Problem booting to Windows

daveyp · 01-05-2008, 10:13 AM

Hi there,

I keep having problems booting to windows, when powering on the pc I get one of these three problems:

Sticks on Windows loading screen - just loads for ever and the hard drive makes no sound at all, so it doesn't appear to actually be doing anything.
Disk boot error please insert system disk and press enter
Disk Error, Press Any Key To Restart

Sometimes it successfully boots to Windows and then freezes later on, or sometimes (like now) it boots to Windows and runs fine. I've tried unplugging the cable on the hard drive and plugging it back in and that seems to make a difference so I'm thinking it's a dodgy connection. Is there anyway to test what the problem is? Could it be a Windows problem rather than a hard drive issue?

I was thinking of buying a new SATA cable to see if that's the issue but I imagine it's more likely to be the connector on the drive itself rather than the cable.

Specs:

CPU: AMD athlon 64 - 3200+ (2.0 ghz)
RAM: 1gb ddr PC3200, 512 ddr PC3200
Graphics card: GeForce 8800GTS
Hard drive: Western Digital WD3200KS 320GB SATAII 16MB Cache 7200 RPM - OEM
Motherboard: MSI RS480M2-IL
Other: Front panel card reader, audio and 2 x usb2 ports.

01-05-2008, 11:04 AM

Shut down and Open your computer with a screwdriver and look for the SATA cable connecting to your drive. Push it in tighter and restart your computer, and see if this helps. If not so got to STEP 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP2

Insert the Windows Disk.
Restart your computer and press any key when the disk asks you to. Then access the recovery console and type in the following command:

"chkdsk /r" (notice the space)

If it repairs any bad sectors please post back here and restart your computer to see if that fixes it. If not go to STEP 3.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP 3

Download the WD Diagnostic Tool from the link and burn it to a disk. Then boot up from the disk and run the Extended Test. Then reply back if your drive is dead or not.

daveyp · 01-05-2008, 12:44 PM

Thanks for the help,

STEP 1
I try unplugging and replugging the cable every time i get the problem and it does seem to make a bit of difference. i.e When i'm getting boot errors, i fiddle with the cable and then get as far as the windows loading screen, and sometimes even in to windows. It varies a lot. Sometimes i'll just get another boot error message.

STEP 2
I tried this already whilst inside windows, which scheduled one for after my restart. It took around 2 hours to complete, which seems a very long time for a check disk. It didn't say that it found any errors however.

Shall I run this again but this time from the windows disc as you suggested, or is it not necessary to do it again?

STEP 3
I've already tried this whilst in windows, but i'll give it another go from the disc.

daveyp · 03-23-2008, 08:10 PM

I'm still having problems with this.

Just to provide an update on what's happening:

Sometimes when I turn on my PC I will be met with the 'Disk boot failure, Insert system disk and press enter' screen.

After turning it on and off a few times it will eventually work.

On the times where it will not boot the hard drive is not showing up in the bios or boot list.

I don't have a floppy drive and my CD drive is empty.

It seems to be completely random whether or not I have this problem, sometimes I can carry the PC all the way to another house and not have any problems, where as other times I will turn it off for the night and it wont turn back on in the morning.

Any ideas what the cause could be?

01-05-2008, 10:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
daveyp Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 30 OS: xp home	Problem booting to Windows Hi there, I keep having problems booting to windows, when powering on the pc I get one of these three problems: Sticks on Windows loading screen - just loads for ever and the hard drive makes no sound at all, so it doesn't appear to actually be doing anything. Disk boot error please insert system disk and press enter Disk Error, Press Any Key To Restart Sometimes it successfully boots to Windows and then freezes later on, or sometimes (like now) it boots to Windows and runs fine. I've tried unplugging the cable on the hard drive and plugging it back in and that seems to make a difference so I'm thinking it's a dodgy connection. Is there anyway to test what the problem is? Could it be a Windows problem rather than a hard drive issue? I was thinking of buying a new SATA cable to see if that's the issue but I imagine it's more likely to be the connector on the drive itself rather than the cable. Specs: CPU: AMD athlon 64 - 3200+ (2.0 ghz) RAM: 1gb ddr PC3200, 512 ddr PC3200 Graphics card: GeForce 8800GTS Hard drive: Western Digital WD3200KS 320GB SATAII 16MB Cache 7200 RPM - OEM Motherboard: MSI RS480M2-IL Other: Front panel card reader, audio and 2 x usb2 ports.

01-05-2008, 11:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
techpro5238 Guest Posts: n/a OS:	Re: Problem booting to Windows Shut down and Open your computer with a screwdriver and look for the SATA cable connecting to your drive. Push it in tighter and restart your computer, and see if this helps. If not so got to STEP 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STEP2 Insert the Windows Disk. Restart your computer and press any key when the disk asks you to. Then access the recovery console and type in the following command: "chkdsk /r" (notice the space) If it repairs any bad sectors please post back here and restart your computer to see if that fixes it. If not go to STEP 3. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STEP 3 Download the WD Diagnostic Tool from the link and burn it to a disk. Then boot up from the disk and run the Extended Test. Then reply back if your drive is dead or not.

01-05-2008, 12:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
daveyp Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 30 OS: xp home	Re: Problem booting to Windows Thanks for the help, STEP 1 I try unplugging and replugging the cable every time i get the problem and it does seem to make a bit of difference. i.e When i'm getting boot errors, i fiddle with the cable and then get as far as the windows loading screen, and sometimes even in to windows. It varies a lot. Sometimes i'll just get another boot error message. STEP 2 I tried this already whilst inside windows, which scheduled one for after my restart. It took around 2 hours to complete, which seems a very long time for a check disk. It didn't say that it found any errors however. Shall I run this again but this time from the windows disc as you suggested, or is it not necessary to do it again? STEP 3 I've already tried this whilst in windows, but i'll give it another go from the disc.

03-23-2008, 08:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
daveyp Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 30 OS: xp home	Re: Problem booting to Windows I'm still having problems with this. Just to provide an update on what's happening: Sometimes when I turn on my PC I will be met with the 'Disk boot failure, Insert system disk and press enter' screen. After turning it on and off a few times it will eventually work. On the times where it will not boot the hard drive is not showing up in the bios or boot list. I don't have a floppy drive and my CD drive is empty. It seems to be completely random whether or not I have this problem, sometimes I can carry the PC all the way to another house and not have any problems, where as other times I will turn it off for the night and it wont turn back on in the morning. Any ideas what the cause could be?