Boot from cd doesn't work for Windows, but does for Ubuntu?

[FreebirdMike]

Hey all, new guy here.

I have a four year old machine that I built.  Originally had XP sp3 but I obtained a Vista Business x86 SP1 disc from work (Dell OEM disc that came with a new computer, we still use XP at work).  Replaced XP with Vista ~ eight months to 1 year ago, no problems.  However, earlier this week Vista suddenly wouldn't boot up (guessing because my son has recently discovered that you can download crap from the internet), so I wanted to do a clean install. 

I downloaded Ubuntu 11.04 to use as a live cd to transfer some files out of my Windows partition, which went well.  I booted Vista from the CD, re-formatted the partition, and installed.  Something appeared to go wrong with the install as afterwards Vista would boot from my HDD showing the splashscreen and then hang on a dark screen.  I tried to reinstall, but now I get a "press any key to boot from cd" and I mash my keyboard without any response, and it continues to boot the inoperative Vista on HDD.  I should note that when I have booted from discs in the past, it hasn't prompted me to "push any key...", it will just auto-boot from that device.  I have a USB keyboard but I have it attached to a PS2 adaptor and I've tried it both as a USB and PS2 device.  I set my boot sequence to either of my DVD drives, disabling all other devices, and that doesn't help.  I unplugged my HDD and it just errors looking for Windows startup after going through the same procedure.  I have thrown in the old XP disc and a ACER OEM Windows 7 disc that came with my older kid's laptop, still the same.  I inserted the motherboard utility disc and it recognizes that it is a different disc ("press any key to boot Xpressrecovery tools" or something similar) but the result is the same.  Finally, I threw in the Ubuntu disc and...it boots Ubuntu without a prompt to press any key?!?

I used Ubuntu again as a live cd to reformat the partion that I want to install Vista, hoping that would delete whatever's causing my problem (bad MBR?), but it's still the same when I try to boot from the Vista or other Windows discs.  I've reached my knowledge limit, can anyone offer me some advise?

Thx in advance. 

[patio]

If the machine is not the Dell from the CD it ain't gonna work...it'll be blocked.

You can borrow any MS CD to re-install as long as you have a valid activation # to facilitate an install...as long as the versions match.

[FreebirdMike]

It already worked when I originally installed it ~ 1 yr ago.  I do have the activation # from the computer it came from as my work reinstalls their own build of XP on our work machines, therefore the activation code is not used.

Whether it would work or not, it should still boot from CD, which is my problem.

[Salmon Trout]

Using a Vista OEM disk from your employer (and as far as I can see, an OEM activation code) to install Vista on a home computer owned by you would be a clear breach of the OEM licence under which your employer obtained the Vista disk which is tied (legally if not digitally) to one workstation at your employer's premises. OEM disks are only sold and licensed to accompany a piece of hardware (in this case, a Dell PC.) Using Acer OEM install disks likewise. You can call this nit-picking if you like, but in regard to breaching license terms and EULAs, we pick nits. Therefore, I feel our advice must be "pay for a valid license". 

You may be wrongly blaming your son. I suspect a hardware failure - CD/DVD-ROM drive, hard drive, or something on the motherboard. I would be interested to know if the boot order in the BIOS is set to boot first from the CD-ROM device.

[FreebirdMike]

OK, I obviously haven't expalined this clearly (and in reviewing my original post, I can see that I didn't).  I bought the computer which the disc is tied from my work (when we do upgrades, we give employees the chance to buy our older machines).  The OEM disk was still in plastic.  I used the computer for parts to upgrade some aspects on my existing build and the remainder lies in my basement.  As such, I owned the computer and the OEM disc.  Sorry for the confusion.

How would a hardware failure allow booting of a linux disc and nothing else?  As explained in my first post, boot order was set to the DVD drive (the actual manufacturer's name appears in the boot sequence) and second and third devices were disabled.

[patio]

How would a hardware failure allow booting of a linux disc and nothing else?

It won't...as i stated the CD is probably not tied to the machine...even though you may think so.

[Salmon Trout]

How would a hardware failure allow booting of a linux disc and nothing else?

I can imagine a gradually deteriorating read laser in the CD/DVD drive could be causing problems with some disks and not others, but you wrote "either of my DVD drives" - you get the same set of symptoms with each one? Do the problem disks work OK in another computer?

[FreebirdMike]

It won't...as i stated the CD is probably not tied to the machine...even though you may think so.

As I said, it installed perfectly fine ~ 1 year ago and was used extensively since that time until this week.  How would the CD not being tied to the machine prevent booting other Windows discs (for the record, I was not going to install Windows 7 from the son's ACER laptop, I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't a faulty Vista disc)?

[FreebirdMike]

I can imagine a gradually deteriorating read laser in the CD/DVD drive could be causing problems with some disks and not others, but you wrote "either of my DVD drives" - you get the same set of symptoms with each one? Do the problem disks work OK in another computer?

Yes, 2 DVD drives (ROM and RW).  Both the same.  Haven't tried the discs in another computer but will do so tonight.  How would the disc reading capabilities affect the BIOS asking me to "press any key.." when normally it directly auto-boots without required input and my keyboard not being responsive during that time?

[quaxo]

Not quite sure why we're even entertaining the idea here.

The disc you have is for a Dell computer. It's only licensed for that machine and no other.