"H" drive?

fmonte · 12-01-2007, 05:12 AM

I did a fresh install for the first time today. I booted up the computer and a dos screen came up that said put os disk in and hit enter. I went through the install without a hitch, but now I notice my main drive is the h drive and the c,d,e,f,g drives are the card reader slots on the front of my machine. I don't mind if I have to do the install all over again, but my question is: this time when I turn on the machine and I already have the disk in there(I left it in when I shut down) will I get that dos screen or will it continue to boot into windows now that it is installed? Also, what do I have to do this time to make the c drive my main drive? Thank you.

Frank

**mep916** · 12-01-2007, 07:16 AM

Unplug the card reader and install Windows. After the install, plug in the card reader and install the necessary drivers for the card reader.

fmonte · 12-01-2007, 07:48 AM

Thanks, but how do you unplug the card reader. Also when I start the computer now it boots right to the windows desktop. How do I get the prompt that I got before that asked me to put in a disk and hit enter?

**mep916** · 12-01-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmonte

Thanks, but how do you unplug the card reader.

Open the case and unplug the card reader cable from the motherboard. You can also try to disable the drives in teh BIOS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmonte

Also when I start the computer now it boots right to the windows desktop. How do I get the prompt that I got before that asked me to put in a disk and hit enter?

You need to set the CD/DVD drive to boot first in the boot priority. You must enter the BIOS to modify the boot prioity. Are you familiar with how to enter/use the BIOS? Can you give me the model number of the PC you are using? Is it a custom build?

fmonte · 12-01-2007, 09:31 AM

Thank you. The model is an Acer Aspire T180 AST180-U440A. I am not sure how to get to the bios. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

**mep916** · 12-01-2007, 10:04 AM

Are you using the factory recovery disk, or a Windows installation CD?

To enter the BIOS, startup your computer, at the splash screen (Acer or other logo should appear) press the "delete" key. That's the BIOS. You want your boot priority menu to look something like this:

fmonte · 12-01-2007, 07:19 PM

I,m using a windows installation disk. I tried what you told me and I did get that black screen that said I was booting from the cd drive but it still went right through to the desktop.

**mep916** · 12-01-2007, 08:05 PM

Have you considered a factory recovery as opposed to a clean Windows installation? Is there a particular reason you are using the Windows disk?

fmonte · 12-01-2007, 08:38 PM

Yes, the original os is vista on the machine and although I can get recovery disks I want to use xp to retain the use of my printer, scanner and scanner software. The machine came from an ebay company with no operating system installed, that is why I did not have a problem the first time. I guess my main question is: how do I get back to that position where the machine has no operating system installed? I think if I could do that, I could unhook those readers and do it right this time.

**mep916** · 12-01-2007, 08:43 PM

If you plan to use XP, you need to make sure you can get hardware drivers from Acer for that operating system. Your computer is designed for Windows Vista.

Anyway, if you're sure you have the boot priority set correctly, I'm not sure why you cannot boot the Windows installation disk.

12-01-2007, 05:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
fmonte Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 126	"H" drive? I did a fresh install for the first time today. I booted up the computer and a dos screen came up that said put os disk in and hit enter. I went through the install without a hitch, but now I notice my main drive is the h drive and the c,d,e,f,g drives are the card reader slots on the front of my machine. I don't mind if I have to do the install all over again, but my question is: this time when I turn on the machine and I already have the disk in there(I left it in when I shut down) will I get that dos screen or will it continue to boot into windows now that it is installed? Also, what do I have to do this time to make the c drive my main drive? Thank you. Frank

12-01-2007, 07:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
mep916 Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Cali Age: 28 Posts: 3,610	Unplug the card reader and install Windows. After the install, plug in the card reader and install the necessary drivers for the card reader. __________________ Q9450 @ 3.6 GHz \|\| Zalman CNPS9700 ASUS Rampage Formula 320MB 8800 GTS (G80) 4GB Ballistix Tracer @ 900 MHz 150GB WD Raptor 1TB Hitachi Deskstar Antec Nine Hundred Case 750W Quad Silencer FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND:F@H Team 44358 \|\| Team Stats \|\| My Stats \|\| Hardware Contributions: Q9450/PS3/P4

12-01-2007, 10:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
mep916 Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Cali Age: 28 Posts: 3,610	Are you using the factory recovery disk, or a Windows installation CD? To enter the BIOS, startup your computer, at the splash screen (Acer or other logo should appear) press the "delete" key. That's the BIOS. You want your boot priority menu to look something like this: __________________ Q9450 @ 3.6 GHz \|\| Zalman CNPS9700 ASUS Rampage Formula 320MB 8800 GTS (G80) 4GB Ballistix Tracer @ 900 MHz 150GB WD Raptor 1TB Hitachi Deskstar Antec Nine Hundred Case 750W Quad Silencer FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND:F@H Team 44358 \|\| Team Stats \|\| My Stats \|\| Hardware Contributions: Q9450/PS3/P4 Last edited by mep916; 12-02-2007 at 01:55 AM.

12-01-2007, 08:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
mep916 Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Cali Age: 28 Posts: 3,610	Have you considered a factory recovery as opposed to a clean Windows installation? Is there a particular reason you are using the Windows disk? __________________ Q9450 @ 3.6 GHz \|\| Zalman CNPS9700 ASUS Rampage Formula 320MB 8800 GTS (G80) 4GB Ballistix Tracer @ 900 MHz 150GB WD Raptor 1TB Hitachi Deskstar Antec Nine Hundred Case 750W Quad Silencer FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND:F@H Team 44358 \|\| Team Stats \|\| My Stats \|\| Hardware Contributions: Q9450/PS3/P4

12-01-2007, 08:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
mep916 Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Cali Age: 28 Posts: 3,610	If you plan to use XP, you need to make sure you can get hardware drivers from Acer for that operating system. Your computer is designed for Windows Vista. Anyway, if you're sure you have the boot priority set correctly, I'm not sure why you cannot boot the Windows installation disk. __________________ Q9450 @ 3.6 GHz \|\| Zalman CNPS9700 ASUS Rampage Formula 320MB 8800 GTS (G80) 4GB Ballistix Tracer @ 900 MHz 150GB WD Raptor 1TB Hitachi Deskstar Antec Nine Hundred Case 750W Quad Silencer FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND:F@H Team 44358 \|\| Team Stats \|\| My Stats \|\| Hardware Contributions: Q9450/PS3/P4 Last edited by mep916; 12-02-2007 at 01:55 AM.

12-01-2007, 07:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
fmonte Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 126	Thanks, but how do you unplug the card reader. Also when I start the computer now it boots right to the windows desktop. How do I get the prompt that I got before that asked me to put in a disk and hit enter?

12-01-2007, 09:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
fmonte Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 126	Thank you. The model is an Acer Aspire T180 AST180-U440A. I am not sure how to get to the bios. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

12-01-2007, 07:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
fmonte Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 126	I,m using a windows installation disk. I tried what you told me and I did get that black screen that said I was booting from the cd drive but it still went right through to the desktop.

12-01-2007, 08:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
fmonte Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 126	Yes, the original os is vista on the machine and although I can get recovery disks I want to use xp to retain the use of my printer, scanner and scanner software. The machine came from an ebay company with no operating system installed, that is why I did not have a problem the first time. I guess my main question is: how do I get back to that position where the machine has no operating system installed? I think if I could do that, I could unhook those readers and do it right this time.

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