Boot up failure

[Bill Ridgeway]

I have a computer which, on boot up, consistently shows the error message
"Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot
device and press a key" - and doesn't go any further.

I have checked all connections. The hard disk is seen OK in CMOS. I
suspect either the hard disk is faulty or corrupt.

Is my diagnosis correct and, if not, what may be causing this problem
please?

Thanks.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Brian A.]

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

I have a computer which, on boot up, consistently shows the error message "Reboot
and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press
a key" - and doesn't go any further.

I have checked all connections. The hard disk is seen OK in CMOS. I suspect
either the hard disk is faulty or corrupt.

If you suspect a faulting or corrupt disk run a diagnostic utility to check the
disks integrity downloadable from the disk manufacturers support site.

Is my diagnosis correct and, if not, what may be causing this problem please?

Possibly, possibly not. It may be the boot.ini is corrupt or the MBR, hard to say.
Will the system boot to Safe Mode?

A few things to try:
Two ways to make it easy:
1)
Click Start > Run, type in: msconfig and press Enter.
Click the Boot.ini tab.
Click on an entry if more than one's listed under OS's in the upper window to hilite
it.
Click the selection box next to /Safeboot to add it to the hilit OS entry.
Select an option on the right by clicking one of the selection tic circles to add it
to the hilit OS entry.
Change the Timeout which is in Seconds to a value you feel comfortable with.
Click Apply > Ok.
Reboot.
If only one OS was listed the machine will boot to Safe Mode. If more than one was
listed you will boot to an OS boot menu, use the up/down arrow within the timeout
limit to select the SafeBoot entry if not selected and press Enter to boot to Safe
Mode.

2)
Copy/paste the below into the boot.ini and edit it to match what's present up to and
including the = sign.

Or copy/paste what's already present and edit the line to add /SB:Minum to the end of
the entry already listed.

Note: To help against human error, ^ = 1 space. If you copy/paste, delete the ^
and make sure you have/leave 1 space, it's very prudent to boot properly. If you
decide to type in the entry, don't type the ^'s. Although you could change the name
in the quotes if you wanted, make sure the quotes are not removed.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MS XP Pro Safe Mode" ^ /fastdetect ^
/safeboot:minimal

You can get to and edit the boot.ini in a few other ways aside from msconfig:
Right click MyComputer.
Click Properties > Advanced tab > "Startup and Recovery" Settings button > Edit
button.

Open either MyComputer or Explorer.
Boot.ini is in the %root% c:\ but may be hidden and/or need the attributes changed,
if not hidden open it in Notepad to edit/save.

If it is hidden:
On the Menu bar click Tools > Folder Options > Views tab.
Scroll down and under "Hidden files and Folders" change the selection to "Show hidden
files and folders".
Unselect "Hide extensions for know file types" and "Hide protected operating system
files".
Click Apply > Ok.
Open/edit/save using Notepad.

If you need to remove attributes and edit boot.ini anther way:
Start > Run, type in: cmd and press Enter.
At the prompt type each command below pressing Enter after each, note ^ = 1 space:

attrib ^ -r ^ -s ^ -h ^ c:\boot.ini
edit c:\boot.ini You may have to use the KB to navigate in order to edit.

When finished editing replace the attributes and close the cmd window:

attrib ^ +r ^ +s ^ +h ^ c:\boot.ini
exit

If none of the above work and you still have trouble getting to Safe Mode, you may
have to boot to the Recovery Console in order to edit the boot.ini.



Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314058

How to enable an administrator to log on automatically in Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312149

How to install the Windows Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;216417



How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654

How to remove Windows Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555032



How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/en-us

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434/en-us



How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

 

[Bill Ridgeway]

Thanks Brian A.

This HD wasn't going anywhere in its parent box so I transferred it to my
computer (as a secondary master) where it gave a regular wimpish stutter and
stopped the computer from booting. Diagnosis - failed HD.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Brian A.]

Thanks Brian A.

This HD wasn't going anywhere in its parent box so I transferred it to my computer
(as a secondary master) where it gave a regular wimpish stutter and stopped the
computer from booting. Diagnosis - failed HD.

I'd have to question that since it is most likely setup as a Primary volume with
the Active bit set. It may have been a battle between the disks on which gets
control of the boot to which OS.

Two other things you could try:
Format a floppy disk on another PX machine with the exact same OS.
Put a floppy disk in the FD and open a command prompt.
Click Start > Run, type in: cmd and press Enter.
At the prompt type: format a: and press Enter.
Copy the NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR files from the i386 folder of a XP install disk to
the floppy. If you do not have quick access to an XP install disk see one of the
links below. You must have the proper disks and if the links provided are not,
scroll to the bottom of the page at either link for other disks:

Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot
Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...07-99f7-4a2d-983d-81c2137ff464&DisplayLang=en

Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot
Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...8d-5e10-49b5-b80c-0a0205368124&DisplayLang=en

Once you have the (2) files mentioned above copied to the floppy, copy or create a
boot.ini file to the floppy. If the parameters in the boot.ini don't match your
systems drive setup, edit the file in Notepad to match your configuration.

Once all 3 files are on the floppy use it to boot up. You must have XP installed
on the machine your using the disk to boot to.

If that fails to get you anywhere, try booting with an BootitNG floppy and Enter
it's disk maintanence.
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/image.html

Create the boot disk as suggested in the manual:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads/ifd_manual.pdf

Once created boot up with the BING boot disk in the drive.
Do not select to install BING when prompted, Click ?"Cancel"? and it will boot to
Maintanence Mode where you can remove the Active bit and check your drive. If you
can remove the Active bit, install the disk back in your machine as a Slave and see
if the machine will boot without crapping out.

Another thought is to see if you can access the data on the disk if all the above
fails.
NTFS Reader for DOS: http://www.ntfs.com/products.htm

You might be interested in a read through: http://www.ntfs.com/



And one last thought would be to try booting with a BartPE boot disk:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/



--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Bill Ridgeway]

Brian,

The sequence of events since my original post is -

The host computer used to boot up
The host computer does not now boot up
The host computer recognises the HD in CMOS
The host computer produces an error message but doesn't get anywhere near
looking at the HD

When the HD is installed (primary master) into my computer
My computer does not now boot up
My computer recognises the HD in CMOS
My computer produces an error message but doesn't get anywhere near looking
at the HD

When the HD is installed (secondary master) into my computer
My computer starts to boot but gets no further then the "Windows XP" screen"
There is from the HD (which I can hear and feel) a regular beet (about two
or three second cycle)

Sounds like it's dead to me!

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions