I have an HP PC computer with a single built in hard drive which
contains Windows XP. Recently, when I turn computer power on to
start computer, it the computer does not access the hard drive that
contains XP.

I am able to boot up only by pressing the ESC key when starting the
computer, which forces the computer to
access the BOOT MENU screen. Once there, I must select the single
hard drive, and then exit the boot menu and the Windows completes the
boot process.

Is there anything I can do to force the BIOS to access the hard drive
automatically, and not one of the other USB flash drives, so that
these extra steps are not required?

All replies welcomed! Aaron

Put the HD as the 1st boot device in the BIOS
then SAVE and exit.........
let us know if that does not work

peter

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<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:966c63ac-4454-4c09-a999-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have an HP PC computer with a single built in hard drive which
> contains Windows XP. Recently, when I turn computer power on to
> start computer, it the computer does not access the hard drive that
> contains XP.
>
> I am able to boot up only by pressing the ESC key when starting the
> computer, which forces the computer to
> access the BOOT MENU screen. Once there, I must select the single
> hard drive, and then exit the boot menu and the Windows completes the
> boot process.
>
> Is there anything I can do to force the BIOS to access the hard drive
> automatically, and not one of the other USB flash drives, so that
> these extra steps are not required?
>
> All replies welcomed! Aaron

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I have an HP PC computer with a single built in hard drive which
> contains Windows XP. Recently, when I turn computer power on to
> start computer, it the computer does not access the hard drive that
> contains XP.
>
> I am able to boot up only by pressing the ESC key when starting the
> computer, which forces the computer to
> access the BOOT MENU screen. Once there, I must select the single
> hard drive, and then exit the boot menu and the Windows completes the
> boot process.
>
> Is there anything I can do to force the BIOS to access the hard drive
> automatically, and not one of the other USB flash drives, so that
> these extra steps are not required?
>
> All replies welcomed! Aaron

Enter the BIOS and correct the boot order:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Remember to save your changes!

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I have an HP PC computer with a single built in hard drive which
> contains Windows XP. Recently, when I turn computer power on to
> start computer, it the computer does not access the hard drive that
> contains XP.
>
> I am able to boot up only by pressing the ESC key when starting the
> computer, which forces the computer to
> access the BOOT MENU screen. Once there, I must select the single
> hard drive, and then exit the boot menu and the Windows completes the
> boot process.
>
> Is there anything I can do to force the BIOS to access the hard drive
> automatically, and not one of the other USB flash drives, so that
> these extra steps are not required?
>
> All replies welcomed! Aaron

Is the hard drive being detected in time, to be considered a candidate
for booting ? Maybe you should change a BIOS setting, such that the
POST (power up test) takes longer to execute, giving the hard drive
more time to start. For example, enable the short memory test that
some motherboards do. Since it is an HP computer, it might not have
a lot of options like that to choose from.

Another thing you can check, is download a copy of HDTune.

(Free version)
http://www.hdtune.com/files/hdtune_255.exe

Use the "SMART" tab, to view the SMART statistics from the hard
drive. Perhaps the hard drive has some problems, and the SMART
statistics can tell you whether the drive is failing.

This is an example of some SMART statistics. If any are marked
as "failing", that might hint that the hard drive has a problem.

http://pics.blutschlumpf.de/hdd/6268_health.png

Paul