"Press any key to boot from CD"

[#1]

Just built my new machine and going to install windows. It is just going ahead and booting from the CD and not giving me the option to "Press any key to boot from CD" How do I fix this?
The computer has 2 DVD drives IDE and 2 SATA Hard disks.

[#2]

Have you checked the BIOS settings?

[#3]

Sean,
A word of warning.
If you are going to install widows on the SATA drive disconnect all the IDE hard drives first otherwise it will stick some of the files on the IDE drive regardless

[#4]

The HDD's are both SATA. The only PATA drives are the 2 DVD Drives. The computer is booting from the DVDROM without giving me the option to "press any key to boot from CD" as if it is a HDD.
In the BIOS I have set the drives to CDROM but it made no difference.

[#5]

in the end do what it says

Dont hit me please

[#6]

I may be wrong on this but I think it only gives the option if there is already an operating system installed on one of the hard drives

[#7]

No. Windows XP always gives the option. Linux usually does not.

[#8]

I obviously misunderstood your first post

Quote

Just built my new machine and going to install windows. It is just going ahead and booting from the CD

as I thought you hadn't yet installed windows

[#9]

Quote from: Sean

going to install windows.

That's your mistake.
If you must install Windows, Install Linux + VMWare then install Windows in a Virtual Machine.
That way you could get rid of one of your servers.
http://www.chillypenguin.org/vmware/vmware.htm

[#10]

The press any key is an option that you set when building a bootable cd and you can set it not to ask and boot straight into the cd. If the cd is rebuilt ie someone has added the sp3/sp2 they may have unticked this option which is a pain because you start the install go and have a cup of tea and come back and its rebooted and started again.
see
http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html
This tool lets you change loads of things on the  xp boot disk and you could re write the cd to use the press any key. If you are building a cd its very easy to miss the press any key. Its worth looking at as you can add drivers, set defaults you want and make the cd install without having to touch it or answer any questions

[#11]

I fixed the problem. It was because I had connected the DVD drives using an IDE cable supplied with the motherboard clearly marked HDD Cable. I didn't realize there was a difference.
I knew the CD did display the option because I have installed it before. Everything is now installed (I am now using the new computer). It is lightning fast compared with my old Athlon XP 2400+ (Which is now in one of my servers).
The gigabit ethernet is also a big improvement between the new computer and the server that I upgraded from the old motherboard (Bought a card for the server and a new switch).
Specs are:
Phenom 2.6Ghz x4
4 Gb DDR2 800 (Although XP can only see 3Gb)
2 x 250Gb SATA HDDS

[#12]

Quote from: Sean

I fixed the problem. It was because I had connected the DVD drives using an IDE cable supplied with the motherboard clearly marked HDD Cable. I didn't realize there was a difference.

I have quoted this because I have never heard of it before. Can anyone shed some light on it

[#13]

I can sort of understand if one of the DVD's drives was IDE0 Master, but not just swapping the cable.

[#14]

is it anything to do with 40 column and 80 column ribbon cables?
that looks a nice box, sean.  one of those 'easy-fix' setups that allow the swift interchange of parts.  can sata mobos support more than four drives?

[#15]

Quote from: artificer

is it anything to do with 40 column and 80 column ribbon cables?

Possibly, but the only cable on view looks like an 80-core CS type.
(Though the 80-cores are actually to support higher DMA modes not CS, but they usually go together)
Sean, do you need any explanation re cable types/connectors and jumper settings (MA, SL, CS) on IDE disks and Optical drives?