything else on teh pc while the update is running, if it gets interrupted it can corrupt the bios.

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 12:04 PM

There is no windows installed on this drive. The bootable disc is Vista and I'm trying to install that. I guess then that the bios cannot be updated.

JMT21 · 08-04-2009, 12:16 PM

Thanks for your help though. SOLVED as failing drive

Madcatz · 08-04-2009, 01:33 PM

Windows is usually the easiest way to update the BIOS, it can usually be updated by cd or floppy disc also. But since your cd drive isn't working that leaves only a floppy drive, most laptops don't have floppy drives, and that only leaves a USB floppy drive to run the update.

08-04-2009, 10:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	[SOLVED] Boot from disc issue... Gateway MX8738 I am trying to reload the laptop with Vista Home Premium (it is a bootable CD as I have used it numerous times for reloads) I have tried re-ordering the BIOS to boot from the optical drive first. No luck. The laptop simply displays that the "Operating System is not found" __________________ A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted... -Charlie Chaplin

08-04-2009, 10:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,424 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: Boot from disc issue... are you able to boot from other cd's? have you tried accessing the boot menu and telling it to boot from the cd drive? __________________ memtest86+ \| Hard Drive Diags \| Speed Fan \| Unknown Device Identifier

08-04-2009, 10:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	Re: Boot from disc issue... I have tried a Windows XP and Windows 7 disc as a test and no luck. And I have tried the F10 Boot menu and selected the drive but it goes straight to "operating system not found"

08-04-2009, 10:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,424 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: Boot from disc issue... ok, then I would try and reseat the cd drive, if it still doesn't work, then its probably a bad drive and should be replaced. or you could use an external to install the OS. __________________ memtest86+ \| Hard Drive Diags \| Speed Fan \| Unknown Device Identifier

08-04-2009, 11:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	Re: Boot from disc issue... I actually have tried an external optical drive but it doesn't even bother to attempt to read the disc. Do you know what would cause this? __________________ A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted... -Charlie Chaplin

08-04-2009, 11:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,424 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: Boot from disc issue... that, i would check the bios and make sure the USB settings are enabled, and also set to legacy USB boot devices. but same thing with the USB devices, best to boot from them from the boot menu, that normally even tells you wether the bios sees it as a boot device or not. Edit: You may also want to try updating the BIOS and resetting it to defaults. Just thought that its possible your internal cd drive may have been disabled as a boot device too, but normally disabled devices don't show up in the boot menu. __________________ memtest86+ \| Hard Drive Diags \| Speed Fan \| Unknown Device Identifier Last edited by Madcatz; 08-04-2009 at 11:39 AM.

08-04-2009, 11:49 AM	#7 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	Re: Boot from disc issue... I have tried the USB trick in the BIOS and regretfully the PC is still the same. __________________ A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted... -Charlie Chaplin

08-04-2009, 11:55 AM	#8 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,424 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: Boot from disc issue... try updating the BIOS and setting it to defaults after the update is done. __________________ memtest86+ \| Hard Drive Diags \| Speed Fan \| Unknown Device Identifier

08-04-2009, 11:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	Re: Boot from disc issue... Exactly how do I go about updating the BIOS? __________________ A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted... -Charlie Chaplin

08-04-2009, 12:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,424 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: Boot from disc issue... you'll have to go to gateways support website, look up your unit, and download the latest bios update. most updates now have an option to install from in windows, just close any programs you have running and make sure its plugged into the ac adapter. Don't do anything else on teh pc while the update is running, if it gets interrupted it can corrupt the bios. __________________ memtest86+ \| Hard Drive Diags \| Speed Fan \| Unknown Device Identifier

08-04-2009, 12:04 PM	#11 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	Re: Boot from disc issue... There is no windows installed on this drive. The bootable disc is Vista and I'm trying to install that. I guess then that the bios cannot be updated. __________________ A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted... -Charlie Chaplin

08-04-2009, 12:16 PM	#12 (permalink)
JMT21 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 64 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64	Re: Boot from disc issue... Thanks for your help though. SOLVED as failing drive __________________ A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted... -Charlie Chaplin

08-04-2009, 01:33 PM	#13 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,424 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: [SOLVED] Boot from disc issue... Windows is usually the easiest way to update the BIOS, it can usually be updated by cd or floppy disc also. But since your cd drive isn't working that leaves only a floppy drive, most laptops don't have floppy drives, and that only leaves a USB floppy drive to run the update. __________________ memtest86+ \| Hard Drive Diags \| Speed Fan \| Unknown Device Identifier