"Operating System Not Found"

[Guest]

I've got a nasty problem. When I restart my computer, all I get is a black
screen with the message "Unable to Find Operating System."

However, the computer will boot up normally if I insert an XP boot diskette
into drive A:

I've even tried restoring my C: drive from a Norton Ghost image. I go
through the whole process successfully, but still I just get the black screen
with "Operating System Not Found" unless I insert my XP boot diskette again,
and then it boots normally to the restored image.

But unless I start the computer with my XP boot diskette in drive A:, it
won't boot and I that error message again.

Help!

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Booting from the A drive has nothing to do with the Windows installation on
C:, which is why it boots quite happily.. have you tried booting from an XP
CD?..

Ghost will only replace an image to a drive that is working properly.. it
would appear that your boot drive has lost it's format..

If you want to preserve your data on the drive, you will either have to
place the drive in another machine and use a recovery program to get your
files, or buy a new drive, install Windows onto it and then recover your
files from the OS on the new drive..

Personally, I would not trust the drive to work as a boot drive in the
future, so getting a new one would be a prerequisite of mine..

 

[Tony]

I've got a nasty problem. When I restart my computer, all I get is a black
screen with the message "Unable to Find Operating System."

However, the computer will boot up normally if I insert an XP boot
diskette
into drive A:

I've even tried restoring my C: drive from a Norton Ghost image. I go
through the whole process successfully, but still I just get the black
screen
with "Operating System Not Found" unless I insert my XP boot diskette
again,
and then it boots normally to the restored image.

But unless I start the computer with my XP boot diskette in drive A:, it
won't boot and I that error message again.

Help!

You might have a corrupt boot sector. Have a look at
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prkd_tro_evwd.asp