Used it on my two other systems. Tested the bootable flash drive too.

I took this as you have the CD first in the boot order...

but this makes me think maybe not.

Perhaps a visit to the PC manufacturer's website to look up the manual for the system. They may have a bios update for it but not sure if you can load it if you can't get it to boot.

Format and install a valid copy of Windows.

Okay, so it's not a corrupted OS or one that could have a virus or trojan that might be fixed with the repair or restore function?  Just asking because a bad Windows install could mean anything, from what I asked or that you friiend tried to install Windows and messed it up.

EDIT:  That answers that question.

It worked like 3 months ago when I reinstalled the last time. No changes needed and no changes made. I'm at a total loss. I've been working on it for like a week.

Edit:

I'll definantly look when I get home though
Thanks for the suggestion.

Is your friend the type who may have downloaded programs or changed setting and not told you?

You haven't mentioned but can you boot up in safe mode or does the corruption not allow that?

Suggestions like that aren't going to work....not if the Windows install is screwed....

With all the fiddling about....the first suggestion would be to check that the IDE [whatever] cables are connected/seated correctly to the CD drive.

If it's not a hardware/connection issue then it can 'only' be a BIOS setting for boot order [assuming the Win CD is a functioning bootable - and not scratched/damaged].

Yes, its a laptop. Its at home so I dont have the make/model.

I've not only reseated the optical drive (and HDD), I used mine which works fine. Tested his in my system and it works fine.

On top of that, I can take the HDD out of the system and it still only has the HDD as a boot option.

It has to be a BIOS setting, but what freakin setting? Defaults should still allow you to boot to a CD. In fact, restoring defaults set the CD to first boot priority. Still nuffin.

Please give us the model and make of this laptop so as to figure what bios is being used here.

would be good to assume you have it set for quick boot in the bio settings

try changing that to multiple boot order and set a time out at 10 seconds so as to see a boot options screen to figure how you are going to boot...

the other thing is that the system may not see these things due to bad hardware... but gona figure it is just set wrong for now.

Please provided info and take another look at your boot options for multiple boot order.

Doc, it appears to me that the system won't boot, therefore running hijack this, or any other software, isn't an option.  

Are you sure the cd drive is not bad? Even though it shows up in the BIOS, it may not be functioning properly.

I was a tech for a dozen years or so, and I have run into similar problems before.

I have seen cd drives go bad and make the system act really flakey (i.e. the mouse acting weird or very choppy video, etc.). I have seen bad drives cause just what yours is doing - making it so Windows can not load. Sometimes it only happened if a cd was in the drive, but sometimes just having the drive connected caused problems. I have even had it happen with a brand new drive, right out of the box.

You mentioned a bootable flash drive. Is it USB, or a memory card that goes in a card reader?

If it's USB, the BIOS should have an option to allow booting from a USB drive. It won't be in the boot options, but perhaps the advanced setup or peripheral options.

I tried a working drive. And his drive worked in my other system