Can't Install XP Pro on Toshiba Tecra 8200

[Mike Gateway]

I recently acquired a Toshiba Tecra 8200 laptop with no operating system. I have tried several times to install Windows XP Pro from a CD but it will not boot up from the CD. The screen says PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable, but the only cable attached is the power cable to AC. It also says PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE ROM. Insert system disc in drive, press any key when ready...

As you can tell, I'm a novice and do not know what to do.

If I do hit any key it just goes back and repeats this message.

Obviously I could sure use your help.

Thank you anyone out there in advance for any assistance you might be able to give.:mrgreen:

[Chaky]

You will have to enter bios settings and set the machine to boot from cd drive first.

When you turn it on, press del key (maybe it's f2 or f10) while it's booting to enter bios setup menu. There you'll have to navigate and find settings for boot device. That is setting that machine follows to determine where to look first for system. In your case it tries to look on hard disk, while there are no partitions created there (that explains the error message).
Change that setting to cd drive, or whatever it calls it (primary slave, optical... I'm not familiar with exact bios setup layout), save settings and reboot.

Free tip: When you create partition in xp installation program, it is wise to create 2 partitions (say, 30% first : 70% second). Both NTFS.

[illdecide]

ok im having some issues with this aswell, when i change the boot sequence in the cmos and then select [c] as the boot device on the multi-boot screen, i get an error, something to do with check cable and then it starts booting up into windows, however it gets as far as saying its preparing my desktop, then after an hour or 2 says windows is low on virtual memory then nothing, i left it like that for a further 6 hours and when i came back it still said the same.

What am i doing wrong??

[dmcaarlson]

If you are trying to boot from the CD to install the operating system, the CD-ROM drive is usually D:. Set that as first, the C: drive (which is usually the hard drive) as second.

[illdecide]

If you are trying to boot from the CD to install the operating system, the CD-ROM drive is usually D:. Set that as first, the C: drive (which is usually the hard drive) as second.

i have already done that but then i get the error, when i get the multi boot option up it gives me the same error about Check Cable.

The drive works i can use it in Safe Mode but i just cant get it to boot from the CD, i was told to disable the LAN boot and that would fix it it doesnt give the option to, its a Pre-Set sequence and Pre-Set changes in turn, CD, HDD, FDD, LAN

[Chaky]

Does the "Check Cable" error message mention 40-pin cable?

[illdecide]

Does the "Check Cable" error message mention 40-pin cable?

Just check Cable, i will try take a photograph of it and paste a link to imageshack, i have one for the bios it is... http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2928/hpim1135.jpg

I dont know if it will help any, but the bit that says CD, LAN etc, i cant set them myself, they just move up one place when i choose to change them, and i cant do a bios update, 1. because i dont know how and 2 if it needed to be installed froom a cd then ill have the same issue as XP i presume :(

[dmcaarlson]

You said the machine currently works in safe mode. What OS is it running?

[illdecide]

running XP home i think SP3

[dmcaarlson]

It almost sounds like it is tooking to the information from the original XP setup (sounds like it was done via RIS or something similar) and, finding that this is not the original setup, is having trouble. Have you back'd up your files? If so, have you considered zero writing this disk and trying again? I am assuming the CD you have is not XP SP3, or if it is, your setup is updated from that (undoubtedly), so that is also in conflict.

[illdecide]

It almost sounds like it is tooking to the information from the original XP setup (sounds like it was done via RIS or something similar) and, finding that this is not the original setup, is having trouble. Have you back'd up your files? If so, have you considered zero writing this disk and trying again? I am assuming the CD you have is not XP SP3, or if it is, your setup is updated from that (undoubtedly), so that is also in conflict.

It was an original version of XP pro, Service packs and some other security updates etc have been integrated by a friend using nLite (or similar) the same disc ran fine on my Dell Latitude X300 only a couple of weeks ago, its definitly bootable and working, i just cant seem to get the bios to Boot from it :( adn as said previously if it needs a Bios update i dont know how and if it was to be a CD boot for it im not sure it would work doe to the problem i already have with XP

[Chaky]

The "Check Cable" message would indicate that there is a connection problem of HD. Possibly HD failure.

.. OR it refers to network cable, in which case it is actually trying to boot from LAN. (in which case you should see "PXE*something* agent.." message prior to "Check cable")

If you have (and I believe you do) a floppy drive, then you can use bootable floppy to flash BIOS update.

The fact that you can't change boot sequence would suggest a dead CMOS battery, in which case you would suffer from things such as losing time/date and other BIOS settings.