PC shut off - "insert boot disc"?

[hubieb]

I woke up today, and my computer was off. The screen said something like "insert boot disc".

I did, and it booted up, but now I need to insert the winXP disc everytime I start-up.

What's going on? Do I need a new computer?

Hubie the Nubie

 

[BadBigBen]

Mostlikely the MBR of the HDD got corrupted...

Boot with the XP Boot CD, as if you would install it, and go into the REPAIR option (Recovery Console - the first time you are asked about Repair)...

once logged onto the console enter the following commands:

Fixmbr (this will repair the MBR)
chkdsk /f (this will force a drive check (actually the File System))

the following may be needed or not, depending on the situation:

fixboot (this will fix any corruption of the boot files)...

Ben

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

 

[sggaunt]

Just for starters is that all the message said?

Your 'Boot order' may have been corrupted in the BIOS.
If everything is normal when it does get going, go into the BIOS (by pressing DEL during Boot usually) and check that it is set to Boot from the C Drive(hardrive),if this info is lost it may attempt to boot from the CDrom.



Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[SBelyea]

Can you tell us exactly what the message says when you do not have the Windows XP CD in the drive at boot? There may be a simple solution to this problem, but we'll need to know what we are dealing with first.

 

[linney]

Have a look at this very similar thread from last week.

Will not boot, invalid system disk
thread779-1486747