Hard drive won't boot but startup will

[ProblemChild223]

Hey everybody maybe some has some ideas.

had the ntldr missing problem. copied ntldr, ntdetect and boot.ini to floppy. copied to root. system will boot from floppy but not from HD. Also willnot boot from xps CD but will boot from other CD's such as linux and original gateway.

???????

Thanks

 

[wolluf]

sounds like your XP install CD is damaged (assuming files are ok, you can create another - eg

http://www.etplanet.com/download/guides/nero.html).

You probably need to repair the boot sector for XP to boot from HD (need to run fixboot from recovery console -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654).

You can also use the 6 floppy set to start XP install - to get into recovery console -

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm.

 

[ProblemChild223]

The XP disk will boot in my other computer. As to not booting from hdd. Boot.ini is the same for the floppy and the root on hdd. It's like it's not reading the mbr on the hdd. When I boot with the floppy in it'll boot to xp ok.

Tommorrow I will try to download those floppy startups. need some more floppies. Thanks wolluf. Will try to run recovery console and fixboot and fixmbr. I s**ks what you have to do to repair xp.

Thanks everybody

 

[roandrob]

I Have the same problem with an intel motherboard and two hard drives. For some reason the BIOS changes itself to boot from a non existant network boot. I have to go into the BIOS about once every two or three months and change first boot device (in the hard disk category) back to the hard drive with the system files installed on it. This never happened before I switched to windows xp and I have no idea how to stop it. Theoretically this can not happen. Wish you luck

 

[wolluf]

ProblemChild223 - hope you're sorted. Its not the boot sector files (boot.ini, ntldr, ntdetect.com), which it sounds like you have correctly in place, but the boot sector itself that's likely causing problem (fixboot will sort that). If still a problem, you may have a hardware issue. Also, the CD or the CD/DVD drive may be slightly damaged (if CD ok, and boots in one machine, it should boot in the problem machine, given that you say other CDs do boot). So, it might be worth creating a backup XP install CD (as per that website) - which also might boot in problem machine.
Note - if you read the recovery console article, you can see that its 'installable'. If you do install it, just need to copy the updated boot.ini to your floppy to boot recovery console from there.

 

[ProblemChild223]

I have the recover console installed. When I choose it, still from the floppy boot disk, I get a missing or corrupted hal.dll. When I choose xp pro it boots. I have a setup disk that is for my laptop. It doesn't load because it's from another computer. But it should spit me out to DOS with CDrom control. I tried the startup disk that you make in XP in the format menu and spits me to DOS but without CDrom contol. I'll try that then I'll try downoad

Thanks again for all the info. Ya'll are a great help.

 

[wolluf]

XP format menu startup disk is a cut down version of ME startup disk - if you want one with CD support, go to

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

(win98 or ME) - but won't help load recovery console (and no access to ntfs filestore without additional software).

 

[ProblemChild223]

wolluf, I used a ME startup disk which gave me CDrom support. But I can't start setup with is. I get the message that this program can't run in Dos mode??? How do I run setup from Dos

Thanks

Andre

 

[wolluf]

Not sure what you're trying to do.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307848

tells you how to start XP setup from dos - but I thought you wanted recovery console....

 

[ProblemChild223]

Hey wolluf

That link was great. So far it seems to be just what I needed. I should be able to get to the Recovery Console from there. Once there I will try to fix this machine. I'll keep you posted.

Andre

 

[ProblemChild223]

I was finally able to get into Recovery Console. Performed fixboot and fixmbr. checked boot.ini with rd command. scanned drive with bootcfg /scan and this found the OS. figured I had it licked. Went to reboot and system still can't fint ntldr!!!

I'm hoping I don't have to reinstall


Andre

 

[ProblemChild223]

well tried everything. ended up just reinstalling

THanks for all the help

 

[wolluf]

c'est la vie! - hope your new install stays ok.