Compaq Presario won't boot from CD/DVD drive and other funny stories

[Boulanger]

Brass Tacks:

My old Compaq Presario F700, running Windows Vista, was getting slow two years ago, so I bought a new computer. Just went to login to the old Compaq wanting to get some photos off it, but the windows login password isn't working. "That's ok." I said to myself as I proceeded to download .iso boot discs from http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolso...ssrecovery.htm, but then to my surprise, the compaq isn't booting from said CD/DVDs.

Problem 1: I've changed BIOS boot order, still no go. How now, am I to get it to boot. I miss the "Press any key to boot..." days.

Problem 2: I still have no idea which one of these password 'recovery' programs will work. Any experience in that?

Thanks a lot.

-Baker

[Train]

I remove the drive and use a USB PCI/SATA adapter or external case in which I install the drive.

After I plug the USB in I take ownership/possestion of the drive and browse it.