I have a catch-22 situation. When I installed a new SSD disk on my desktop (does not contain an OS), Windows 8.1 would not install. The error stated that there was no partition to install on. I saw a Forum describing initializing the drive with DISKPART using the advanced tools and a command prompt I got through the windows 8.1 installation disk, which I did successfully.
I did what it described, created an active partition, an all my drive mappings were lost. Now I can't access the Windows installation disk because the mapping was lost on my DVD reader. The error says to press any key to boot from DVD, when I do this the message just comes up again. It is clear my DVD is not spinning or being accessed. So, every solution I have read on these forums seems to depend on being able to read the DVD, which I cannot do. I have unplugged all hard drives but the new SSD and DVD reader.
When I try to get a listing from the shell, my only option, it says nothing is mapped. My BIOS settings boot first from DVD, then from disk. It doesn't matter, the DVD cannot be accessed.
How do I map my DVD with no OS so the Windows installation disk can be accessed?
