DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-20, 23:11:

Hello, i'm wanna mess with Windows nt 4.0 on My 256 Mb ram-Pentium4 cpu but this thing refuse to boot from My cd ROM drive, cdrom is working ok, because i can copy files from the cd to My hard drive and i can boot with the same cd copy of Windows nt 4.0 in other systems, and this is driving me crazy, i just can't explain why can't boot when i hit f12 and the systems says "booting from cd".... But nothing happens, thanks for the help.

Is it correctly set to Slave? HDD is Master?

Nexxen wrote on 2026-02-20, 23:21:

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-20, 23:11:

Hello, i'm wanna mess with Windows nt 4.0 on My 256 Mb ram-Pentium4 cpu but this thing refuse to boot from My cd ROM drive, cdrom is working ok, because i can copy files from the cd to My hard drive and i can boot with the same cd copy of Windows nt 4.0 in other systems, and this is driving me crazy, i just can't explain why can't boot when i hit f12 and the systems says "booting from cd".... But nothing happens, thanks for the help.

Is it correctly set to Slave? HDD is Master?

I think i'm ok, right?. Western digital is ide channel "0 Master " and Lite no combo "0 slave"

Try using plop bootloader - never used for NT4 (My copy doesn't boot from cd) but it has got me around this issue with other oses before.

Or make boot floppies if you have a floppy drive - NT4 cd has tools to make them

squelch41 wrote on 2026-02-21, 00:18:

Try using plop bootloader - never used for NT4 (My copy doesn't boot from cd) but it has got me around this issue with other oses before.

Or make boot floppies if you have a floppy drive - NT4 cd has tools to make them

Sorry for My naive question... Plop bootloader is a kind of Rufus tool? Can You elaborate how yo do it? Thanks.

plopboot is a stage 1 chainloader and bootloader.

Among other things, it has its OWN implementation of ElTorito and USB booting code.

It can be started from a floppy diskette, and used to chainload other bootable devices, or to boot OSes.
It's very useful as a means to get old hardware (like early pentiums) to do stuff their BIOS does not normally let you do, like boot from CDROM or USB.

wierd_w wrote on 2026-02-21, 00:43:

plopboot is a stage 1 chainloader and bootloader. […]
Show full quote

plopboot is a stage 1 chainloader and bootloader.

Among other things, it has its OWN implementation of ElTorito and USB booting code.

It can be started from a floppy diskette, and used to chainload other bootable devices, or to boot OSes.
It's very useful as a means to get old hardware (like early pentiums) to do stuff their BIOS does not normally let you do, like boot from CDROM or USB.

That torito thing sounds fun, i'm reading the documentation, and it's amazing what You can do with that bios options to extend the life of your old hardware, i have a small Warehouse with old stuf that i Will check this year and this kind of tools are the goat, thanks

Have you tried other bootable CDs (non NT4.0)?

ott wrote on 2026-02-21, 05:40:

Have you tried other bootable CDs (non NT4.0)?

Yeah, i have a cd with XP sp3 and a dvd with Windows 7 32 bit and the it's the same, can't boot. Im going to try in a different ide Port and with different ide cables, Also i have a new Sata dvd drive but it's the same can't boot anyway, Also i'm trying to Change the BIOS for a new one but i cant find one from the website

Check the jumpers on the back of the CD-ROM itself. It needs to be on 'slave' if using the same IDE cable as the HDD, otherwise use a separate IDE cable.

Also check BIOS boot order. CD-ROM needs to be before HDD.

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-21, 06:24:

Also i'm trying to Change the BIOS for a new one but i cant find one from the website

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like you have achieved all circumstances that cause problem with installing NT4.0:
- Prescott CPU
- First revision motherboard (GA-8IG1000MK (Rev. 1.x))
- Outdated BIOS that doesn't work correctly with Prescott CPU

This problem has been fixed since F6/FE (Dec 22, 2003):
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-8IG10 … rt#Support-Bios

Update CPUID 0F33h micro code to 07h
Fixed Install NT4.0 Fail with Prescott CPU

If I'm right, try updating BIOS to latest version.

Note: This motherboard probably came with varying flash capacities (3M/2M).
Please make sure you have selected the correct BIOS file.

btw, I checked other Gigabyte motherboards (865PE/865G) and 1st revisions have exactly the same BIOS updates for Prescott CPU.
The 2nd revisions (and higher) shipped with later BIOS.

ott wrote on 2026-02-21, 14:46:

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like you have achieved all circumstances that cause problem with installing NT4.0: - Prescott CP […]
Show full quote

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-21, 06:24:

Also i'm trying to Change the BIOS for a new one but i cant find one from the website

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like you have achieved all circumstances that cause problem with installing NT4.0:
- Prescott CPU
- First revision motherboard (GA-8IG1000MK (Rev. 1.x))
- Outdated BIOS that doesn't work correctly with Prescott CPU

This problem has been fixed since F6/FE (Dec 22, 2003):
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-8IG10 … rt#Support-Bios

Update CPUID 0F33h micro code to 07h
Fixed Install NT4.0 Fail with Prescott CPU

The attachment Screenshot 2026-02-21.jpg is no longer available

If I'm right, try updating BIOS to latest version.

Note: This motherboard probably came with varying flash capacities (3M/2M).
Please make sure you have selected the correct BIOS file.

btw, I checked other Gigabyte motherboards (865PE/865G) and 1st revisions have exactly the same BIOS updates for Prescott CPU.
The 2nd revisions (and higher) shipped with later BIOS.

You are right it's a rev 1.0

ott wrote on 2026-02-21, 14:46:

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like you have achieved all circumstances that cause problem with installing NT4.0: - Prescott CP […]
Show full quote

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-21, 06:24:

Also i'm trying to Change the BIOS for a new one but i cant find one from the website

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like you have achieved all circumstances that cause problem with installing NT4.0:
- Prescott CPU
- First revision motherboard (GA-8IG1000MK (Rev. 1.x))
- Outdated BIOS that doesn't work correctly with Prescott CPU

This problem has been fixed since F6/FE (Dec 22, 2003):
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-8IG10 … rt#Support-Bios

Update CPUID 0F33h micro code to 07h
Fixed Install NT4.0 Fail with Prescott CPU

The attachment Screenshot 2026-02-21.jpg is no longer available

If I'm right, try updating BIOS to latest version.

Note: This motherboard probably came with varying flash capacities (3M/2M).
Please make sure you have selected the correct BIOS file.

btw, I checked other Gigabyte motherboards (865PE/865G) and 1st revisions have exactly the same BIOS updates for Prescott CPU.
The 2nd revisions (and higher) shipped with later BIOS.

This is the BIOS

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-21, 18:22:

This is the BIOS

Yes, it's 3Mbit SuperFlash (SST49LF003A)

The latest BIOS should be OK.

FI 457.37 KB Aug 19, 2005
Update CPU microcode
Version FA, FB...FF is only for 3M BIOS

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-8IG10 … rt#Support-Bios

ott wrote on 2026-02-21, 18:51:

Yes, it's 3Mbit SuperFlash (SST49LF003A) […]
Show full quote

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-21, 18:22:

This is the BIOS

Yes, it's 3Mbit SuperFlash (SST49LF003A)

The attachment SST49LF003A.jpg is no longer available

The latest BIOS should be OK.

FI 457.37 KB Aug 19, 2005
Update CPU microcode
Version FA, FB...FF is only for 3M BIOS

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-8IG10 … rt#Support-Bios

It happens, i have the 2004 versión. Im in the process of updating the BIOS. Thanks

ott wrote on 2026-02-21, 18:51:

Yes, it's 3Mbit SuperFlash (SST49LF003A) […]
Show full quote

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-21, 18:22:

This is the BIOS

Yes, it's 3Mbit SuperFlash (SST49LF003A)

The attachment SST49LF003A.jpg is no longer available

The latest BIOS should be OK.

