Keeps Asking For Boot Disk !!!

[Vicki Downs]

Got a computer with XP pro, keeps asking for boot disk on Start up then
after a reboot it boots up fine, now its going straight into Safe Mode, any
help would be appreciated.

 

[Malke]

Got a computer with XP pro, keeps asking for boot disk on Start up
then after a reboot it boots up fine, now its going straight into Safe
Mode, any help would be appreciated.

I'm sorry, but this isn't enough information to get a good answer. What
is the exact error message? When exactly does the error message appear?
If it appears before there is any sign of Windows being loaded, you are
having hardware problems, perhaps a failing hard drive. If you can't
do the troubleshooting yourself, take the machine to a good local
computer repair shop (not a Best Buy or CompUSA type of store). If you
post back for more help, go here first:

http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


Malke

 

[Vicki Downs]

There are no error messages except, "Invalid boot disk, please insert
correct boot disk and press enter" there are no disks in any dives, if the
reset button is pressed it starts up fine until the next boot. Now it is
starting up in safe mode on reset and wont boot into the proper operating
system. This is not my machine by the way, but a friends who cannot post at
the moment because of the problems he is having. He was having incompatible
memory problems so I suspect hardware issues.
Viki

 

[Malke]

There are no error messages except, "Invalid boot disk, please insert
correct boot disk and press enter" there are no disks in any dives, if
the reset button is pressed it starts up fine until the next boot. Now
it is starting up in safe mode on reset and wont boot into the proper
operating system. This is not my machine by the way, but a friends who
cannot post at the moment because of the problems he is having. He was
having incompatible memory problems so I suspect hardware issues.
Viki

(snip my own stuff)

Yes, see that *was* the error message and if we'd known that in the
first post, could have addressed it then. Since this message appears at
POST, before Windows is loaded, this is not an operating system
problem. See if the hard drive is seen in the BIOS. If not, then open
the machine and reseat everything. Swap out cables. Download a
diagnostic utility from the hard drive mftr. And, as I said in my
previous post, if you can't do hardware t-shooting yourself, take the
machine to a repair shop.

Malke

 

[noone]

Got a computer with XP pro, keeps asking for boot disk on Start up then
after a reboot it boots up fine, now its going straight into Safe Mode, any
help would be appreciated.

Could be a problem with the hard drive spin up times being to long so that
the drive isn't mounted before the PC tries to boot.

Some BIOS allow a delay after POST to allow the HD time to spin up and
mount. If your's does, try increasing the delay. If your BIOS doesn't
support this delay, set the BIOS to boot from the CD drive, then the 3.5
floppy and then the HD. Set the BIOS to perform a floppy seek at startup.

If this doesn't help I'd investigate the health of the HD and back
everything up ASAP. Could be that the drive is dying.


Dave in Columbus