I don't want to boot from this disk!

[LPent]

I have a desktop with a SATA primary harddrive running Vista Premium x64.
I have connected a laptop harddrive to this system via USB. This I use for storage. I formatted the drive and there is a huge amount of data on it right now.

The problem is, every now and then, the system tries to boot up from this disk. I tried disabling the "boot from other devices" in BIOS, but that setting seems to reset itself.
Strangely enough, my primairy drive is set as the first boot device, so why it would try to boot from a USB drive is beyond me, anyway, the question is this:

How do I make the usb drive non-bootable short of a low-level format (There is so much data on there I hate to spend a day copying files to and fro).

 

[wolluf]

The status of the external drive is irrelevant - its the bios that's deciding to try to boot from it (so even if you removed all partitions from it, bios could still try to boot from it).

Have you checked all the settings in the bios when the external drive is connected? How does your bios define bootable devices? (some allow you to put currently attached devices in order, some have 2 sets of order - device types, then devices within each type etc). Bios settings usually only reset if the mobo battery is dead/dying - but that usually means they all reset - so for example, date and time will go back to bioses original). Are you sure you've saved the settings - not just exited?

If you've done everything correctly with ok battery and still not keeping the correct settings, sounds like an issue with the mobo/bios. Of course you could always plug he drive in after booting!

 

[wahnula]

I agree with wolluf for the most part. Connect your USB drive and boot into BIOS. Look under "Boot devices". You should be able to REMOVE the USB drive from the boot list, then save the settings (F10 on most BIOSes I've dealt with) and exit. Problem should be solved. Try booting w/o the drive, then powering down and re-connecting the drive to verify that the change is now permanent.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[LPent]

Thanks for the reply,

Yes, I double checked the BIOS settings.
Most settings retain their value, but some seem to "reset" somehow.
I have had problems with it from the start though even replaced the battery. It is not a very big issue as most of the times it is allright. Just sometimes it boots up from the USB drive and sometimes I get an error message telling me the overclock settings are wrong (but strangely enough, if I go into the bios, *don't* change anything and reboot again, the problem is gone).

Anyway, I managed to remove the boot issue by downloading "mbrwizard" which has a vista x64 version.

 

[LPent]

Oh hang on, I get you...it doesn't matter if I remove the boot from the drive does it, if bios decides it wants to boot from it, it will try anyway...hmmm. So it is a bios problem like you said.
I'll see if there is an updated bios on MSI-site and see if that helps.

 

[wahnula]

sometimes I get an error message telling me the overclock settings are wrong

This is what's re-setting the BIOS. Get that message to stop and you're golden.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[LPent]

I am guessing I get these messages because something goes wrong when the BIOS tries to read the SPD.
So I want to try to manually set the timings.
I have 2x1GB of Kingston PC-6400 (DDR2-800) modules in dual channel mode.

I found the following timings to be default for this module:

CL: 5
LRCD: 5
tRP: 5
tRAS: 18
CR: 2T
tRC: 23
tRFC: 42
tWR: 6
tWTR: 3
tRRD: 3
tRTP : 3

Which presents me with the following problem:

The lowest value I can set the tWTR and tRTP is 4. The BIOS does not give me a 3 as an option.

Any ideas?

 

[easeusptd]

I are guessing the battery of the BIOS is not working properly. Another factor may be the jumper of the CMOS is incorrect in set.

 

[LPent]

You are probably right. I am going to get another battery again, hopefully that will solve it.

 

[wahnula]

===>"Another factor may be the jumper of the CMOS is incorrect in set. "

Don't overlook this! If the CMOS jumper is shorted all the new batteries in China won't work at all...check the mainboard manual, they are usually online if you don't have one. If you don't know the motherboard's make and model, run the Belarc Advisor to find out.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[hughejars]

Turn the power switch to off on the USB drive, or unplug while you boot up.

I'm studying hard every day, so why is the learning curve appear to be heading downwards?

 

[BadBigBen]

The drive may also be set to ACTIVE, which will lead it to being recognized as a BOOT DRIVE...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."