DTarasev said:
I recently reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP Pro. But for some odd
reason it will not boot if my second HD is attached. It is read correctly
in
BIOS and the jumpers are correct, the HDs are also on seperate IDE
channels.
I tried it on two other computers and it is read perfectly fine.
This is what happens exactly : I turn on my computer and it goes through
the
BIOS checks an such. When it is time for Windows to begin booting, nothing
happens, I get a black screen. And it stays that way indefinatly.
The reason I post this here is becuase this only happens when it trys to
boot Windows. This may be a BIOS issue or somtheing though.
Is there any reason why this should or could be happening on my computer
but not the two others I have tried?
Thanks ahead of time guys!
DTarasev:
Just so we correctly understand the problem:
1. You have a perfectly functioning HD with XP installed on that drive. You
know the drive is functioning perfectly because when you've installed it on
two different computers, other than the one where you're having this
problem, the drive boots without a problem and functions properly. Is that
right? (It's interesting that you can get that drive to boot when it's
installed in two different systems - I assume all three machines have
different make/model motherboards and different make/model components, e.g.,
processors, RAM, drives, etc. But we'll let that pass).
(Hmmm. Now that I've re:read your posting you say that the drive was "read
perfectly fine" in those two other computers. You actually didn't say you
were able to boot to that drive, just that you had it connected as a
secondary drive so its contents could be accessed. Is that it? You've never
been able to boot to that drive, only access its contents?)
2. When you install the drive in your "problem" machine, it boots &
functions properly as long as you don't have that second HD connected. Is
that right?
3. So the problem arises *only* when a secondary HD is connected, right?
4. Assuming I have this all right, tell us this...
a: Your "problem" drive is connected as Primary Master, right? And your
secondary drive is connected somewhere on the Secondary IDE channel. Is this
correct?
b: You're absolutely sure that you've properly connected/jumpered both
drives, yes? Absolutely sure. Any chance that the IDE data cable may be
defective? Have you tried connecting the "problem" drive as Secondary Master
and the second drive as Secondary Slave? Same problem?
..
c: What's on that second drive? Just data, or is there a bootable operating
system?
d: Since you apparently have two other machines at your disposal, what
happens if you connect bootable drives from those machines and install them
in your machine? Same problem?
e: Did this problem occur *only* after you re:formatted the drive? No
problems prior to that time?
Now that I think about it - assuming that you've never been able to boot to
that drive in your computer or the other two that you mentioned, do you
think there's a likelihood that the XP reinstall went awry? Did you try
another installation of the OS?
Anna
