Hi there.

I am trying to re-format and re-install xp onto a PC however I cannot get it to boot from the CD. I have checked the CD drive works, The windows CD can be opened once XP has loaded but if I select install windows it errors with "Setup cannot continue because the version of Windows on your computer is newer than the version on the CD." I assume from this the CD is readable and physically checking there appear to be no major scratches. I have also checked the BIOS that CD is before HDD which it is.

Does anyone know of another way to get windows to boot from the CD?

Thanks, Greboth.

You're saying "reinstall" so I guess it currently has XP also. An XP CD should boot if you just stick it in the drive and restart your PC. The installer on the CD is able to erase your current installation. I've reinstalled XP many times, but I've never used the Windows option

I know how it should work, I have done it few times to mine over the years. It is the fact it doesn't that is confusing me. Yes it is XP already installed. I have just tried using my xp cd and it still doesn't work. When I boot up it comes up with 'Boot from CD' but it doesn't and then loads xp from the hard drive.

If you get the "press any key to boot from CD/ROM" the CD is bootable, so if it doesn't boot when you press a button at that prompt, the CD has issues I guess. The XP install only requires a valid CD-key anyways. You could obtain a backup copy, burn it and try that.

Quote from Greboth :

Hi there.

I am trying to re-format and re-install xp onto a PC however I cannot get it to boot from the CD. I have checked the CD drive works, The windows CD can be opened once XP has loaded but if I select install windows it errors with "Setup cannot continue because the version of Windows on your computer is newer than the version on the CD." I assume from this the CD is readable and physically checking there appear to be no major scratches. I have also checked the BIOS that CD is before HDD which it is.

Does anyone know of another way to get windows to boot from the CD?

Thanks, Greboth.

ok bud, on boot up (on the post screen) you need to press . a few times to get into your bios settings. once there, find the "boot order" sometimes it has your hard drive as the first place to look for a boot sector.
the old order was 1st boot = floppy (windows 98 used a floppy disk)
2nd = CD Rom
3rd = HDD.

you need to make sure that cd rom is before hdd in your boot order (sequence).
save settings and exit bios
the pc should then boot and ask you to press any key to boot from cd rom.

pm me if you have any further issues buddy.

EDIT: note to self. read all of the post.
sorry about that. you might want to check to make sure your keyboard is enabled during the post process. same again, in the bios. i think it's "halt on all (but keyboard) the keyboard might be USB and if so, would also need to be enabled. what you could do, is compltely remove the hdd from the boot order. see what happens then.

Quote from NotAnIllusion :

If you get the "press any key to boot from CD/ROM" the CD is bootable, so if it doesn't boot when you press a button at that prompt, the CD has issues I guess. The XP install only requires a valid CD-key anyways. You could obtain a backup copy, burn it and try that.

I have tried their xp cd and mine and neither gives the option of press any key. I can think of a few other people who I could get another cd off to try but I can't see it being any different.

Quote from dadge :

EDIT: note to self. read all of the post.
sorry about that. you might want to check to make sure your keyboard is enabled during the post process. same again, in the bios. i think it's "halt on all (but keyboard) the keyboard might be USB and if so, would also need to be enabled. what you could do, is compltely remove the hdd from the boot order. see what happens then.

Reading does help lol. I was using my keyboard which is USB but I found an old one which isn't so I plugged that in the remove any possible issues there. I will try and see what happens if I remove the hdd from the bios and see what happens.

Try using another CD or DVD drive, or connect your existing one to another connector on the motherboard. Or unplug your hard drive completely, and see if the system will boot from CD.

I may be well off the mark here but if you actually read the error message literally as it is worded then surely its kinda tells you what the problem is, that the version of xp on the CD you are trying to use is an older version than whats installed on the PC already, hence why is doesnt want to work. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/898594/

But as i say, i could well be wrong.

Formatting and reinstalling is a completely different issue than installing the RC. It's logical that you can't install an outdated version of such a system utility, but it's not logical that it's impossible to format or install XP.. on an XP machine.

Thanks for the help guys. I have it all working now I don't know what the problem is with the 2 I tired earlier but I 'borrowed' my sisters xp cd and it has worked, so it must be something with the cd's