error "cannot find bootmgr"

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Guest

I just built a new computer. I have a sony Dru830A 18x DVD drive, Asus p5k
deluxe motherboard, intel quad core q6600 2.4gh processor, HIS Radeon 1650
pro graphics card and 2-500 GB Seagate sata HDD.

I purchased the full version of Windows Vista Ultimate (not the upgrade). I
have never installed any operating systems on either of my drives, however,
when I try to load Vista, I get a blank screen for approx. 15 seconds while
my DVD is reading and then a message saying that windows could not find
bootmgr. (the DVD is setup as 1st boot device)

What's a boy to do?
 
Try checking the cable to your DVD. Any loose wires? Could the cable be
bad? It appears the computer is trying to boot the hard drive, which it
can't, of course.
 
Thanks Dean, I checked cable connections and retried with the same results,
so I plugged the DVD into the second connector on the IDE cable. Now I get
the message "NTLDR cannot be found". I know from winnt and 2000 that this is
a boot file, and if it cannot be found on the Vista disc, where is it? I
tried both the 32 bit and 64 bit discs.
 
The prompt to "Press any key to boot from the DVD", should appear if the
DVD has been booted (it doesn't sound logical, but that aside, that's what
you should see if the BIOS has booted the DVD; in other words, once you see
that prompt, the DVD has been booted). Can you set the BIOS to,
temporarily, ONLY boot the DVD drive? It seems to be not wanting to read
the DVD drive first.
 
Not booted the DVD, but found a bootable DVD. If the 'any key' is not
pressed, control is passed to the HD.
 
Well, that message "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", comes from the
Windows DVD, not the BIOS (normally, the standard BIOS doesn't give such
messages, or offer options in this way; I have seen certain BIOS types which
have a function key that offers a choice between available drives, other
than using the BIOS Setup hotkey, but this isn't the case here). Windows
Install may not be completely ready to roll, but the DVD has been booted.
Too, messages may differ on different bootable DVD's, or floppies, for that
matter, depending on the proclivities of bootable media used. The OP is
apparently never getting that message from the Vista Install DVD, but
messages from his new hard drive(s), that have no operating systems.

Once "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD" prompt appears, the BIOS, at
this point, is out of the equation, because it has booted the DVD. At this
prompt, you're actually now under Windows' purview, so to speak, and
whatever driver functionality it offers at this point. The "Press any
key..." is actually Windows offering you the option to begin installing
Windows from the DVD (or access Repair My Computer), or opt out.
If you don't "Press any key", then the F8 stuff is engaged, and yes, control
is passed to the hard drive; by Windows though, and not the BIOS...

If you are in the midst of an install, during a re-boot (and don't
"Press any key"), then normally the F8 stuff flashes by pretty quickly, or
is not seen at all, much like normal booting. Unless, of course, you hit
F8. If Windows is installed, you'll be sent on to normal Windows. (Or the
Pick Your OS screen, if you have a multi-boot situation).

In short, my point to the OP was that, while the message may be misleading,
the DVD has been booted. It's that message the OP wants to see, otherwise
it appears the BIOS is skipping past the DVD drive. There should be a bit
of loading-DVD-activity before the "Press any key..." prompt appears. That
activity is Windows getting itself set up, in part, to accommodate further
choices, including the one offered when you don't press a key...
 
Depends on how you define boot. The DVD has taken over control from the
BIOS but hasn't 'booted' to the DVD (else why the question). If you choose
not to boot to the DVD, it passes control to the MBR of the HD, and doesn't
use the priority in the BIOS. When you don't select 'any key' during the
install, it doesn't flash the F8 screen, it flashes a boot selection screen
(if you are lucky, as in mixed IDE/SATA situations, it may not find the
Vista boot program.
 
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