Non System Disk

Uncivil11 · 04-11-2008, 02:03 PM

Its been a while and I dont exactly recall how this ended up happening. Anyhow I replaced my harddrive for a bigger model and in the process reinstalled Win XP fresh. Anyhow...the problem is that I must have both my primary and secondary hard drives plugged in for the system to work. If I just have the primary plugged in I get the Non system disk error during boot up. From what I have read the MBR is on the second drive and the OS is on the primary drive??? How can I fix this?

Thank you

**Deleted090308** · 04-11-2008, 02:57 PM

Hi

Disconnect the "old" HDD.

Then:

Start the computer with the Windows CD.
At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to select the repair option.
You will have to enter the Administrator password - if none, just press <Enter>.
The Windows installation will be detected - usually called "1" >> select that.
In the recovery console - type bootcfg /rebuild > press <Enter>.
The drive will be scanned and you will be asked to:
Add installation to boot list? Press Y.
Next prompt: Enter Load Identifier: > type Windows XP > press <Enter>.
Another prompt: Enter OS Load options: > type /fastdetect > press <Enter>.
Take the Windows disc out.
Type Exit > press <Enter>.

Uncivil11 · 04-11-2008, 03:33 PM

Thank you so much....I will give that a whirl. I was getting the dos prompt and wasnt sure what to do from that point.

**Deleted090308** · 04-11-2008, 03:34 PM

Let us know if it worked.

Uncivil11 · 04-11-2008, 08:24 PM

It gave me an error that says:

Error: Failed to sucessfully scan disks for windows instillations. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from sucessfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any errors.

dai · 04-11-2008, 10:11 PM

run
chkdsk /r

Uncivil11 · 04-12-2008, 08:52 AM

Ok now what? It found and fixed an error...the rebuild thing gives me the same error after running this.

**Deleted090308** · 04-12-2008, 10:42 AM

With the "old" HDD disconnected:

Start the computer with the Windows CD.
At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to select the repair option.
You will have to enter the Administrator password - if none, just press <Enter>.
In the recovery console - type fixmbr > press <Enter>.
Then type fixboot > press <Enter>
Type Exit > press <Enter>.
Take the Windows disc out and reboot.

Uncivil11 · 04-12-2008, 10:44 AM

fixboot cannot find the system drive, or the drive specified is not valid is the error I get from this.

fix mbr did fine

**Deleted090308** · 04-12-2008, 10:58 AM

Type c: > Enter > type dir > Enter.

What files/folders are listed?

Uncivil11 · 04-12-2008, 11:11 AM

its in the c:\windows dir there are a ton of files

**Deleted090308** · 04-12-2008, 11:21 AM

I wonder if the partition is bootable.

Don't know if this will work - but try a repair installation.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install.

04-11-2008, 02:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
Uncivil11 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Non System Disk Its been a while and I dont exactly recall how this ended up happening. Anyhow I replaced my harddrive for a bigger model and in the process reinstalled Win XP fresh. Anyhow...the problem is that I must have both my primary and secondary hard drives plugged in for the system to work. If I just have the primary plugged in I get the Non system disk error during boot up. From what I have read the MBR is on the second drive and the OS is on the primary drive??? How can I fix this? Thank you

04-11-2008, 02:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Non System Disk Hi Disconnect the "old" HDD. Then: Start the computer with the Windows CD. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to select the repair option. You will have to enter the Administrator password - if none, just press <Enter>. The Windows installation will be detected - usually called "1" >> select that. In the recovery console - type bootcfg /rebuild > press <Enter>. The drive will be scanned and you will be asked to: Add installation to boot list? Press Y. Next prompt: Enter Load Identifier: > type Windows XP > press <Enter>. Another prompt: Enter OS Load options: > type /fastdetect > press <Enter>. Take the Windows disc out. Type Exit > press <Enter>.

04-11-2008, 03:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
Uncivil11 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: Non System Disk Thank you so much....I will give that a whirl. I was getting the dos prompt and wasnt sure what to do from that point.

04-11-2008, 03:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Non System Disk Let us know if it worked.

04-11-2008, 08:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
Uncivil11 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: Non System Disk It gave me an error that says: Error: Failed to sucessfully scan disks for windows instillations. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from sucessfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any errors.

04-11-2008, 10:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,185 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Non System Disk run chkdsk /r __________________

04-12-2008, 08:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
Uncivil11 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: Non System Disk Ok now what? It found and fixed an error...the rebuild thing gives me the same error after running this.

04-12-2008, 10:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Non System Disk With the "old" HDD disconnected: Start the computer with the Windows CD. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to select the repair option. You will have to enter the Administrator password - if none, just press <Enter>. In the recovery console - type fixmbr > press <Enter>. Then type fixboot > press <Enter> Type Exit > press <Enter>. Take the Windows disc out and reboot.

04-12-2008, 10:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
Uncivil11 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: Non System Disk fixboot cannot find the system drive, or the drive specified is not valid is the error I get from this. fix mbr did fine

04-12-2008, 10:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Non System Disk Type c: > Enter > type dir > Enter. What files/folders are listed?

04-12-2008, 11:11 AM	#11 (permalink)
Uncivil11 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: Non System Disk its in the c:\windows dir there are a ton of files

04-12-2008, 11:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Non System Disk I wonder if the partition is bootable. Don't know if this will work - but try a repair installation. How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install.