Disk boot failure

[LA_MERC_goose]

Computer, not mine, has a fresh install of Windows XP - I installed it on two seperate drives. As long as the install CD is in the drive it boots with no error but once I take the install CD out of the drive and attempt to boot the PC I get Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter.

Ideas?

:neofly:

[LA_MERC_th33_r00k]

Boot.ini file must be screwed.

Google the "bootcfg" command and options. This should straighten it out.

[LA_MERC_goose]

Nope, didn't help. Thanks rook.

It's two drives (C, F) one is 12 gig and one is 120 gig. The 12 has the Windows install and the 120 is empty. I tried it with both and with just the 12 and I get the same thing ... I've also tried installing windows on the 120 and boot on it, but same issue. This leads me to believe it's hardware related ... unless my Windows install is hosed.:banghead

[LA_MERC_Onji]

I started googling around, try this:

1. boot the xp cd like you are going to do a reinstall

2.start the windows XP installation but at the place where it asks you if you want to install XP or repair it press R for repair. This takes you to a recovery console screen, you will be asked to choose a windows installation select c:\windows by typing 1 at the prompt hit enter, you will now be prompted for the administrator password if you haven't specified an administrator password just press enter.

3. once you are at the prompt, run this: fixboot c: (and hit enter)

4. at this point i think you can type in exit, all we need to really do is reboot.

5. take the cd out and see if it boots up ok.

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Hey Goose, If Onji's Idea dont work then try this,

Take out the Install CD... Unplug the Computer,


Crack the CD in half, and Drop Kick that Mo#@$@ F@#@@$ Tower out the back door.

Problem solved. :)

[LA_MERC_FragFood]

1 - Boot the CD
2 - Get to a DOS prompt
3 - Type fdisk /mbr hit enter
4 - Reboot

Also, um, check your BIOS and make sure that your effin' hard drive is in the boot order, eh?

[LA_MERC_th33_r00k]

Yeah wut Frag said. Also Did you walk through the bootcfg /rebuild and did it find an OS there?

I am sorry but if it boots right up with the disk in then it has to be looking to the "x:" optical drive or what not for the O.S. loader with no other options for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, what not. THe boot up should look for the HDD. Disable everything else in the BIOS except the HDD with the O.S. on it.

Boot to cd.
Select Repair.
Select the o.s.
type "cd\"
hit enter
type "type boot.ini"
tell us what it says. Thanks.
to edit the "boot.ini" file one must first release the attributes by typing "ATTRIB -r -s c:\boot.ini"
hit enter
Then type "edit c:\boot.ini"
Save when done.
re attrib the file by typing "ATTRIB +r +s c:\boot.ini"

bootcfg /rebuild does this for you in a wizardy format. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980

[LA_MERC_goose]

Onji - no good, thanks
Parker - not an option
Frag - no good, either, thanks.
Rook - I should have gotten the text but the boot.ini is showing 1 entry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" on the only partition available with a "/fastdetect" option. Do you need the full text? If so I'll have to switch out the systems and write it down ... I'm not have a lot of luck with this one.

[LA_MERC_DocSparky]

The obvious thing that everyone is pointing to as the obvious problem is the master boot record. Next would be an existing (and invalid) boot.ini file which was mentioned by Rook. The only other obvious thing that I can think of was mentioned by Frag and that is the boot order in the bios. If you have a floppy or zip in the boot order before the HD and the 3.5" or 5.25" drive isn't marked as "None" in the bios, then it will try to boot from it and it will report "damaged or invalid". This is different from "missing" which will cause it to go to the next device in the boot order.

Go into the bios and verify that the HD is the first boot device and that the floppy drive is marked as "none".

Beyond what people have already posted, it would make you think that the MB / Bios is defective. Look for an updated Bios or replace the MB.

The base model Zino HD (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=ddcwua1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=inspiron-zino-hd) at Dell makes a pretty cheap starter option.

[LA_MERC_th33_r00k]

ALso you do not have a usb device plugged in right?

Hehehe. Yes full text would be awesome. Also if you select Boot Menu and select HDD does it do it?

Are both HDD's seen in bios?
Is the correct one 1st in HDD order?
Is the HDD in the boot order?

If yes to all 3 this rules out BIOS I would think.

Next would be the boot.ini file which is part of the O.S.



Then there are other boot loader files but you are not getting there.

[LA_MERC_goose]

Boot sequence ... I swear I checked it to begin with. Floppy, CD, SCSI? Not gonna happen. HDD0, CD, Floppy and it's running like a champ, installing updates now.

Thanks guys ... as you can tell I need all the help I can get.

[LA_MERC_FragFood]

For getting the BIOS issue right...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b3GHoGMBNpY/Saqao-PcJwI/AAAAAAAAD1w/wxb6YxvWQeM/s400/lolcat73.jpg

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Funny, how sometimes the most obvious things are over looked.
Been there and done that crap before. :)

[LA_MERC_Drax]

To continue on this thread, I am having a similar problem. I've put in a new hard drive and reinstalled everything and had the computer running fine before I left for work for a week. I left the computer running with all of my steam games to download.

So I come back, to the computer being restarted and stuck on

"Error loading operating system"

Any ideas?

[LA_MERC_FragFood]

CD ro floppy inserted? USB stick stuck in a port?

Otherwise it's boot from CD< go into the Recovery Console and FDISK /MBR your boot drive.

(Damn. Does FDISK even exist any more?)

In a pinch you can at least get your data off of it with a BART CD and reformat/reinstall.

[LA_MERC_Drax]

nope, neither of those, and to test it, i put the boot order straight to the HDD, still having the same error. I don't want to format it again, its a brand new HDD and it took me forever to install everything on it again. But if i have to, then...

[LA_MERC_DocSparky]

Drax, give us a little more information on the error. When does this msg show up? Also, what OS are you using. Sorry if you've already divulged this in another post, but I didn't see it.

[LA_MERC_Drax]

Ok to give a little more clarification:

Running Windows XP Home ediition
the error happens on boot up, directly after it goes through looking for a cd, it just goes straight to "error loading operating system
I don't know what else really to say about it, unless you want computer specs.

[LA_MERC_DocSparky]

This error message is generated when the OS communicates with the BIOS of your MB. This could be caused by a changed setting in your BIOS (due to a freak power fluctuation) or it also could be that the way you have your hard drive setting in BIOS aren't compatible with one of the later service packs or patches installed while you were gone.

Make sure you have the latest BIOS for your MB. You should also reset you BIOS settings to the defaults and then reapply any of your changes you might have. If that doesn't fix the problem, then consider doing a repair (which will keep all of your applications) from the XP setup CD instead of a re-install.

[LA_MERC_th33_r00k]

can you get to theoption of booting into safemade?
If so can you?
Have you tried "FIXMBR" in the recovery console?
Can you "CHKDSK /R" in another computer?