Can't find device when doing custom install

After doing some more research, could it be that I ONLY have a dvd and not a cdrom? Could the DVD drive be on the wrong part of the cable (master vs. Slave?) and if so...which is which? (which part of the cable is master)
I am ready to go buy a secondary dvd player and try that!

I still think the DVD is bad. The only other thing I might suggest is to stop using the F12 key and go into the bios setup and set the DVD/CDRom first in the boot priority.

As far as your connections, did you set it up, are you using a PATA DVD?

Maybe the best thing for you do to is to try to set up a bootable flash drive to install from. There are many tutorials about how to do this.

Goodmorning Saltgrass,
I tried making the dvd the boot drive by putting it first in line, the computer just booted to the hard drive instead.
Incidentally, in the 'list' in the bios- it does not 'say' its a DVD it says USB or CDROM- it only says DVD in the description of the drive. Maybe I need a new driver or firmware?

Its a SATA DVD (it has the connectors that look like "L's" (to me!))

As far as the USB goes- I have looked at several directions and I was confused.
So I burn something to a USB flash stick drive that enables it to boot from the USB drive THEN the computer looks to the DVD for the actual
Windows files?

What if I had a copy of Vista? ( I think I have Vista Business on disk) would I be able to install that THEN go directly to 7? I'm sure the Vista is not 64 bit either.
thx, Laura

I haven't done the process of using another bootable install DVD, but I have seen someone mentioning booting to a Vista DVD then use the other one, but I can't say.

Does your system boot to the Vista DVD?

Do you have the capability of making a bootable ISO and burning it from the files on your current DVD? I suppose there is a chance the DVDs are not meant to be booted.

I went to work today and tried the 2 Vista disks I had. One booted and one didn't. They were BOTH brand new IN the envelope!
So what I ended up doing is installing Vista (an upgrade not custom) then installing windows 7 -32 bit (again, upgrade). (even tho I really WANTED 64 bit)
All went well, but it took all day.
I went to login to my account, about 10 seconds after my desktop showed up it went to a blue screen saying something about Drivers Mismanaging the PTES.
there was lots more but I could not read it fast enuf.
it then rebooted, now its stuck in this circle. I CAN boot it to safe mode but I have no idea what to do.
Thanks if you have any ideas.
The computer is a T3400 (Dell) , with a RAID setup (mirror)
new dvd drive. The computer is like 4 months old.
Thanks for all of your patience!

I do have a photo I took on my iphone of the error
it is here
MobileMe Gallery

I don't know much about RAID stuff, except you probably need to install a driver. I thought your problem was the DVD would not read the DVDs, and it looks like it still is to some extent, but if you run a RAID, you probably need to add a driver using the F6 button during the install, but it should have asked for one.

I have never seen it before, but PTEs seems to mean Paged Table Entries (memory)----that is about all I know about it. Maybe Dell would know better.

This may all be tied together, perhaps a memory problem.

A clean install is always best, so whatever you can do.

Does the computer have any company security on it?

I would probably get a new hard drive and just try to install to that without the RAID. If things work normally that way you could address the RAID setup next. Or tell Dell you think you have a lemon and try to get a replacement. Watch out for them though, they will probably give you a refurbished one.

I think maybe its the RAID too....but it was funny as it did initially boot.
ugh...
I will call them on Monday. If not I may have to reinstall XP with the Disks that came with the computer. I guess Dell could walk me thru that.
What a waste.