"No boot device available, press Enter to continue"

Lee Badger · Jul 4, 2006

I'm using build 1848 on a 512MB iMac.

Parallels will not see my Windows98 CD, and just prints the message in the title.

I've also tried some tricks in older forum entries, such as using the Mac's disk utility to make an ISO file, inserting the CD before starting parallels. No dice!

Does anyone have a work-around that works on a base iMac?

Many thanks!

mavidal · Jul 4, 2006

Lee Badger said:
I'm using build 1848 on a 512MB iMac.

Parallels will not see my Windows98 CD, and just prints the message in the title.

I've also tried some tricks in older forum entries, such as using the Mac's disk utility to make an ISO file, inserting the CD before starting parallels. No dice!

Does anyone have a work-around that works on a base iMac?

Many thanks!

Have you looked at the boot order settings

Lee Badger · Jul 4, 2006

boot order settings

Yes, I tried CD first and HD first. Didn't seem to make a difference.

joem · Jul 4, 2006

Lee Badger said:
Yes, I tried CD first and HD first. Didn't seem to make a difference.

First, make sure the disk you are trying to boot from is really a bootable disk.

Then make sure the CD is the master device on the first controller, and the boot order is set to CD first.

ajay · Jul 5, 2006

Assuming the boot order starts with the CD, you must have a bootable device, be it a cd or image of your desired OS.

Lee Badger · Jul 5, 2006

the answer: Windows 98SE CD was not bootable

Thought it was.

The floppy in the distribution is.

Windows 98 setup now running.

Many thanks for the help!

Lee

alpenhuette · Dec 15, 2006

I have the same problem than Lee. Windows 98SE CD is not bootalbe.
How did you get it to boot? I have floppy disc, but not a drive to put it in.

Help is appreciated,.

DaleMcGrew · Jan 9, 2007

No floppy drive available, booting from Windows 2000 floppy?

Thank you for the help so far. I also would love it if anyone could describe how to start the installation of Windows 2000 without having a physical floppy drive. Thank you.
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Ah, I found a discussion of this problem:
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=1461

mmika · Jan 9, 2007

W2K installation from floppies

DaleMcGrew said:
Thank you for the help so far. I also would love it if anyone could describe how to start the installation of Windows 2000 without having a physical floppy drive. Thank you.

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It's a simply.
1. Add floppy drive to your VM configuration. Say floppy to use image from "/{$YOUR CDROM MOUNTPOINT}/BOOTDISK/CDBOOT1.IMG"
2. Set first boot device as a Floppy
3. Do not forget to connect CDROM iso image or a drive with a w2K distr
4. Start VM, it will boot from floppy
Folow the installation instruction
5. When installer will ask you to insert second floppy disc, connect "/{$YOUR CDROM MOUNTPOINT}/BOOTDISK/CDBOOT2.IMG" to floppy drive and so on...
6. After connecting 4th floppy image installation will continiue from CD-media
That's all.