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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,
That Windows Update no longer exists... What you mentioned about the setting of Automatic or Scheduled is it... Other than selecting updates for Other Microsoft products... which would be a good idea...
Just Notifications... All Settings... Updates... Check For Updates...
The only thing you can actually do unless some changes are made, is to go to SERVICES in Control panel... Administrative Tools... and DISABLE it, and turn it back on when you feel like updating... The only problem with that is that it also blocks Windows defender from getting updates...
If you right click on your Taskbar you will see CORTANA at the top..
Click on this and select "Hidden"... it won't show at all...
Some of the updates for drivers and stuff may download automatically... especially the ones the installation would have downloaded, and some will not appear in the list of updates... They end up being considered part of the installation instead...
I have a small utility that runs constantly just above my Taskbar... just above the clock...
It is a small window that shows internet activity and speed... You might be really surprised how much is going on that you may not know about... It's called DUMeter 3, and probably is no longer available, but I think there are some free ones that are about exactly the same...
Oh for god's sake. This is stupid. Where have they put Windows Update?! It's no under the System and /security control panel any more, and I can't find it is any control panel! Dang. How am I supposed to run updates?
I am now all installed, went through all the privacy settings I know about (from that article I gave you a link to, plus the ones you said). I just now was trying to figure out how to set up my WiFi dongle, got an idea, and found the WiFi menu si different, that's why I didn't see it working, it is already set up. In Win 8.1, the WiFi list was automatically set as WiFi and WiFi 2 -- 2 was the dongle, a second list, and would just turn off WiFi so only one list was there. Now, you have to click on WiFi to get a drop down menu to then click on WiFi2 - -another step backward, not as easy as in the past.
So, that's works. I'm writing to you on it now.
All that is left is to run the updates - I did not select to do the online check for drivers when I installed, so they will come in with this.
All looks fine and dandy. I will be getting used to it. One thing I don't like is the selection of colors and photos for the wallpaper -- ugh! :)
Of course, I will have to test my various applications, make sure they work in Win 10 -- another day for that.
So now, I will run the updates. Then soon I will need to make a backup image of this Win 10. I have the install disk. I guess I might want to devote yet another USB drive to a restore disk like I made for 8.1.
And I'm now beat.
Oh, on Windows Update, I used to have a selection to search but not download or install until I said to. I don't have that now. There seems to be only two settings, do them automatically or scheduled them, which it suggested meant they would not get installed for months. Am I missing something about finding the setting I want, that I used to have? I prefer not to have that stuff run and bog down the machine until I am ready for it to do so. Just let me know there are updates to do.
So, you have been indescribably great, far and away more than anyone could hope for. You put in a LOT of time and effort on this. You know what e]we went through, I would not have gotten it done without you. This should have been a one or at most two day effort, and here is has been about 8 months. But we got it, and I learned a lot in the meantime.
I'f you're ever back in your old 310, you let me know - maybe we can go to dinner or something -- and remind me, my treat. I'm 323.
I'll keep you posted - I'm sure you want to know the last is done, which will be the backups. But I've done that, so that will go fine. But you will want to know it is all over.
Oh, one question: That Search Window on the left of the task Bar -- is there a way I can change the size of it? I don't see using it much,and it really reduces the size of my take bar, which was already spilled over to a second level. With the smaller size, I lose some of the things on the task bat that I use often to the hidden second level, a real pain int he neck. I don't feel a need for that search box at all.
Hi,
I'm quite familiar with My Computer, Computer, and ThisPC... Except that I almost always access it from my Desktop, not a open window...
About the only time I use it from the left of the windows is if a application requires opening something, and I don't want to go back to the Desktop..
I have seen reports of issues with various Dongles, but necessarily WiFi...
Hopefully it won't be an issue...
I'm still trying to find the best way to put a Shutdown shortcut at a specific location...
I actually know how to do that, but Win 10 uses a different type of Shutdown that has a fast Startup feature...
I have a custom Restart Shortcut that I use extensively though...
Hopefully your laptop goes as smoothly as the Win 7 one...
