Couldn't Open the Boot Partition to check for signature 2

[rocki]

I replaced the HDD in four of our lab computers and 2 of the four are coming up with the following error when using the win2k boot disks. "Couldn't open the boot partition to check for signature." Did I do something wrong when installing these? The other two went through the process and I'm able to load win2k on them.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[mainegeek]

Make sure virus checking is disabled in the cmos setup.

 

[rocki]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[junotech]

Win 2k Pro?
ref. to this article in support.microsoft:
"Windows May Use Signature() Syntax in the Boot.ini File"

 

[BigusMikus]

Hey Rocki, I have been going thru the same thing. I want you to check the jumper settings on the HD. If it is on an IDE channel by itself and you have the jumper setting to master you will get this error. Fought it for 12 hours over last three days! Compaq was no help! WD 2ond tier tech caught my mistake. I haven't built a system in a long time with a single drive so instinct made me set the jumper for master. Set the jumper on 4-6 (Single). Top row of pins being odd 1-3-5-7-9 bottom row 2-4-6-8-10 set the jumper horizontal on 4-6. WD says they ship their drives set on 1-4 verticle. This is only if your drive is the single drive on the channel, which if you have a burner it should be with the 2ond CD ROM. Your able to format and partition right? But Cmos doesn't see the drive and Windoze doesn't see the boot sector? Let us know how this goes...

 

[MattWeth]

You've saved me BigusMikus!
I've just spent a day swapping out IDE cables, trying other drives and was at the point of blaming the on-board IDE controller.

Saw your post and tried it - works just fine.

Thanks
M

 

[rocki]

Thank you BigusMikus: I tried it yesterday and they're both up and runnning.
R

 

[BigusMikus]

I occasionaly screw up the right way. I also noticed I said 1-4 it should be 1-2 (shipped from WD. Glad I could help... Push to test, Release to detonate.

 

[rocki]

Interesting - I must have read it as 1-4 because that is what I did.
thx again.
r

 

[tom11011]

Even though this thread is 6 months old, it's saved me a whole lot of trouble. Thanks!

 

[perpelhelmet]

This thread was a life saver for me. In a nut shell, I wasted ~8hrs trying to fix this problem. thanks a lot BigusMikus!

 

[erikcamacho]

I had the same error all though I am running an integrated SCSI controller and drive. What I did to fix it was to reformat the drive through the controller and I am up and runnign now.

Erik

Everything is alright now

 

[elbobo]

BigusMikus is the man. It fixed everything.

Thanks!

 

[MoTa1961]

I am happy that the fix action above worked for everyone else. I am still having the same problem after trying all jumper settings (talked about or not) and still have the problem. I even set up two drives using master and slave with no luck. All it does is sit at the COMPAQ screen. Help!!! This is killing me.

 

[andington]

ive also tryed this,but wont work. everytime i boot my comp up it says boot failure then says check for signature?? can anyone help plz??

 

[wolluf]

andington - you might want to start a new thread with more details (your description of boot failure every time you boot doesn't sound same as original problem - which involved replacing hard drive & trying to reinstall 2k).

 

[skibum1]

HERE'S WHAT WORKED FOR ME AFTER TRYING THE SOLUTION RECOMMENDED ABOVE AND STILL HAVING PROBLEM...Scenario first:

I have a WD 60 gig HD that was origially set as a Secondary Master WIN2000 NTFS D: drive. I ran format on it via WIN2000 "Computer Management" tools. I then removed the old C: drive and placed the WD 60 gig drive in the Primary Master position (all cables and pins[set as single] are set correctly) w/o the old C: connected.

I ran the WIN2000 install and it appeared to proceed correctly. But now on boot up I get the error, "Couldn't open the boot partition to check for signiture".

Trying to use the Data Lifeguard Tools insatll I get, "Invalid Drive Selection". It see it, will run diagnostics on it, but will not install/reinstall it.

In the computer BIOS it is not recognized either. BUT, when I put the original C: drive back in palce, the BIOS see's it.

I also tried the "Load setup defaults" and "Load BIOS defaults" and tried auto detect HDD...nothing.


>>>SOLUTION<<< = A BIOS UPGRADE and clearing CMOS. The BIOS that was on the system (ASUS P2B-F BIOS Revision 1009.B) &quot;does not&quot; support the 60 GIG drive.

 

[shotz]

I am having the same problem, and I have tryed the solutions
in this tread and they did not work (compaq 5020). My hard drive has been checked out and it is fine, I read here that there was a patch to fix this problem, but link was gone, does anybody know where to get the patch/fix I have been going nuts for days

 

[wolluf]

shotz - whan you say 'I am having the same problem' - you mean you've replaced hard drive and are getting &quot;Couldn't open the boot partition to check for signature.&quot; message?

Compaq's are known problem machines to replace hardware on (tend to be proprietary setups). There wasn't a compaq hidden partition on old drive which is needed to boot machine?

 

[shotz]

Ok let me explain a little clearer.

Reformatted hard drive to put windows 2000, yes I did erase the hard drive and partitions, I did not know about this problem.

I guess what I need are the files that are needed to be put on the Hard Drive,