[sucker]

The strangest problem ever (i have reported it earlier here: http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-2092106.php)

Basically, my computer won't restart but i can shut it down/ start without any problem.
Here's some technical data: it's a barebone notebook made by Compal, it's called DFY30. I bought it without HDD and without processor, and i installed a HDD and a P4 2.4 processor from an old barebone that i had to ditch for some other hardware problem, not related to the HDD. i started it WITHOUt reinstalling windows and once it gained all the drivers for the new devices it was working fine, except it would not restart. When i would click on restart it would shut down and then give me a HARD DISK ERROR (more on that below).

Following common sense (and some advice from you fellows) i have reformated the harddisk and reinstalled everything from scratch. Now (as before) i am running XPSP2 fully updated. I have even repartiioned the HDD (which is a 40G one) to one 10G partition for the system and another one for data. But it still won't restart. Again: when i" restart"it crashes on the DISK ERROR. but when i shut it down and then start it again it works flawlessly. and it's not randiom, it always does the same.

Here is the full error, for whatever it's worth (maybe somebody can translate it for me):

HARD DISK ERROR!!
L2 Cache: 512 installed

Intel UNDI PXE - 2.0 (build 082)
copyright 1997 - 2000 intel corp
SiS 900 PXE BOOT ROM v1.09. Hook int 18

CLIENT MAC ADDR - 00 02 3F07E5A9
PXE-E51: NO DHCP or DHCP offers were received
PXE-M0F: EXITING INTEL PXE ROM

After showing this error it goes to a prompt where i have to pick boot volume. if i pick HDD it goes back to the same window. But if i turn the power off and start again it works just fine.

The other strange thing is the BIOS, which allows me to change virtually nothing except the boot order. Teh BIOS seems to be branded "INSYDE SOFTWARE SCU" and it gives me some info on the hardware configuration (without allowing me to change anything such as activate/ descativate ports, which is something i was trying to do recently).

Now, with the risk of embarrassing myself i will expose my two theories on this:

1. The BIOS somehow won't work well with the hardware/ HDD, in which case i would like to flash the bios. But it seems this is a rather obscure system, so where could i find the updated firmware (compal DFY30 is the system, not sure i have the S/N of the Motherboard, but i do have another long number from teh BIOS which says: "UUID - 3634383730613335643700023F07E5A9), in another place when the error appears, this string figures with GUID instead of UUID. Also, the BIOS seems to be version 1.10.

2. The HDD shuts down too slow, and by the time the computer attempts to boot at restart, it is is not yet shut down (whether that phisically possible or not i couldn't know).

Anyway, i am giving you all this info in the hope that one of you may understand something out of all this gibbersih and can elighten me. While i can work on my noteboohk like this (i simply never use "restart"), it is intriguing and frustrating and i would very much like to solve this problem.

Oh yea: HDD is probably ok as it was working mint when i took it off the old one. i also managed to format it /u and reinstall XP on it without any problem. I have never tried to put another HDD on this computer thiough

any help appreciated. Thanks,
s

[muckshifter]

You got me, but it is not too uncommon ... have a look here, and see if something helps;

http://aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.php

[sucker]

thanks muck, i'll check that link carefully. Just wanted to add one more thing: i have the feeling it's not related to XP. the reason i am saying this is because when i was partitioning/ formatting the HDD (booting from a system disk), i have restarted and whaddya know: the same error (and there was no OS whatsoever on the HDD, it was freshly formatted and repartitioned).

thanks again,
s

[muckshifter]

XP can indeed be a mean bugger to get some hardware to work ... so as that has been somewhat eliminated, only to a point ... what method of "format & partition" were you using ... 'cos I would recomend the XP CD for this.
Anyway, have a good look, you never know the site may just hit the nail on the head ... though I stongly think you may have to live with it.

[sucker]

hi Muck:

just through reading that site: interesting stuff there and a few interesting links, but nothing helpful on this particular issue. especially that is trongly feel it is not related to teh OS.

The problem was identical before partition, and i have indeed used teh XPCD to partition the disk. i have then formate the system partition with the same CD and then formated the data partition in XP after installation.

Listen: what do you think about teh BIOS theory? should i attempt to flash the bios, maybe that's where the problem is. I am not sure if this site supports immages, coz i could make a few pictures of the bios interface and post them here, maybe somebody can help me find an updated firmware or otherwise give me a few hints on flashing.

thanks,
s

[muckshifter]

I would only "Flash the BIOS" if indeed it will solve the problem, AND, 100% sure it is the right BIOS.

You have the added problem of actually finding the right BIOS for your MB

your 'error' message makes comment on your LAN card ... can you in the BIOS 'disable' "onboard LAN boot Rom".

you can indeed upload snapshots here and I'll take a stab.

[sucker]

here are a few snaps of differeent stages. i have included a snap of the full error as well as all available windows/ options in BIOS. the last one is a snap of the data that gets listed for a fraction of a second before the BIOS interface loads. sorry about the quality, i made them with a cell phone camera (nothing else in my office) and then decreased the size to make the uploading easy. If you cannot read them let me knwo and i will upload them in higher resolution.

thanks,
s

[muckshifter]

Ok, that helps ...

go to 'boot/boot sequence' and change it ... to first boot to IDE 0 (thats a zero) and also untick/disable 'boot rom' or maybe called "onboard LAN boot Rom". whatever, need to disable that if you can. Not too concerned about booting to CD Rom first, but if you can get it to boot to IDE first, that would help.

Untick "quiet boot" ... should give you more info' and get to actually see what is happening at boot.

The last screen-shot I cannot read ... but if you could tell me what the first 4 lines say ... press the "Pause/Break key" should freeze the screen for you ... will help me also.

[sucker]

Muck:

sound advice, but it isn't working because this bios won't give me any options as the ones you are saying. I am attaching two more snaps, one of the only setting interface i have under Boot sequence and the other one is a clearer snap of the one you couldn't read earlier.

(how dodgy can it get, just look at the spelling of floppy in the first snap, in the BIOS interface)

[muckshifter]

uh oh ...
http://www.driverzone.com/viewcommen...e&masterid=904

no help here either
http://www.insydesw.com.tw/en/index.asp

http://resource.intel.com/programs/c...?coid=10405149

... sorry to say, looks like your stuck with it.