disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter

[karinne]

Hey all, new here... hope someone can help.

Opened my box tonight and that's the message that I got

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

I've XP pro, never had a problem before!?!?

I've tried the "Recovery" off the CD but don't know what to do with that!?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Karinne

 

[wolluf]

1. Any warning that something was going wrong previously (have you added/remove hardware software, had a major crash etc).

2. Is the disk still being recognised in the bios? Can you hear it spinning up when you boot machine (ie, is the disk actually physically still working). Check the connections to it (IDE cable and power connector).

3. If it is, can you boot into XP's recovery console (boot from XP install CD - you'll probably have to change the bios boot settings to do this - and choose repair using recovery console. If it finds your installation, it will ask you to select it, then you'll need adminstrator password. You'll be at a command prompt (type help for list of commands, and commandname /? for individual help - also

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q314058).

I'd try running chkdsk and then fixboot. Then reboot to hard drive and see if it boots.
If it doesn't, I'd then try a repair reinstall -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341.

4. If disk not working, then you'll need a replacement.

 

[karinne]

Answers:
1. Yes... I had a crash while starting up Macromedia HomeSite. I don't know why, it just froze on me. Except my keyboard was still working but couldn't get into the task manager to shut it down. Couldn't do anything so I hit the good ol' "RESET" button!

2. Yes... it spins then spits out the message about the boot disk failure.

3. I tried that... got into the recovery console and just sat at c:\ Tried dir but nothing happened. Let me try it again.

 

[karinne]

OK... now when I put the setup cd I keep getting error like whatever file is corrupt!?!?!

help

 

[sykotik]

Sounds like a fun situation there. If you can get back into the Recovery Console, try HELP, I believe it should list some commands. Also try this site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307654

It has a comprehensive list of the commands supported in the Recovery Console. Just try FIXBOOT first, if not, then FIXMBR, they can fix up some strange issues. Also, try the complete Automated repair function on the CD. Simply hit Enter on the Screen where you hit R for the Console, then agree to the licensing agreement, and I believe on the next screen it will display your XP installation. From there you should be able to hit R and do a practical reinstall of the OS, keeping your data intact. HOWEVER, programs and drivers will most definitely need to be reinstalled. Not ALL programs will need to be reinstalled, but 90% should. ALL DRIVERS INSTALLED BY YOURSELF WILL NEED TO BE REINSTALLED. James P. Grant III
A+ Certified Technician

 

[karinne]

Thanks sykotik... I'll try that!

I've tried putting my HD in another XP box to try and get my stuff from there but that didn't work. It asked me if I wanted to format the drive! DOH!!!

 

[wolluf]

Karinne,

Am I understanding you correctly - that you can't boot from the XP install CD any more? (keep getting error like whatever file is corrupt) - because you won't be able to access either recovery console or do a repair reinstall if this is the case. And you've probably got a hardware problem if it is.

And if you put drive into another (XP?) machine, you're prompted to format it? Have you tried dismissing the format request, and rebooting. (I've seen XP take a couple of goes to recognise another already formatted disk).

 

[Mark411]

Similar problem, same error message as karinne; DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

but I only have a restoration cd. When I boot from cd gives me 4 options.
1-fdisk
2-format
3-install xp home
4-exit
As far as I know, disk spins up. Also I don't know if the recovery console is installed or on the cd.
I just don't know what to try.
By installing over the current windows, does this erase my setting/profiles?
I will check out the links as indicated in the above comments.
Any suggestions is appreciated.
regards Mark

 

[EspressoHelps]

See if your hard dive is set correctly in the bios. Then
try using fdisk to check that your disk is being recognized
properly and that the primary partion that the o/s is on is set active. Reinstalling should'nt change your old settings but no quarantees, may depend on what has caused the problem in the first place.

 

[bullhlms]

Don't confuse a "repair install" with a re-install. The latter takes you back to ground zero.

