I want to wipe my hard drive that has Ubuntu 10.04 installed then install Windows 7 then reinstall Ubuntu 10.04. However Windows will not boot. (Tried 2 different copies/versions. Works perfectly on another machine.) The CD/DVD player is working ok and I have ensured the BIOS has the player as the first boot device. The hard drive and the CD/DVD player have thin cables to the motherboard, not the wider ribbon cables of the older machines. Is there a software "switch" in the BIOS that I am unaware of or is it some other problem causing me grief. I also tried a second hard drive - Ubuntu would install but not Windows.
I have a need for several specialized Windows apps. otherwise I would not bother.

Just to clarify: *the* problem is that your Windows 7 install DVD won't boot, but your Ubuntu DVD *will* boot. Correct?

That would imply a defective Windows 7 DVD, wouldn't it?

Suggestion:
Perhaps, since you've tried just about everything else, get a CD/DVD cleaner?

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To answer your first question, yes, the BIOS normally contains a "boot order" setting. If the HDD is set to boot before the optical drive, the computer will never get to the optical drive to boot from it.

My Dells boot-up, during the memory check, give a "Select Boot Device Press F#" prompt that bypasses this setting in the BIOS. If your computer does not give a similar prompt, take a look at the BIOS settings.

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Good.

Q: Does *any* CD/DVD boot (e.g. Ubuntu)? Is it just the Windows 7 CD/DVD that *won't* boot?

It *does* sound like you've covered just about all the bases. I *would* consider getting a cleaner for the CD/DVD reader and/or the Windows DVD - it might just help.

IMHO .. PSM

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Both Windows 7 and Windows XP disks boot normally on the second machine. Just will not even be recognized on this machine.

I have made sure the CD/DVD is the first boot device. Its as if some setting is preventing the Windows disk from being recognized.

I've had marginal disks fail to boot in one place, but boot in another.

Q: Can you boot ANY operating system (like Ubuntu)?

Q: Are you absolutely sure the device can read both DVDs and CDs (although your XP disk is probably a CD, not a DVD, and you say it can't boot that, either)?

Suggestion: the CD cleaner. Honest

PS:
Please DON'T mark a post "not valuable" unless you have a criticism.

And *do* mark a post "valuable" if you it helped get you closer to a resolution (even if it didn't completely solve it for you yet).

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Give us the specs on your machine. Are these recovery cds?

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Bought a laser lens cleaner - now can boot the Windows XP CD disk but not the Windows 7 DVD. (The Ubuntu disk would always boot. Thanks for all the help. I know where I am heading now.

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Cool. Thank you for posting back with the status, and thank you for marking the post "solved".

Good luck - and (as Linus says) "Have fun!"