Invalid Boot Disk on Fresh Install.

[KfistoRok]

This happened on my nfs7.

Very weird thing going on right here. Did a fresh install of XP with sp 2 and start up a few dif times fine. Did updates, install nf2 driver and ati drivers. Now I reboot and get insert boot disc. Get this even with cdrom disabled in bios. Weird thing is when I put the Xp disc in, it boots up XP, but w/o it it won't. I can unplug the cd drive and still no go.

Anyone know what is up? Might reinstall in a little while, although I don't want to.

[KfistoRok]

Whoops it actually says boot disc failure.

[NTX-Zoner]

Whoops it actually says boot disc failure.

It might be one of 2 things. The drive is going t!t$ up or you OS root got damaged or corrupted. You can try repairing the install by booting from the CD and proceeding as if you were going to install, but it will ask if you want to repair. Then again, if you just rebuilt the machine, it might just be better to flatten/reinstall it

If its the drive, well, I guess it would be SOL, musta been time to get a bigger/faster one :D

[Flamed_Chip]

Just boot from the Win XP CD until you get the option to go to the recover console. Enter your windows installation inside the recovery console and run 'fixmbr' it should repair your master boot record.

[stool]

If that doesn't help. try using the diagnostic software for your drive. If its buggered up that should let you know.

[redduc900]

You may also have damaged ntldr and/or ntdetect.com files. You can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the XP CD and enter the Recovery Console. At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-ROM drive letter), allowing the files to overwrite the old files...

COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C:
COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:

Type Exit to quit and restart. This MSKB article describes the installation and use of the Recovery Console...

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP (Q307654) (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307654)

[KfistoRok]

Just boot from the Win XP CD until you get the option to go to the recover console. Enter your windows installation inside the recovery console and run 'fixmbr' it should repair your master boot record.

I did this and it did say the mbr was invalid or something like that. It said it fixed it, but I restarted and it just did the same thing. :shrug:

I'm doing this install, because I got the startpage trojan, if that gives anyone else an idea on how to fix this.

[KfistoRok]

You may also have damaged ntldr and/or ntdetect.com files. You can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the XP CD and enter the Recovery Console. At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-ROM drive letter), allowing the files to overwrite the old files...

COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C:
COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:

Type Exit to quit and restart. This MSKB article describes the installation and use of the Recovery Console...

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP (Q307654) (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307654)

Did this too and it didn't fix the prob. :(

Just to clear things up a bit what the screen says is:

Veryfying DMI pool........
Boot from ATAPI CDROM
Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter.

However if I put the Xp disc in and don't touch anything it loads Windows fine. This is very frustrating. Reinstalled XP 4 different times with different discs/versions and reformatted each time. :bang head

[redduc900]

How are all of your drives connected, and what's the boot order in the BIOS set to (under "Advanced BIOS Features Setup Menu").

[KfistoRok]

I have tried about every order, with and w/o the cdrom in there.

I have two 80 gb wd's on a line. One master/w slave and other set to slave. I can ever unhook the other and make the primary cable select and get the same error. I'm really stumped. :confused:

[Rumrunner]

Well, lets go kinda back to the drawing board here. Have you tried the chkdsk command?

[redduc900]

I have two 80 gb wd's on a line.
You say you have two 80GB WD HDD's "on a line"...meaning what? They're both connected to the primary IDE controller, jumpered as Master and Slave?
One master/w slave and other set to slave. I can ever unhook the other and make the primary cable select and get the same error.
I don't quite understand what you mean here...what exactly is connected to the two onboard IDE controllers, and how are they connected/jumpered i.e. CS, Master/Slave, etc.? Do you have any drives connected to the onboard Sil SATA controller?

[KfistoRok]

Haven't used chkdsk. You do that from command line?

Red they are on the same pata cable. One master and one slave. Maybe since I said master with slave that threw you off, but that's what the jumper says. I have had the same setup for two years and had no problems.

Oh and I ran Western Digital's Windows diagnostic program and the extended check said everything was fine.

[Logans.mother]

Simple fix dude just load up your windows xp and search your xp cd for the files called ntdetect.exe and ntdlr and boot.ini cut and paste these files in c: and edit your boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional"

save it and you are set no more booting from cd rom.
With the "fix boot c:" and "fix mbr c:" commands only work when you have a MBR on the hard disk. You can create a new MBR because yours is demaged or nonexistant by using the fix mbr command. Once you fixed or replaced the MBR your system wont boot with out the correct boot.ini directions to your operating system. You can even edit yout boot ini from your control panel (because the boot.ini file is a hidden file) open up system then click on advance then click on settings in the startup and recovery section then click on edit make sure you save before you exit.

[RJARRRPCGP]

The partition isn't active or you selected the wrong HDD.

[NTX-Zoner]

The partition isn't active or you selected the wrong HDD.The drive prep utility built into the win xp installer automatically sets active for the partition. Even if you use another utility to prep the drive, the xp installer should error if the drive formatting is impropper. As for incorrect HDD, it doesn't matter which drive is selected for installation as long as the c: drive contains the basic boot files.

KfistoRok,
Have you tried swapping the master and slave drives. It sounds like a long shot, but it may work. You should be able to swap just by changing the drives jumpers.

[KfistoRok]

The other one is full of stuff I don't want to lose.

[KfistoRok]

Laaaate Bummp. Well, almost a year later I still have this problem. Lmao. Just figured it was time to tackle it again. :D

Does anyone else have any ideas? I've tried everything suggested on this page except switch the drive jumpers. Can I even do that when the Windows install is on my drive with the master jumper set?

[I.M.O.G.]

When you installed windows, were both drives installed?

