Blinking XP SP2 Screen. Cannot boot from CD

Nocturnal · #1 15th Apr 2008, 06:37

I run the computer dept. at a small school of about 70 computers. About 10 - 15 of them (HP dx2000mt) running XP Professional SP2, get a blinking cursor usually after turning off for the night and restarting in the morning. (not always) I put an XP disc in to fix boot but it will not boot to CD. I get setup is configuring hardware.. please wait, then blank. I can ghost the machine, replace files, and that works, but takes much longer. once the machine is ghosted I can boot to CD. I have tried Knoppix and other live cd's and nothing will boot to CD.
The other thing is that this is happening to the same 10 -15 boxes. I have replaced the hard drives in about 6 of them thinking that is what it was but it is still happening. I made a new ghost drive, and I don't know what else to do.

my questions are:
1. Why?
2. I have been looking for a Floppy version of fixmbr and fixboot that come on the CD.

**computeruler** · #2 15th Apr 2008, 13:10

are you shure you entered the BIOS and selected boot from cd? i cant think of anything else that would cause this mabye somehow the motherboared is broken mabye a lightning storm or something

Nocturnal · #3 15th Apr 2008, 15:57

I am sure, because it boots to CD initially, says setup is inspecting your hardware.... then it goes black. once ghosted it will boot to cd no problem.