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Boot Disk Failure!
I just tried upgrading my computer last night to 2 gigs of ram from 1 gig. after I installed the ram I kept getting frozen at the windows XP loading screen. I pulled the plug once and restarted it worked fine once but my wireless network card became uninstalled. so I restarted to install it now I have a boot disk failure. can anyone help me? by the way I dont have a copy of XP its a compaq so it was pre-loaded.
23rd Mar 2008
Answers (8)
0
Votes
Remove the added RAM and try again.
Obviously, the RAM you installed isn't compatible with what you already had. Remove what you added and try again.
23rd Mar 2008
Replies
I tried removing the new ram and putting the old ones back and got nothing. Is there anything else anyone can suggest before I replace the drive?
Dracsul19@...
23rd Mar 2008
Take a long step back and review all of what you've done.
"I just tried upgrading my computer last night to 2 gigs of ram from 1 gig."
How was the 1GB made up and how was the 2GB made up (how many sticks each and what type) ?
"... after I installed the ram I kept getting frozen at the windows XP loading screen. I pulled the plug once and restarted it worked fine once but my wireless network card became uninstalled.
How did it become uninstalled - did you knock it out of its socket maybe ? Did it disappear from Device Manager or just become disabled ?
"... so I restarted to install it now I have a boot disk failure. can anyone help me? by the way I dont have a copy of XP its a compaq so it was pre-loaded"
What EXACTLY is the boot disk failure ?
What is the error message ?
If you've been repeatedly inside the system case maybe you've knocked some components.
IMHO too much has happened too quickly to justify scrapping/replacing the HDD, without further investigation. All this has happened since you upgraded the RAM - the physical knocking of a component or a connector is far more likely than your drive dying.
"I just tried upgrading my computer last night to 2 gigs of ram from 1 gig."
How was the 1GB made up and how was the 2GB made up (how many sticks each and what type) ?
"... after I installed the ram I kept getting frozen at the windows XP loading screen. I pulled the plug once and restarted it worked fine once but my wireless network card became uninstalled.
How did it become uninstalled - did you knock it out of its socket maybe ? Did it disappear from Device Manager or just become disabled ?
"... so I restarted to install it now I have a boot disk failure. can anyone help me? by the way I dont have a copy of XP its a compaq so it was pre-loaded"
What EXACTLY is the boot disk failure ?
What is the error message ?
If you've been repeatedly inside the system case maybe you've knocked some components.
IMHO too much has happened too quickly to justify scrapping/replacing the HDD, without further investigation. All this has happened since you upgraded the RAM - the physical knocking of a component or a connector is far more likely than your drive dying.
OldER Mycroft
23rd Mar 2008
NT
OldER Mycroft
23rd Mar 2008
It had 2 512 sticks in it I upgraded to two 1 gig sticks
I think I did knock out the Nic
It just said Boot disk failure, insert system disk and press enter
I checked all the connections in the PC and nothing seems loose.
I think I did knock out the Nic
It just said Boot disk failure, insert system disk and press enter
I checked all the connections in the PC and nothing seems loose.
Dracsul19@...
23rd Mar 2008
'Insert system disk' usually results from the system finding something - not nothing.
You did check the cd/dvd drive and any floppy drive, didn't you ?
Was there a usb drive attached at boot up ?
I just don't buy that your hard drive dies as a result of putting some RAM in.
You did check the cd/dvd drive and any floppy drive, didn't you ?
Was there a usb drive attached at boot up ?
I just don't buy that your hard drive dies as a result of putting some RAM in.
OldER Mycroft
23rd Mar 2008
No disks in the cd or dvd drive and I dont have a floppy. there is nothing attached to my usb ports accept my wireless mouse ( I removed it and tried booting still nothing)
Dracsul19@...
23rd Mar 2008
I caved and called HP and had them mail out a set of recovery disks. they will be here thursday and hopefully my problems are solved. I'll post back then! thanks for all the advice!
Dracsul19@...
23rd Mar 2008
I'm not sure that was necessarily the best action to take, unfortunately.
You could still have a bad HDD.