FI 457.37 KB Aug 19, 2005
Update CPU microcode
Version FA, FB...FF is only for 3M BIOS

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-8IG10 … rt#Support-Bios

That's interesting. Now it became clear to me what the problem was.
You have relatively rare CPUID:0F41 CPU (Prescott core with E0 stepping).

"FH" BIOS fixes the boot issue on CPUID:0F41 CPUs and latest "FI" should also contain these fixes.
The current outdated "FG " likely has issues with it.

How are you trying to update the BIOS?
I used the built-in Gigabyte's Q-Flash utility on GA-8IPE1000 motherboard without any issues.
Note: The floppy disk must be in good condition without bad sectors, I checked checksums several times before flashing.

ott wrote on 2026-02-22, 08:58:

That's interesting. Now it became clear to me what the problem was. You have relatively rare CPUID:0F41 CPU (Prescott core with […]
Show full quote

That's interesting. Now it became clear to me what the problem was.
You have relatively rare CPUID:0F41 CPU (Prescott core with E0 stepping).

"FH" BIOS fixes the boot issue on CPUID:0F41 CPUs and latest "FI" should also contain these fixes.
The current outdated "FG " likely has issues with it.

How are you trying to update the BIOS?
I used the built-in Gigabyte's Q-Flash utility on GA-8IPE1000 motherboard without any issues.
Note: The floppy disk must be in good condition without bad sectors, I checked checksums several times before flashing.

The attachment bios.png is no longer available

The attachment qflash.png is no longer available

I'm running out of luck, My flopy drive doesnt work and My qflash can't flash with a USB drive. I'm gonna try to get a floppy drive from a friend , but, for now i'm gonna try the unebootin usb method to install Windows nt as a temporary solution...

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-23, 06:48:

I'm running out of luck, My flopy drive doesnt work and My qflash can't flash with a USB drive. I'm gonna try to get a floppy drive from a friend , but, for now i'm gonna try the unebootin usb method to install Windows nt as a temporary solution...

This is normal behavior, Q-Flash only supports floppy.

Alternatively, you can update BIOS from clean MS-DOS. I use Windows 98 CD-ROM for this purpose.

Gigabyte's BIOS update archive already comes with the flash utility (FLASH891.EXE) and autoexec.bat command.

You need to unpack archive (7-Zip executable archive) to HDD with FAT32 partition.

I captured the complete update process on my motherboard for reference:

Video on Google Drive

I also remembered this BIOS option that might help:

For installing and using Windows NT it is necessary to limit the maximum CPUID to 3

I hope this helps. Good luck!

ott wrote on 2026-02-23, 13:28:

This is normal behavior, Q-Flash only supports floppy. […]
Show full quote

DLL hell wrote on 2026-02-23, 06:48:

I'm running out of luck, My flopy drive doesnt work and My qflash can't flash with a USB drive. I'm gonna try to get a floppy drive from a friend , but, for now i'm gonna try the unebootin usb method to install Windows nt as a temporary solution...

This is normal behavior, Q-Flash only supports floppy.

Alternatively, you can update BIOS from clean MS-DOS. I use Windows 98 CD-ROM for this purpose.

Gigabyte's BIOS update archive already comes with the flash utility (FLASH891.EXE) and autoexec.bat command.

You need to unpack archive (7-Zip executable archive) to HDD with FAT32 partition.

I captured the complete update process on my motherboard for reference:

The attachment capture.gif is no longer available

Video on Google Drive

I also remembered this BIOS option that might help:

For installing and using Windows NT it is necessary to limit the maximum CPUID to 3

The attachment Limit CPUID Max to 3.png is no longer available

I hope this helps. Good luck!

amazing job you have doing here, i will check it step by step and give a feedback, thanks!