Reinstall windows with only the master drive installed, then restart and see if you get into windows fine. If you do, shut down, plug in the second drive, then restart again and you should be fine. Do not have both drives connected while installing.

BTW, don't use cable select. Make sure the drive on the end of the cable is set to Master, and the drive in the middle of the cable is set to Slave.

[KfistoRok]

Well the problem actually started happening out of the blue before the install. In the first post I meant even after a reinstall I had this problem. I will check the jumper on the secondary drive, but I've unhooked it before and still got the same issue. Why would a secondary hard drive on an install be an issue? Never heard of that before.

[Oric]

Is this now or was this ever a dual boot system?

[KfistoRok]

I don't ever recall putting linux on it. Regardless it was Windows only when it went south.

[I.M.O.G.]

Well the problem actually started happening out of the blue before the install. In the first post I meant even after a reinstall I had this problem. I will check the jumper on the secondary drive, but I've unhooked it before and still got the same issue. Why would a secondary hard drive on an install be an issue? Never heard of that before.

Because its M$... I can't say anymore, but that should be enough. Install with only one drive, and you'll probably be fine. I don't know why it works that way, but sometimes the install gets confused about where to put system files.

I run 6 drives currently, and I NEVER install windows with power going to more than one drive, just so I'm certain as to where all the install files are going. Try it, and let us know how it works out.

[Piazza0028]

sorry to bring this up, but I'm having the EXACT same problem as the op... except not only was mine a fresh windows install, but I had just put together the pc. The first few boots it worked fine then I got this error. I'm going to try some of the tips above although now I don't feel like they're going to work. Op, if you're still around, any luck?

[I.M.O.G.]

Follow my last advice, reinstall with only a single disc connected that is set as master. Also check your boot order in BIOS and let us know what that is.

[Piazza0028]

Boot order BIOS is as follows:
CDROM
CDROM
HARD DRIVE

(I don't have a floppy drive)...
I've tried disabling the CDROM and just booting from the hard drive but it hasn't had any effect. I realllllllllllllly don't want to format again hah. This sucks.

[I.M.O.G.]

and?

[KfistoRok]

I still have this going on. I can't think of anything that has been more irratating than this. Plus, the previous drive crapped out on me and after a fresh install on a different hard drive I get the same thing. It has to be motherboard related, although I don't know what else to do in the BIOS. I guess I could flash a new BIOS, but don't really want to.

[mrgreenjeans]

Boot order BIOS is as follows:
CDROM
CDROM
HARD DRIVE

(I don't have a floppy drive)...
I've tried disabling the CDROM and just booting from the hard drive but it hasn't had any effect. I realllllllllllllly don't want to format again hah. This sucks.
Shouldn't it be HDD/ CD/CD once Windows is installed? It's checking the CD for boot and that's why it's erroring out. Set the HD to primary boot disk first!

[Cheator]

What are your hard drive boto priorities? That should be a different setting than the boto disk priority

[I.M.O.G.]

Shouldn't it be HDD/ CD/CD once Windows is installed? It's checking the CD for boot and that's why it's erroring out. Set the HD to primary boot disk first!

This is incorrect. You should generally have the removeable discs as the first boot device (floppy/CDrom) to make troubleshooting tools more easily accessible... If nothing bootable is found in these, it will move through the boot device list until it finds a bootable device (HDD).

If you want to try to be more secure, you should set the HDD as the first boot device and password protect the BIOS so that the boot priority cannot be altered... This would make it more difficult for malicious users from loading a bootable CD and resetting your account passwords, etc. That doesn't stop someone from popping the case and taking your HDD though, but other than this reason, theres nothing wrong with having the floppy or CD looked at before trying to boot to the HDD.

[mrgreenjeans]

Check both, but I've a sneaky suspicion that your boot/hard disk priorities are the issue. Check settings in bios and set your boot hard drive as the first boot drive in the sequence.

[mrgreenjeans]

This is incorrect. You should generally have the removeable discs as the first boot device (floppy/CDrom) to make troubleshooting tools more easily accessible... If nothing bootable is found in these, it will move through the boot device list until it finds a bootable device (HDD).



He already stated he had no floppy drive. and I change the setting for the rare time I want to boot off something other than the hard drive. My rig has no floppy either.

[shadowdr]

Do you have any virtual drives with an image loaded?

[I.M.O.G.]

He already stated he had no floppy drive. and I change the setting for the rare time I want to boot off something other than the hard drive. My rig has no floppy either.

Yes, thats fine, but the reason I commented is because this is entirely inaccurate:

It's checking the CD for boot and that's why it's erroring out.

The BIOS will just skip the device if it doesn't find a boot sector, it will NEVER error out if theres no bootable floppy or CD in the drive, nor will it error out if theres no floppy or CD drive present.

You may be correct and it may still be an issue with his boot settings (could be looking to a different Hard disk if another one is present), but having a floppy or CD before the HDD in the boot order would not cause the problem he's seeing. Just wanted to make sure that was clear, no offence.

[Thoth]

i know exactly what it is... a pc i was working on did this to me twice... it was because the disk has been repartitioned and the partition wasn't set to active... you can read and write to it perfectly fine as long as you don't reboot... as soon as you do... the comp doesn't see an active partition... your data is STILL THERE, but the bios can't recognize it.

if you used fdisk to re-partition it, make sure you set it to active.

[KfistoRok]

It has done this on two different hard drives. Just checked disk management for kicks and I only have one Primary partition. Best advice, maybe only :p, in many posts though. Thanks for the effort. :)

[RJARRRPCGP]

That error message is from the BIOS, thus is a more major problem.
This means that there isn't a valid MBR!

This is not because of NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM.
Recopying NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM won't solve the problem!