On the other hand, if as I suspect, there is nothing wrong with the HDD - you could recover it for nothing.
Mmm... I think computers were invented to make us spend, spend, spend.
You could still have a bad HDD.
On the other hand, if as I suspect, there is nothing wrong with the HDD - you could recover it for nothing.
Mmm... I think computers were invented to make us spend, spend, spend.
OldER Mycroft
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
Re. Boot Disk Failure!
Do not do anything to the disk, why i say this is because it will be possible to extract data from the drive. The second thing is you will need a new drive and a new copy of XP to load onto your computer. If you are within warranty then it would be good to send off the computer for them to re-install the operating system, though you can do it yourself, but you will have to pay for the XP operating system. You will need a external hdd case for your failed drive. Wrap your old drive in plastic and store it in your freezer, when you have the operating system (xp) and the hdd external case then all you do is first install the os (operating system) on your new drive (make sure all the updates are included), then attach the "frozen" drive in the external case and attach that to your "usb" port, click on your "my computer" icon and you should be able to see your old drive, ( you will have a very short time to do this) extract all your docs and files if possible before the drive dies.
Hope this helps you.
Please post back if you have anymore problems or questions.
Hope this helps you.
Please post back if you have anymore problems or questions.
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
HUM when you first fitted the RAM Did you
Open BIOS and look to see if the RAM was being seen by the Computer?
When you left BIOS did you exit Saving Changes?
It's quite possible that the system is attempting to Map the 1 GIG or RAM onto the Installed 2 Gig's and failing alone the way.
Whenever you change the amount of RAM you have to enter BIOS to allow the System to see the Changes and make the necessary alterations so it can work with it's New Hardware.
Col
When you left BIOS did you exit Saving Changes?
It's quite possible that the system is attempting to Map the 1 GIG or RAM onto the Installed 2 Gig's and failing alone the way.
Whenever you change the amount of RAM you have to enter BIOS to allow the System to see the Changes and make the necessary alterations so it can work with it's New Hardware.
Col
Updated - 23rd Mar 2008
Replies
Yes it showed both of the new sticks in the bios.
Dracsul19@...
23rd Mar 2008
.
OH Smeg
23rd Mar 2008
yes
Dracsul19@...
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
OK then I now need to ask some Serious Questions
What is the Make & Model of your Computer,if it's an Off the Shelf System or the Hardware Configuration if it's a White Box?
What Plug In Cards have been added since new?
What make & version BIOS do you have loaded? This is listed on the Splash Screen while the unit is Posting, you may be required to turn off the Makers Splash Screen in BIOS to see this.
Which version of XP do you have installed Home, Media Center or Pro & in 32 or 64 bit versions?
Col
What Plug In Cards have been added since new?
What make & version BIOS do you have loaded? This is listed on the Splash Screen while the unit is Posting, you may be required to turn off the Makers Splash Screen in BIOS to see this.
Which version of XP do you have installed Home, Media Center or Pro & in 32 or 64 bit versions?
Col
23rd Mar 2008
Replies
The Make & Version/speed of the RAM that you have fitted?
OH Smeg
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
Boot Disk Failure
I would take the hard drive out and if you have an additional pc I would add your bad drive to that machine in order to see if it is a bad disk, if the system recognizes it then copy all your important data to the machine. Replace your hard drive in the computer load XP or Vista and then when all done with that, I would copy back all the data you were able to pull off the old drive.
Before you go through all this trouble I would boot to a Win98 boot disk and run fixmbr and see if that helps you.
Good luck,
Erick B
MCSE
Before you go through all this trouble I would boot to a Win98 boot disk and run fixmbr and see if that helps you.
Good luck,
Erick B
MCSE
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
Thumb Drive?
Do you have a flash drive, card reader, or other USB drive connected? If so, remove them and see what happens.
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
Probably a bit late :)
Can you borrow a friends XP CD so that you can get to the Recovery Console to run these two commands. At least it should get you running.
/fixmbr
/fixboot
/fixmbr
/fixboot
23rd Mar 2008
0
Votes
Boot Disk
hello dracsul check first the boot device in bios utility first boot device is hdd
24th Mar 2008
