Disk Boot Failure

[freshegg]

Hi,

I have a win xp sp2 machine that boots up fine but after it has been on for an hour or so it crashes and displays this: (there is more but i presume this is the releavant part) "Verrifying DMI Pool Data - Boot from ATAP CD-ROM - Disk Boot Failure insert system disk and press enter"

This machine has been fine for months and has just started doing the above in the last few days - when you leave the machine (as i did for a weekend) and boot it back up it works fine but within a few hours the 'Disk Boot Failure' appears

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[erikhertzel]

I would try the following tips:

http://www.duxcw.com/faq/computer/dmi.html

Hope this helps,

Erik

 

[thedon57]

hi i believe this could help you.

Computer Hangs at "Verifying DMI Pool Data"
Last updated: 3/9/04
Q. During bootup my computer hangs at "Verifying DMI pool data." What is it and how do I fix it?

A. DMI or DesktopManagement Interface (pdf) is a layer of abstraction between system components and the software that manages them. The System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) is an extension of the Basic Input Output System (BIOS) that formulates and delivers this information to the operating system. The pool data is the information. In short, when the BIOS is "Verifying DMI pool data" it is verifying the table of data it sends to the operating system (Windows, etc.). If it isn't sucessful, it should return an error. Wait a reasonable period of time for it to finish. It may make take some time or it may be stuck. Possible fixes:

1. If you changed the hardware just before this problem occurred (e.g., installed a new hard disk drive), unchange it.

2. If you installed a new hard disk drive, set the motherboard CMOS Setup to Auto for the drive type. You may have to disconnect the drive first.

3. Enable "Reset Configuration Data" (may be "Force Update ESCD" in some CMOS Setuups) in the motherboard CMOS Setup PNP/PCI configuration. (Rebooting will automatically disabled it after it has done its thing.)

4. The CMOS may be corrupted. Clear it.

5. Disconnect all drives not required to boot the computer. If this fixes it, reconnect one at time.

6. The floppy drive may be bad or not connected properly.

7. Reseat all expansion boards.

8. Pull all boards not required to boot the computer.

Please see our Contact page if you have any comments or corrections that would make this article better. Please use our Forums if you need help with a computer or network problem.

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[freshegg]

ok guys - thanks for that - will give that a whirl and let u know how i get on

 

[linney]

Consider an overheating problem or a faulty hard drive connection cable? The DMI message that you are seeing, is that occurring after a crash, and while it is recovering and rebooting? At this point (the reboot) is there a CD in the drive?

What errors are being displayed in the Event Viewer? Look in the System or Application folder. You can get to the Event Viewer via right click My Computer icon and select Manage.

Any errors logged in the Event Viewer can be expanded by double clicking on the error line.

Take any event error I.D. number and search for it on these sites.

http://www.eventid.net/events.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/support/ee/search.aspx

Also check any "Information" line that mentions "savedump" and you should find reference to "recovered from a bug check". This is the Stop Error that caused your problem.

You can also turn off "automatically restart after an error" so it will just halt at the fault and display the full Stop Error and blue screen.

Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties .
On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery .
Click to clear the Automatically restart check box under System failure , and then click OK . The error message on a blue screen should remain on the screen so you can record the error information.

http://www.winxptutor.com/eventlog.htm

 

[tekuser999]

I agreed with Linney that this could be a heat related problem. The message "Verrifying DMI Pool Data - Boot from ATAP CD-ROM - Disk Boot Failure insert system disk and press enter" is highly suggestive that the system cannot find the hard disk and therefore cannot boot.

Next time when this happen. Switch off the computer open the case and touch the CPU heatsink and the hard disk (after touching the metal part of the case) to check for overheating.

Also can try to leave the side panel open and point a fan blowing at the computer & see if the problem comes back. This will rule out heat problem.

 

[freshegg]

ok - now when i boot up it comes up with the Disk Boot Failure message everytime - does this change anyone's advice - thanks to all of u for the quick response - appreciated

 

[linney]

Your drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software (that is bootable) which will thoroughly check your hard drive for faults.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp

Have a try with ChkDsk /r and look at the FixMbr and Fixboot commands.

266745 - Error Message When You Run fixmbr Command

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;266745&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Check out your RAM.

http://www.memtest86.com/

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Is the drive readable with this type of software?
You might be able to make use of BartPE (a mini XP self contained on a bootable CD and run from CD).

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Ultimate Boot CD.

http://www.windowsubcd.com/index.htm

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

 

[Zych]

If the machine is restarted and not allowed to cool down it could still be a heat problem. It may also be a memory problem. In the above post there is a link to the Ultimate Boot CD. I would use this to boot and run Memtest86. If it runs fine for a couple of hours it probabley is not a heat or memory problem, but if you start getting errors or it will not boot the CD at all it is a hardware problem of some type. I had some of these problems with AMD systems. It seems that the OEM fan on some of the XP processors fails after awhile.

 

[freshegg]

hi guys - thank u all for ur help - it was the hard drive as it wasn't mounted properly so i replaced it with another one and all was fine - i understand that if a hard drive is not mounted on both sides the disk can spin against other components and damage it. correct me if i'm wrong

thanks again for ur help on this

 

[thedon57]

Hi not sure whether you are correct but i have come across hard drives where they have been standing on their end.
But i agree with you best secure, then again could of have a flaw in it from the makers.

Anyway glad everything ok, you learnt something that there are people out there willing to help.



See my own website at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Selfbuilt_conputer,

backed up by all updates, and sercurities.