[torchomatic]

Firstly, my PC:

AMD Athlon 64 3400+
1 GB RAM
Microstar MSI MS 6741 UATX Motherboard
Via K8T800 Chipset with 8237 South Bridge
BIOS: Via VT8237 SATA RAID Ver 4.00

OK, I was just burning a DVD yesterday when I had the blue screen of death. I've had these every now and then with various PCs, so I just rebooted and thought everything would be hunky dory.

However, now the PC will not boot, on start up I get an error: Boot Failure From Previous Device

I also get the following on screen during the boot up process:

Raid
None define
None Raid
Serial CH0_master ST30822AS
Serial CH1_slave ST30822AS

The pc then states Book failure and restarts and loops like this.

I've tried to boot from last good configuration and all that, but I'm still stuck in the same loop.

I did have a look in the BIOS (which I'v enever messed with!) and I get the options to Create Array, Delete Array, etc. When I look at the Select Boot Array option, there's nothing listed, so I presume that's my problem.

Is there anyway I can salvage the situation without destroying my data on the disks? Yep, you've guessed it, no back ups done!

Any help would be appreciated. I have looked on the Internet, but as it's the BIOS it all goes over my head.

Thanks in advance.

Simon

[psd99]

tell us about your harddrives

which ones u got?

Do you have raid?

[torchomatic]

I have two 200GB hard drives (factory installed). According to my bumph they are Serial ATA Drives - Western Digital.

I'm not sure about RAID but I imagine I would have with the two drives and the motherboard.

Hope that makes sense.

[psd99]

alrite making some sense now

okay

u said u have a blue screen error

1.does your pc get past bios?

2. i presume this blue screen error comes up just after the black xp screen?

3. please post more details of what this screen is telling you.

4. is it the case where just after bios u are getting a black screen which gives u an error message?


5. last note u said u didnt back up, obviously the operating system is installed on only one of the 200gb hardrives
could be a case where u mite have to reinstall windows xp. how much data have u not backed up?

im not very sure on how raid works in still learning. but i think prehaps reinstalling windows on the other harddrive mite get around the problem on a temp basis.
long term soultion is to wait here till the pros get a word in for you.
maybe then things will become hunky dory!

[Me__2001]

sounds like a corrupt MBR, you'll need to repair it with your CD, but if its a pre built system i think you can only do a format and reinstall

[Techy]

Use the recovery console, can be ran from the install CD

once in run "fixmbr" & "fixboot"

the above will only resolve this issue if it is a problem with system volume. probably an idea to run a diag check on your disks, tools for the job can be found from manuafacturers website.

[torchomatic]

I only got the blue screen once, which was when I restarted the PC, so I don't get it any other time.

The PC boots, lists the messages as per my original message "Raid, none define" etc. It then states that there's been a boot failure from previous device and then it restarts itself.

Someone else suggested I take the battery out from my motherboard and leave it for a while, which I did, but again this didn't seem to make any difference.

Do you think any kind of emergency boot disk will enable me to get in and try and save some files?

[psd99]

Originally Posted by torchomatic

Someone else suggested I take the battery out from my motherboard and leave it for a while, which I did, but again this didn't seem to make any difference.

Do you think any kind of emergency boot disk will enable me to get in and try and save some files?

taking the battery out will just waste valuable energy
dont bother
what a silly suggestion!!!

another option to save your data like i said install xp on one of the harrrdrives that hasnt got xp already on it
make sure u completly disconnect the hardrrive with the data on it

if not just take out the harrdrive stick it into a mates pc
and copy over the data
the only ways if u cant fix the installation,

[torchomatic]

I forgot to mention that I get two bleeps from the machine before it reboots. Is this significant?

[Me__2001]

the beeps are very useful, two beeps i think means a POST/CMOS error you may want to check with your motherboard manual, resetting the BIOS by removing the battery may work if that is the problem