XP Home Bootup

[New Orleans Novice]

Using XP Home. All Windows updates.

This COMPAQ PRESARIO S5100 was working fine with a 1 GIG flash drive plugged
into the front USB port and a 75 GIG plugged into the read USB port for 2
years.

Then the last MS Updates tried to install something using the External USB
HD on I:\ but it failed. Now this PC will not boot up with either USB drive
plugged in.

The External USB HD on I:\ has to be unplugged or the BIOS sits there
waiting. As soon as it is unplugged the PB boots normal.

A restore with it UnPlugged and then a MS Update, install and restart worked
fine and dandy. But when the External USB HD on I:\ is plugged in the PC
will not restart. It hangs in the BIOS untill the External USB HD on I:\
is un-plugged.

Motherboard P4G533LA ASUSTeK
Award BIOS v6.0
Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 2.60GHz
Memory DIMM SDRAM 1024
Maxtor 6Y060L0 HD, External USB 75 GIG
Creative Labs Audigy SE
Monitor Envision ENVISION
Wireless 2Wire Modem / Router
Wireless BellSouth DSL

 

[umwhat]

Windows XP does not support booting from USB devices. Because the bios is
in the boot process and because you have the bios on an attached USB device
the operating system will not start.
Any attached USB devices trying to have the Windows operating system boot
will prevent booting up.
I would think you had the operating system installed normally before you
shifted the bios to USB devices...but to my inexperience I would think as
soon as you tried any bios from USB boot would fail.

*...I am a passerby...