Reboot and select proper boot device?

[Weasel Overlord]

Okay, I'm at my wits end now. The problem is this: We took apart my pc to see what was wrong with the disc drive (it needs a new laser, we figured out) and when we put it back together the monitor decided not to work.

When I turn on the computer, the monitor goes black as usual, and then it comes up with these options;

"press F2 to run setup"
and
"press F11 for Boot Menu"

Once we try to run setup, or look at the boot menu, it comes up with this;

"reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot boot device and press a key"

Now the thing is, if it wants me to insert the old boot discs that I got with the pc, the laser on the disc drive is fucked, so it can't read discs. Is this just a catch 22, or is there something I can do?

Any help most appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[Roarkiller]

I don't know much about hardware, so don't take my words seriously.

But I thought your computer usually boots from the harddisk? From previous run-ins, the order of boot-up choices are messed up, I think.

[Chris]

If "taking apart your PC" involved disconnecting all of the IDE cables, you probably reconnected them to the wrong drives or forgot to reconnect them altogether. Order is important.

This is a difficult process to explain so it's best if you say whether or not you disconnected any cables that look like that before I carry on

[Weasel Overlord]

Yup, I think we did. It was on Monday, so I can't exactly remember the order or anything, but I know that we took out all the cables from the back of the machine, and then I think my friend disconnected some of those. In fact, I'm certain he did.