CDROM Problem

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 05:45:18PM -0400, Stephen wrote:
> So I downloaded the ISO's for the server and desktop of Ubuntu 8.04
> 
> I start by installing server CD but the computer says it is 
> non-bootable. WTF? Checked the CD
> on another machine and it was fine. Checked the BIOS in the Linux box 
> and it recognized the
> CD drive. It is an IDE CDROM.
> 
> So I pull the machine out of the bottom of the tower, open it up and 
> make sure the cables are
> seated.
> 
> I try again and the server install  goes fine.
> 
> I put the machine together again, and return it to its place.
> 
> Later I try to install the desktop CD and I get the non-bootable error 
> again. Shee-it.
> 
> So I pull the machine out of the tower again, try everything physical 
> that I can think of but I can't
> make the machine read the CD.
> 
> The CD does boot in another machine. Other bootable CDs do not boot. The 
> CD is still recognized in
> the BIOS.
> 
> So do I just buy a new CDROM drive, or might there by some other 
> problems that I should check out
> first.

Not all BIOSs support CD booting.  Not all implement the full el torito
spec.  Some only support a subset, and not necesarily the one required
by the boot loader on the CD.

Some systems can only CD boot from the first optical drive found, not
any others.  Some can boot from CD but not DVD media (although in one
case where I encountered this a BIOS update fixed that problem).

Of course booting from CD might be disabled in the BIOS too.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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