 

[wolluf]

Just echoing bullhlms - your restore CD's option 3 (install XP Home), will almost certainly wipe your existing setup - that's what restore CD's do. Ideally, a repair reinstall would be a good idea - but you need an XP install disk to do this (also to run recovery console).

If you've got access to another machine, I'd try mounting your drive as slave, so you can retrieve your data. Then restore XP, reinstall apps etc.

Don't suppose your supplier could be persuaded to part with XP install CD?

 

[Mark411]

Thanks everyone for the heads up on option 3 install xp, I would like to get some files off the disk if possible. I asked a friend for his copy of the windows xp home, do I just put in my product ID#? When you use xp home cd, is there an option to do a repair install? Or is there some thing else I should do first?
I will check the disk in the bios as suggested.
I'll let you know how things work out.
regards Mark

 

[wolluf]

To run the repair reinstall, boot from your friends XP install CD. Choose new installation, and it should find your existing XP installation and offer to let you repair it (type R when prompted). It will now follow much the same path as normal install - you should use your XP key - 25 characters - not product id (did you get one with the restore CD? - if you didn't, I'd try recovery console and fixboot rather than repair - choose repair using recovery console instead of new install) when prompted.

Repair will keep your data, apps & settings intact - need to reapply M$ patches - but don't do it unless you have XP key.
PS. You can get key from a working version of XP -

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.html

 

[Mark411]

Hi Everyone, good news, the bios sees my hard disk, just got my friends xp home cd. Will try the repair as indicated.
I do have the 25 char XP key, will try tonight. I hope everything works out, fingers crossed!
I'll let everyone know how things turn out.
Thanks alot, Mark

 

[Mark411]

Hi people,a little snag.
I placed the win xp cd in, & booted.
It loaded windows setup files OK.
Then asked ;
-to setup win xp now press enter
-to repair a windows xp installation using recovery console press r
-to quit setup without installing win xp press F3

I pressed enter to setup windows.
I got the xp licensing agreement, I agreed

Then I got a box describing my disk,
39104 disk0@id0 on bus 0 @ atapi
setup cannot access this disk.

What does this mean? When I tried to select the disk, I get the following stop message;
A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA.

iF this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps....
...
Technical Information;
*** stop: 0x00000050 (0xD402367A, 0X00000001, 0X807E98D0, 0X00000000)
ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Or should I try to boot from the last known good configuration?
Thanks Mark

 

[wolluf]

It should have found your installation and offered to repair it at that point.
I'd suggest trying to boot into recovery console (you may have a similar problem however), and if it lets you, run chkdsk /p. If this finds/fixes any errors, I'd then try to boot your XP installation normally. If doesn't work, try repair reinstall again.
Recovery console:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q314058

Repair reinstall:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

 

[Mark411]

Hi Wolluf, et.al.
nothing happened in recovery console, similar message as before, can't access this disk.
I try the repair reinstall again?
I'm also going to try to boot from last good configuration.
regards Mark

 

[wolluf]

Mark,

Lots of Google hits on PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prmd_stp_ccgm.asp

- says might be memory problem. We haven't really investigated other possible hardware problems (all of which can cause the sort of issues you have). If you've got more than 1 stick of memory, just try booting with one (try each on its own). If not, can you borrow stick to try?

 

[Mark411]

Couldn't get the system up, I try different memory stick, same problem, I tried different graphics card (pci instead of apg)same problem. I did get a different error code when trying to install xp;
stop: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0XF99C2E4C, 0XF95D4778, 0X00000000), STILL searching on what code means.
Any way, installed a borrowed hd everything went ok, I like to try and see the failure disk if possible. I'll try using as slave.
Thanks
Mark

 

[Mark411]

Forgot to add this message when trying to install xp,setupdd.sys -Address F99C2E4C base @ F999E000, Date Stamp 3b7d8507.
Any comments appreciated!
Also, is there any software that can see or find certain files on the disk in this kind of state? Maybe some recovery program?
regards Mark