Can't Boot up?

1336 Views 5 Replies 2 Participants Last post by Tumbleweed36, Sep 3, 2005

aommaster

Discussion Starter · Sep 1, 2005

Hi guys!

The problem began when I was running windows xp. I couldn't get to the logo of xp loading. All that came up was a blank screen.

I was able to use the windows 98 startup disk to access DOS and backup my files onto another hard disk. I then went onto the microsoft website, and they said that there could be something wrong with the partition tables and the MBR. I did as they said, but still, it didn't solve the problem.

Therefore, I formatted my whole hard disk, and tried to install windows XP, but, it couldn't get past the DOS setup as it couldn't restart.

So, I decided to try windows 98. This seemed to be slightly mroe successful as the installation had finished. But when it first shows the desktop with the message "Setting up personalised setting for:", it just hangs on "Internet explorer 4.0". The mouse stops moving, and there is no response from the computer for as long as I wait.

What I have found is that when booting in safe mode, windows runs fine, everything boots up correctly.

I thought that there is a problem with something to do with networking as it is desiabled in safe mode, but, even after removing my networking card, nothing is changed.

I have tried changing the whole hard disk, but, again, nothing seems to work.

Could someone please help me? Thanks!

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Tumbleweed36

· #2 · Sep 1, 2005

Hi,

I hope we are on the same page and I understand what you are trying to do, but if not just tell me and we will go at it from another direction.

First of all, enter the BIOS setup menu and set your boot order to:

CDRom
Floppy
Hard Drive (that you want to boot from)

Note: If you have been using Win98 on this computer and have not changed the BIOS settings, change PnP to Disabled for Win XP.

Don't forget to save before you exit.

Assuming you have a regular copy of XP (not startup disks), then put your Operating System disk in the CDRom, turn on the computer and it should start to load XP. (otherwise, don't use any boot disk in A:....the dos program is not an issue if loading XP)

Let me know what happens.

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aommaster

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 2, 2005

Hi!

Thanks for your time. Before I just start what you told me, I would like to tell you that I ran a PC-Doctor test in DOS on the computer. Everything had passed except something called systemboard. I did a search on google to find out that it was the motherboard :sad:

Now, can problems in the motherboard be repaired by software? Or does that mean that the computer's life has ended?

Thanks alot!

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Tumbleweed36

· #4 · Sep 2, 2005

Hi,

While it may very well be the system board (they do fail from time to time), it may also not be that at all. I just never put much faith in programs like your PC System Doctor, because although you may get correct readings from time to time, you also get numerous incorrect readings. If you didn't have an unusual episodes on the board, they just don't as a rule, just up and fail.

What can you lose by giving what I told you a try? That is what I would do if it were mine, and then if you don't have success, we can look at other issues.

While you are at it, tell me what kind of hard drive (brand name) you are trying to load the OS on, how many drives are on that ribbon cable, how they are jumpered, and if the drive worked before this problem you are describing. Has anything changed except trying to redo the system? ARe you using a regular full version of XP, or setup disks instead of regular disks?

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aommaster

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 2, 2005 (Edited)

Ok. I tried what you told me to do. When I place the windws xp cd rom into the cd drive (after changing the boot options), windows just seems to ignore that the CD ROM is there. Basically, it is as if the CD rom doesn't exist.

As for your questions above, here are the details:
1.Hard drive: Seagate 20 GB
2.It is the only drive on the ribbon cable (ie no slave drive). I would just like to inform you that I originally had a slave drive. But after the problem occurred, I removed the cable from the slave.
3.Jumper setting on the HD:Master or single drive
4.The hard disk HAS worked before. I have been using it for more than 3 years
5.Well, as per changes to the system, there have been many. Since microsoft had suggested to rewrite the MBR, that has been done. Also, the partition tables had been corrupted after rewriting and therefore got deleted when I used a program. I was able to recover the lost data using a recovery program. There could have been many otherr changes because my dad had a shot at trying to repair it.
6.I am using a regular full version of XP. I don't like to use boot disks, because they sometimes have files missing.

Hope that helps, and thanks for your time

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Tumbleweed36

· #6 · Sep 3, 2005

Hi,

Not sure yet why it won't see the XP disk. If you can, go to this link and download the SEagate diagnostic. You have to scroll down to Seagate:

http://tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

When you get that downloaded, see if you can run the diagnostic on that drive.

Also, just doublechecking, make sure if you have only one drive on that cable, that you are using the END connector and not the middle cable.

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