Computer wont read disc windows xp

Does anyone have any idea as to why the computer is doing this and what I can do to fix it? She's running Windows XP Professional. The exact error would help in figuring out what is wrong but without a valid key, it won't matter. If it was built locally, then maybe the shop that did the deed can help. It really sounds like the original XP install used a bogus key though. They are more similar than different. XP-home is different but the Pro version will be very familiar to a 2K user.

Newt ,. Log in or Sign up to hide this advert. I believe we've gotten a hold of the valid key. It's just getting into the system right now that's the problem. Her father built the system for her but he's currently away in the military. We're all pretty much separated at the moment. I'll try to get the exact error code from her later on when she gets home and post an update here. Well I talked to her again and this is what we're getting: When booted from the cd, we get a message saying that setup cannot detect a previous installation of windows.

Then it says please wait. The method you use to restore the system will depend on what backup utility you used, so you'll need to follow the utility's instructions on how to perform a restore operation. If you can't repair a Windows XP system that won't boot and you don't have a recent backup, you can perform an in-place upgrade.

Doing so reinstalls the operating system into the same folder, just as if you were upgrading from one version of Windows to another. An in-place upgrade will usually solve most, if not all, Windows boot problems.

This screen will prompt you to press R to repair the selected installation or to press [Esc] to install a fresh copy of Windows XP. In this case, initiating a repair operation is synonymous with performing an in-place upgrade, so you'll need to press R.

When you do so, Setup will examine the disk drives in the system. It will then begin performing the in-place upgrade. Keep in mind that after you perform an in-place upgrade or repair installation, you must reinstall all updates to Windows.

Greg Shultz is a freelance Technical Writer. Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry. Once the format operation is complete, close the Format dialog box to return to My Computer, double-click the drive C icon to access the root directory, and copy the following three files to the floppy disk: Boot.

Editor's Picks. The best programming languages to learn in Check for Log4j vulnerabilities with this simple-to-use script. Anyways I had tried what you had suggested on your video but when I went to do it I only had the upper filters but not the lower filters so I deleted the upper filters and rebooted the computer like you said to in your video and it didn't work, my computer still doesn't recognize my CD Drive.

Didn't work for me. Didn't have the "upper and Lower" entries. Had entry titled "LastDeleteDate". I watched the video, but since I am deaf, I could not listen to the dialog. For example, if the drive letter was listed as J in the diskpart list, you would type the following: J:. Press Enter and type the following at the new command prompt: dir. If a list of filenames and folders is shown on the screen, the disc data is recognized by the drive. The issue is not likely related to the drive or the disc.

It is probably related to the software configuration in Windows. Continue troubleshooting. If the message "device is not ready" is shown or the screen fails to update after 30 seconds, the disc or the drive may be bad. Repeat these steps with a few other discs of the same type to make sure the problem is not related to the disc.

If other discs of the same type cannot be read, skip to Step 8 to test the drive to see if the drive has truly failed. Step 5: Reinstalling the drive in Device manager Remove and reinstall the drive name in Device Manager:. Close the Properties window and select the CD Drive name.

Do not restart the computer. If the error no longer appears, you are done. If the error re-appears, continue to the next step. Step 6: Use System Restore If the computer still cannot read the disc, use System Restore to go back to a time when the drive was recognized by Windows. This step is only for Windows Me and XP. If it works, you are done. If it does not, go to the next step. Step 7: Recovery If the PC still cannot read the disc, recover the computer. If you do not know how to recover the computer, use one of the following documents:.

Performing a System Recovery in Windows 98 and Me. Step 8: Using hardware diagnostic software to test the drive If the drive still cannot read the disc, use hardware diagnostic software to help determine if the drive has failed. If your computer has Windows XP and is still using the same software configuration, the computer might have a software program called PC-Doctor. If so, use the steps that follow to test the drive.

If you have changed upgraded the operating system or have a computer that came with Windows Me or earlier you can search the Internet for free diagnostic utilities or take the computer into a local service center to have the drive tested.

Click Start , Run , and type the following into the Open field: pcdrw If an error code is reported, the computer may need to be serviced. Open the test again to confirm the error code.