This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I am trying for the first time to boot my Windows 8.1 laptop from the internal CD-DVD drive. I have a bootable CD in there, and yes, I do have the bios set with CDROM drive as first in the list to boot from. But when I try to boot from the CD, it won't boot, instead the computer gives me this message:
"ATAPI CDROM has been blocked by the current security policy."
(Its actually a DVD drive.) All it lets me do at that message is hit the Enter key to OK the message, and then it boots from the hard drive.
I have no idea where "security policy" settings are or what they are set for. What do I have to do to get this to boot?
This is a Gateway laptop, 2.2 MHz Intel Pentium processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 bit OS, with Windows 8.1 fully updated, and Windows Defender running and fully updated.
I have already looked everywhere I can find, but nothing seems to address this message or issue, as follows:
*I went to Help menu to look up "Security Policy." While the computer is giving me the message about "security policy," the Help menu has no idea what "security policy" is, it just comes up blank!
*I went to Control Panels/System and Security/Action Center/Change Windows Settings/Smart Screen/... All I found in there that might be involved is a setting to block anything downloaded from the Internet until I give administrator access. Well, the booting issue didn't allow me to give administrator access (yes, I am the administrator) when I tried to boot, I only could hit the enter key to OK. Nonetheless, I changed to: notify me but proceed (not a quote).
With that, I tried again, but it still would not boot from the CD, got the same message, so that setting is not it. I changed the setting back.
I see no other setting there that could be related by even a stretch. And the control panels should be dealing with the OS anyway, and this is happening while trying to boot from the OS on the CD, not the hard drive. That is, this is something in the root.
*I then went into bios area (UEFI Firmware) by sweeping in from the right and into Settings/Change PC settings ..., and found a tab in bios for Security. Looking there, there is a list of things, but it lets me access only "Supervisor Password." It was currently set as "clear," meaning no password. I left it as that -- surely I can't need a password just to boot from a CD, and the message I got in trying to boot from the CD did not allow me to enter a password.
Other settings in the Security tab were not accessible. The only ones they included that might be remotely related were:
*Password on Boot, which was set as no password. But again, the message I get with this issue does not ask for nor allow me to enter a password.
*Secure Boot Mode: Standard (It does not let me access to change that.)
Some others also were in the list that are not worth listing, not even vaguely related.
I then went into some other things elsewhere in the main settings called Startup Settings. The only thing in there that sounded the least bit vaguely related was "Enable boot logging." I punched F2 to go into that, but the machine instead restarted, and did not start from the CDROM, same message again. I went back to it, and it is still listed as Enable boot logging, does not instead say Disable - so I don't know if anything even got changed. I did not touch it again, left it as-is.
So, that's it. I've checked all the settings I know about. Nothing about this bit about "ATAPI CDROM has been blocked by current security policy."
I tested with two DVDs that I have booted from in the past on other Windows machines -- they also would not boot, but they did not give me that message.
I note, all three CDs/DVDs are being read fine by the DVD drive once the machine is booted in Windows 8.1 from the hard drive - so the issue is not that the DVD drive can't read the disks.
Where is this "security policy" set?! What do I need to do to get this to boot from the CD?
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Hi,
So everything is back to normal... or at least working to your satisfaction ?
You seem to know more about manipulating your email than I do, but though I may be able to help by describing what my screen looks like !
I know how that kind of conversation goes... Not so much with Microsoft, but with my internet provider sometimes..
Hi,
Here's the scoop on the Windows Update...
If you leave it set to Manual, it may run due to the Task Scheduler, or it may just do Windows Defender...
If you set it to Manual and DISABLE the Tasks in Task Scheduler, it will do the Windows Defender, but not check for other updates... You can manually check for updates, but it doesn't check automatically...
Once you manually check though, a flood gate is opened, and any available updates download and install...
If you set Windows Update to DISABLED in Services, it will do Windows Defender only...
Your best bet would be to Disable Windows Update in Services, and also Disable the Scheduled Tasks in Task Scheduler... You can find that in the same place as Services...
Just click on the Task Scheduler Library on the left in Task Scheduler until you see "Windows"... Windows Update will appear as a folder... Just click on it and the Schedule will appear in the top center of the window...
Then once you have your download of the Aug. 2nd update, you can then set Windows Update back to Manual in Services, but leave stuff Disabled in Task Scheduler... Just to reduce the risk it will try to do something funny before you get the chance to install the upgrade..
Hi,
You are in the right place... The issue is that if you look closely in Services for Windows Update... Not in the Properties, you will see "Manual\Triggered"... Which isn't an option in the Properties... Just "Manual"...
So the best option might be to just select "Disable" temporarily... But be advised that if you try to upgrade to the new build, it will not be able to check for updates either, and may generate an error message... You would need to switch it back to "Manual" before starting the upgrade.
I don't know if you want to dig more deeply into this, but the "Triggered" is actually coming from the Task Scheduler... My Win 10 machine has four scheduled tasks for Windows Update... You might try disabling then all, and leave the SERVICES setting to manual...
I will experiment a bit with this... I don't recall seeing the "Triggered" appearing after I messed with my settings... I will play around a bit and see what I come up with...
I used to change the oil, filter, lube, etc. in all my vehicles, but as you mentioned, it can be done almost as cheaply paying a trusted shop to do it... My biggest reason was disposing of the used oil and filter... Taking it to a recycling location got to be a pain.
I still do my motorcycles though... I can do that myself WAY cheaper...
Thank you. I found it (under Control Panels/System and Security), and in that big list, I found Windows Update Properties. But ...
Under the General tab, it seems to be saying it is set for Manual. What, there is no option to update only manually when I go to Windows Update, although yes, I can do it manually rather than wait for the next automatic run. But it does run automatically, shortly after startup in the morning, so despite it being set for Manual, it is updating automatically. This makes no sense.
I have posted a picture of that window at:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/2fmu3ofb2he5zyf/WindowsUpdateProperties.JPG#
From that, you can see "Startup Type" is set to Manual. (the other options in the drop down menu there are Automatic (Delayed Start), Automatic, and Disabled.)
So, first, that setting is named "Startup Type." Huh? Is that supposed to mean "How do you want Windows Update to run?" If so, then why is it automatically updating if it is set to manual?
Second, are you saying to simply set that to Disabled? If so, the obvious question is that if it is not listening the setting for Manual, why would I think it will listen to the setting for Disabled?
Anyway, until I hear from you, I'm leaving that at Manual. Perhaps there is some other window somewhere that I'm supposed to be in, rather than that one?
Scraping paint - no fun. But I applaud you for doing your own painting - seems most people these days don't do anything for themselves, which I find disappointing. I would - in fact, I just did an oil change on my car yesterday (although at this pint, it costs nearly as much as just going to the shop and letting them do it).
Hi,
First off... thanks for the Firefox info... I can't try it out now because my XP Desktop machine isn't hooked up at the moment.. That will be a winter project...
I've been really busy scraping paint, and just too tired afterwards to do anything except get cleaned up.
You can change setting for Windows Update in SERVICES... You can set it to Disable, or Manual... I thought Defender wouldn't update if Windows Update was set to Disable, but Defender has in fact been updating..
SERVICES is in "Administrative Tools", either in Control Panel, or on the START under "Windows Administrative Tools"...
There isn't yet a link to download the AUG. 2nd update... But I will be looking for it myself as well... When I find one I will let you know.
