I have a very old Compaq R3000 and it only has a CD ODD (Compact Disc, Optical Disc Drive) so there is no chance a Windows 7 DVD will boot in that.
So no, you can not boot W7 from DVD no matter how much you want because it's only a CD drive.
As to Rufus, Since W7 never came on USB all bets are off and you need to test if this works on a more current PC before you lose any more time.
-> The Windows 10 was actually your better result but I wonder about what you did for drivers? We know that Microsoft doesn't get them on older gear so we're stuck with a driver hunt.
But why stick with Windows? I'm installing a Linux or ChromeOS on older PCs because it's a better fit. The owners tend to just use a browser so there's no learning Linux.
Greetings.
Laptop>Toshiba>Satellite>a105 - s4094
Windows XP, 32 bit.
I am hoping everyone will see all this as both a question(s) AND discussion. I may need specific what-to-do info as well as gaining some understanding of why this system has behaved so differently than other systems I have done OS upgrades on. I am trying to learn.
Original OS was Windows XP. This computer was purchased in 2004, new. So yes that's old, but since it has a Pentium core-2 processor it's worth a Windows upgrade. Only trouble is, I am having some odd issues that I've never encountered.
First, I did a clean install of Windows 10 Home, 32 bit. In Device Manager there are exclamation points (!) on various things, but the only part that would not function was (and is) network connectivity. Both WiFi and Ethernet completely bit the dust.
I tried using a USB Network Dongle. I installed the software/drivers and the dongle did not show up in Device Manager. I repeated the process; even tried different dongles. I removed the internal network card and tried installing the USB dongle again. Still no happy.
So I decided to update the BIOS. It had v1.70. I successfully upgraded it to v2.00. I had to extract the BIOS file and use an updated version of the installer utility, since I'd already foolishly updated to Windows 10. But this did end with success, seemingly.
Tried again to install a network dongle. Nope. It still seems to be blocked from installation.
There is never any message. No indication of any kind that an error has occurred or that a setting must be changed. The system behaves as if the device installed properly. It even asks to restart now or later. But it is not in Device Manager. Just to be sure I was not shifting into some crazy alternate dimension where things are not as they seem, I opened a browser and confirmed NO INTERNET. Checked Settings - Not Connected To Internet. The system does not recognize any functional way of connecting. No WiFi dongle, No Ethernet.
I reasoned that I should have stepped the OSs up, rather than leaping all the way to Windows 10.
I decided to install Windows 7.
I changed boot order in BIOS, to boot
1) cd/dvd
2) USB
3) HDD
I created a RUFUS booting USB for installing Windows 7. The system would not boot from USB.
I created a booting CD/DVD. But Windows would not boot from that drive.
I can not make it boot by setting boot priority and it will not boot from a chosen device even if I select it and hit Enter.
I am stuck. Is there some way to force the laptop to boot CD or USB?
I am about to change the CMOS battery. But I am pretty lost.
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I have only been learning about computers for a few years. There is plenty I don't know. All discussion, how-to, etc is welcome.
Thank you.
liquid_lion

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