Right, normally when starting up your PC it goes throught the memory check and - if any bootable CD is present in the drive - it boots up the CD. However, I have neither when my PC boots up.
I want to format my Compy and re-install my XP disk, as I have trouble with the explorer.exe again and re-installing XP is easier.

...Or so I thought.

I know I know, I can fix my explorer.exe and save trouble of backing everything up - Luckily I got bored a few days back and backed everything up anyway, just in time for my explorer.exe to jump from 15k to 60k yesterday (it's on a steady 23k now) ~_~ so yeah, formating and reinstalling XP is more simpler.

However, as i already said, the XP disk does not boot up when I turn on my compy. I can't find anywhere in BIOS to boot up the disk either.

Any help of how to boot up the disk on startup would be awesome, as I'm flat out on ideas and FAQ's aren't much help either as most have nothing to do with my problem.

All I got is this:

The BIOS can normally be accessed when you start your computer. You may see a reference to "Setup" when you turn your computer on. That’s your opportunity to get into the BIOS. It usually requires the push of a function key, such as F10, to get access to it. That "F" key varies between computers. Sometimes it’s not even one of the Function keys, but the ESC key or DEL key.
http://www.cyberwalker.com/article/28

I can get into Bios, just the XP disk doesn't auto boot.

I have a logo of AGP inwhich let's me enter BIOS (via pressing Delete) Though... When I disabled that my Bios reset itself xD So I don't think I'll try disabling it again. But still, for the disk to boot your startup has to go through the memory-testing process and then if it detects a disk it asks if you want to boot from it.

I don't have that.

And the FAQ you posted is what I keep coming across. Which isn't anything to do with my problem, maybe it's just the first case of it happening xD

...

Chokmah, is there an option in your BIOS for 'simple mode' or 'quick boot' or somesuch ? If so, deactivate it and try rebooting again.

All BIOS's should give you a screen where you can select WHICH devices are available for boot (hard disk, floppy, CD drives, USB, Network, Threats of Violence etc)... usually you have three 'slots', each with a drop-down list of bootable devices. Whatever is selected in slot 1 is checked first, slot 2 second, etc etc.

Is there NOTHING like this in your BIOS screen ? (possibly in an 'advanced' or 'annoying' section ? )

Meow Purr.

Yeah, my CDdrive is in slot 1, my dvd drive in slot 2. Which is why I can't figure out why it skips the booting process.

I'll try your first suggestion now~

Edit

I couldn't find quick start or simple mode in Bios. I tried going into advanced - f8 - but 'boot from disk- wasn't in there either. I switched the boot priority around so that the dvd is 1st, though it didn't boot up the disk =/

Hm, also when I tried to change the boot priority to CDrom, it stopped XP from loading. So I took out my graphics card to see if it was a conflict with the Mobo and Gfx card. Turned out it was, even though I only changed the boot sequence from "Removeable" to "cdrom".

All I want is to format my PC and reinstall XP - due to the mishap of my explorer.exe going upto 60k... But for some reason it won't auto-boot from the XP disk at all.

I also haven't found any FAQ that can resolve my problem =/

You haven't said what kind of BIOS you have, what processor you have. Most MBs are produced in the Far East, places like Taiwan, and there are only a few BIOSs these guys use. So, what kind of motherboard is it, what kind of processor (this gives us a reasonable clue), and what does the boot screen say? You've said you use Del key, I think, which is usually an Award.

If the computer is an old one (really old, I mean, like 15 years), you may not have the boot option. Most later ones will have the option, from around 1995-97 on. Most BIOSs I've had, from the period of Windows 95 on, have had the option.

By the way, I build my own, always. Some factory computers are difficult to change in configuration at the lower levels, and so I never ever buy a ready made desktop.
If you give us some answers, someone will find something that will help.

The Mobo is an AMD690gm-m2. AMD690 chipset. Onboard ATI radeon graphics.
The GFX card is an Nvidea Geforce 8500.
The Processor is an AMD Athlon 64x2 core-prosessor 3800+

The boot sceen is just the AGP (or AMD, it's late and my memory isn't on) logo screen, which then leads to the XP loading screen. During the AGP screen you can press delete to enter Bios.

I'm also not too sure what kind of BIOS I have >.<;

I built the PC myself also, which means I can't phone up the company either.

I'll take a quick photo of the BIOs tomorrow, as it may help a lot more.

This may be a daft question, but is it a LEGITIMATE Windows XP boot disk ? If it is a copy, it may contain the XP files but NOT the boot sector.

Do you have the option to try this XP disk on another computer ? (a friends, or one at work ? )

Meow Purr.

Lol yeah it's legit. I also tried the one a friend put together incase I lost the original - he's a software wizard - but that also didn't boot.

I just can't figure out why changing the boot sequence in BIOS 'causes the onboard video to go into a random conflict with the GFX card. It's just bizarre.

I use the GFX cards monitor port, I could try it with the GFX card out. The Mobo has an onbuilt video card. I can always put the GFX card in after it's all installed and enter BIOS to switch the GFX as the main monitor port.

Ensure that the CD drive boot priority is HIGHER than the hard disks.

unplug the DVD drive from the motherboard and try again ? (with just the CD drive and hard disk present)

In extremis, unplug the HARD DISK from the motherboard, (as well as the DVD) and just leave the CD drive in.

Check for master/slave conflicts. (if the CD drive is on the same cable as the hard disk, make sure it is set to slave).

Meow Purr.

Changing the boot priority, for some reason, 'causes a conflict between the onboard video and the graphics card. It's bizarre.

The master and slave jumpers are correct. I'm going to take the graphics card out in a couple hours and try formatting like that. I can sort out the monitor after it's reinstalled.

Hmmm - it's possible that changing the boot sequence changed the IRQ's of the devices which might end up causing an issue with Windows, which does it's own IRQ virtualisation.

Are you sure you didn't play with anything else before you saved the Bios settings?

The only thing I changed in BIOS is the changing to PCIEX from Onboard, to stop the conflict between the two graphics cards (There's an inbuilt graphics card on my MotherBoard). Also the boot sequence - from "removable" to "CDROM", which I then changed back soon after.

Other than that I haven't changed any other BIOS option.

I'm going take out my graphics card tomorrow, and change the Boot sequence to "CDROM" and try and format from there. If it's possible I mean.

I formated and re-installed XP. I Guess changing the Boot priority to Cd caused conflict between my two graphics cards - the Nvidea and intergrated one. As I removed the Nvidea for the process of installing XP and changed the boot priority to CDROM and had no problems... Though... Because I was excited I accidently created two XP systems on the same HDD

But I calmed down and set it all straight - with the second installation of XP haha.

I thank you all, for all your help .