Formatting Without Boot CD

[mhansomme]

Hey,

I'm having a bit of a strange issue. What I am attempting to do is format my C (Windows 7) drive, in order to reinstall Windows from the installation disc.

Here is my problem. Whenever I try to boot from the disc, it just loads Windows normally and doesn't launch startup repair or anything. My thought is that this is due to the fact that my DVD drive, while fully functional, is not compatible with Windows 7. I know it works as when I first bought the PC it installed Windows7 just fine, so my thinking is that if I can get my C drive formatted, I will then be able to boot from the Windows disc and install.

Can anyone give me advice on how to do this. I can't seem to find any option in startup that will allow me to do this. I also do not have additional DVD, CD or Blu Ray drives that I can install.

Thanks

 

[Guest]

what DVD drive do you have? i cannot for the life of me think of one that isn't compatible with windows 7.

 

[mhansomme]

it's a Samsung SH-S223C. Windows recognizes the drive, but won't run anything off of it, yet it worked when I initially installed Windows from it (self built computer).

But now it's creating quite an issue for me since even when I select to boot from that drive with the original Windows 7 install disc in it, it just loads Windows normally

 

[mhansomme]

Also, I recall when the issue first happened, I contacted Samsung support and they confirmed the drive had Windows 7 compatibility issues

 

[Guest]

i would believe to help solve this problem and any future problems is to get another dvd drive. they are cheap, about $18 online.

 

[mhansomme]

The problem there is that I'm working off of a pretty crippled system currently, so I do not want to wait for anything to ship, and the cost in local stores is considerably higher. Is there any way to format without using a boot disc?

 

[Guest]

if your computer can boot from a usb, there are various utilities you can use to format the drive. i haven't used any so i cannot make any recommendations.

i don't understand how formatting the hard drive, while your dvd drive is having problems with windows, will solve your problem.

 

[Soda88]

There's no such thing as incompatible optical drive with Windows 7. You're supposed to set CD-ROM as first boot device within BIOS. When you turn PC on spam delete until you get in BIOS, then find where the boot options are (usually in 'advanced BIOS features' or something similar; each BIOS is different) and under first boot device, set CD-ROM.

edit:
Try updating firmware beforehand:
http://www.samsungodd.com/eng/Firmware/FWDownload/FWDownload.asp?FunctionValue=view&no=650&SearchWord=&SearchMode=&PageNumber=1&product_code=&os_no=

 

[shanky887614]

when you turn pc on.


keep tapping esc key usually on most motherboards that will let you select boot device. select the dvd


or if that doesnt work you need to enter the bios and change the boot order


usually enterd by pressing the del after pressing power butten



check your motherboard manual

 

[mhansomme]

I've tried both setting the drive as default boot in BIOS, as well as pressing F8 and selecting the drive to boot there as well. No matter what, it just loads Windows normally.

I've also updated the firmware.

There seems to be nothing I can do that will prevent it from loading Windows

 

[Guest]

when you turn pc on.


keep tapping esc key usually on most motherboards that will let you select boot device. select the dvd


or if that doesnt work you need to enter the bios and change the boot order


usually enterd by pressing the del after pressing power butten



check your motherboard manual

omg i completely missed the OP saying "Whenever I try to boot from the disc, it just loads Windows normally and doesn't launch startup repair or anything."

i need more coffee this morning . .

 

[mhansomme]

I finally got something to happen, by disabling the hard drive in BIOS entirely and leaving the DVD drive as the only remaining boot option.

It gives me this error:

reboot and select proper boot device

I've tried this with both my Windows 7 Disc as well as the motherboard disc.

I'm completely at a loss what to even try next?

 

[Guest]

do not entirely disable the HD as a boot option; you will need it later.

if you are using an upgrade disc it will not work; if you are using a disc you downloaded from a torrent site it will not work.

what will work is a LEGAL copy.

 

[mhansomme]

Also. I have tested both discs in my laptop. The disc itself is fine.

 

[mhansomme]

do not entirely disable the HD as a boot option; you will need it later.

if you are using an upgrade disc it will not work; if you are using a disc you downloaded from a torrent site it will not work.

what will work is a LEGAL copy.

My copy is an official OEM DVD that I purchased with my computer.

 

[Guest]

ok so we are back to the dvd drive giving problems.

bypass it by connecting an ethernet cable to both computers, putting the installation disc in the laptop and set the target computer to boot from network AFTER reading and printing out these instructions.
http://blog.ryantadams.com/2008/02/01/how-to-boot-from-the-network-pxe-boot-with-tftp-and-windows-pe/

btw, you do know that the key for an OEM disc is tied to the first motherboard you used it on and cannot be re-used?

 

[runswindows95]

To see if the drive really works, as well have a way to format the hard drive, try a Ubuntu live CD. I prefer Xubuntu because of the much simpler GUI:

http://xubuntu.org/getxubuntu/

Just pop it in, and see if this loads. If it doesn't, there are ways to make it a bootable USB drive, the same with Windows 7.

 

[mhansomme]

In the end I finally broke down and got a new DVD drive and formatted that way

 

[Guest]

you're MUCH better off. now you don't have to jump through hoops or anything now or in the future.

glad you got it resolved.

 

[mhansomme]

you're MUCH better off. now you don't have to jump through hoops or anything now or in the future.

glad you got it resolved.

Thanks for the help. If only things were that easy to resolve however. Now that I've formatted and reinstalled I'm getting all these random 3-15 second hangs, and have had to start a new thread http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/40904-63-windows-applications-randomly-hanging-seconds

I'm assuming since my hardware is all the same (minus the DVD drive) and I didn't have this issue before, it must be a driver/software issue?