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Can't Startup

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Murp

Registered
Joined
Mar 7, 2003
Location
USA
Ok. Ever since Spring Break, my computer has been giving me problems. I decided to get rid of a virus, I'd nuke my HD (I backed up some stuff but accidently deleted some stuff. I'm ok with that though). Afterwards, I couldn't get it to start up. I fixed it later on, it was some problem with a Windows system file. But since then, it has failed on me a few times and I've had to reformat my drive quite a bit. Now it won't start again and I'm tired of reformatting. This error message at start-up is different this time though. Instead of it being Windows's problem, I think it's hardware. Just when it gets past counting the RAM and examining my PCI slots, it says (quoting)
"Disk read error
Hit alt+ctrl+del to restart"

Oh yeah, that'll fix it. :rolleyes: Stupid VIA mobo...

Anyway, I'm wondering if it IS the mobo. This is a brand-new Western-Digital HD! If the mobo is the problem, I'll get a new Soyo one.
My System's Stats (if they help your diagnostics):
No brand. Built it myself just before the end of summer vacation.
1.6GHz Pentium 4 (proud to be Intel, no offense)
512mb PC2100 DDR SDRAM
60gb Western Digital HD @ 7200 RPM
VIA P4266x Mobo
NVidia GeForce 4 MX 440 64mb (dunno what this would have to do with it but oh well)
8x CD Burner. It has no brand name on it that I can tell. Got it off my dad's old HP Pavilion.

If you can help me with this I would really appreciate it. This is my first thread I think... (seriously, I think I could've posted here before and not remembered it!)
 
WELCOME TO THE FORUMS - AGAIN MAYBE

Anyway you are saying you get this problem during bootup, before windows right? If thats the case you can rule in or out your hdd by disconnecting it. Your computer only needs mobo, ram, cpu and vid card to boot to bios. So if you unplug the hdd, and the problem is still there, at least you narrowed it down. Also if you have access to a friends, or old computer, try swaping out the RAM etc.

Good Luck
 
Doesn't tell me much. Now it just says "Disk Boot Error. Insert boot disk". I would think I'd need another hard-drive to put into my computer and try out. Also (forgot to mention), I inserted my Windows XP Pro disc to try and fix it with that. I could access my hard drive and do all kinds of stuff with it (as far as DOS will allow). I told it to fix the Master Boot Record and check for errors. It found errors and corrected them but that did not solve my problem. With this new information, lemme know if you can tell me more. Again, it's appreciated.
 
Try switching your IDE connectors between your cd and your hard drive at the motherboard and see if your problem is still there. If you still have the same problem that "should" rule out the IDE controller on the board. Then go to Western Digitals website and download they're hard drive diagnostics program. Remember if you use the new hard drive program to format your hard drive Win98 does not work with ntfs.
 
Can't startup

I kinda already stated I had Windows XP and not Windows 98 so I dunno where you're coming from with that. I'll try switching the IDE cables when I get home (I'm typing in my keyboarding class at school right now). I REALLY think it's the mobo because if I can access it with the Windows CD and do stuff with it, why would my mobo tell me I have a "read error"?
 
Is your computer overclocked? If you've pushed it too far then it can cause data corruption which would explain why your Windows installation keeps messing up. Some hard drives aren't even able to handle even a small overclock, I had a Maxtor 30 gig that would do that. Also see if there's a BIOS update for your motherboard.

-DarkArctic
 
No overclock. My Windows installation is not messing up. It's working fine. I just get a "disk read error" when I try to start up. I can boot up off my Windows XP Pro CD and look at my hard-drive in a DOS-like environment and perform some tasks like chkdsk, fixboot, and fixmbr. I tried those but they still don't let me start up. I don't think it even tries to boot it up. I think the mobo is just lazy =P
 
Okay, it seems that Cjwinnit had the same problem you have. He put the hard drive jumper on Cable Select and it was all fine. Give that a try. Oh, and sorry for misunderstanding you beforehand. :)

-DarkArctic
 
I haven't tried it yet......

I'm having a very similar problem and now my original Maxtor HDD is playing up. WD SE would not let me boot into Windows (ME) even though it was meant to be a slave. It's annoying, i think it might have buggered the board, hope not.

I literally got this drive today, formatted it in Windows and it was fine. Restart the computer and all hell broke loose :(

Funny though, we both have P4 1.6 chips. Willamette?
 
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Try a dos command called fdisk before you format your hard drive. The reason for this is that some viruses called boot virus whch affect the master boot record cannot be removed by formating they can only be remove if you fdisk the hard drive. Fdisk can also be used to partition your hard drive. When this is complete then you can ether format your drive before installing XP or install it and allow xp to format your drive.

I think that at the beginning of XP's installation it gives you an option of partioning your drive.

If you wish for more information on fdisk.

http://www.fdisk.com/fdisk/
 
My hard-drive is 60gb. Not 200gb like the ones that your link shows me. I tried'em anyway and it just told me that my hard-drive's drivers did not need to be updated. My new Soyo Dragon Lite will be coming in this Wednesday though. I'll tell you guys how that goes then.
 
Haha! It WAS the motherboard. Now that I have this new Soyo mobo, all my problems are resolved. Thanks for your imput, guys.
 
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