Windows XP Boot-up Problem

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I have Windows XP Pro SP2. I always use a USB mouse. However, last time I went to start up my PC, I got the error pictured below:

(pic unavailable)
Detecting IDE drives ...
PS/2 Mous error or no PS/2 mouse present


Firstly, it took over a minute to do the memory test above, a problem I've never had before, and now happens on a regular basis. It turns up OK nonetheless. Next, it gave me the above error, which I have also never had before. The only change I'd made was to install FSX the night before.

After pressing F1 to continue, I get this:

(pic unavailable)
Verifying DMI Pool Daa ......
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRES ENTER

I put the boot disk in the drive, and nothing changes. I can't get my computer past this point. Suggestions?

Edit: I fixed the PS2 error by putting my USB into a PS2 adapter. However, Problem #2 still persists.

[Caius]

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRES ENTER

Oh man, thats synonim of RIP EMFM HD. Last time I had that error, I had to buy a new HD.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Oh man, thats synonim of RIP EMFM HD. Last time I had that error, I had to buy a new HD.

If that's true, I'll be extremely angry - the drive I have now is a replacement for a Seagate drive I sent in on warranty.

[caravel]

Suddenly your BIOS cannot find a PS/2 device and is hunting for a boot device. Seems like a coincidence... I'm thinking that your BIOS has somehow been factory reset?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Suddenly your BIOS cannot find a PS/2 device and is hunting for a boot device. Seems like a coincidence... I'm thinking that your BIOS has somehow been factory reset?

So maybe I should hold off on buying the new drive? I installed FSX last night, played for a bit, and turned off the computer. This is the first time I've booted since then. It ran a full memory test as well, which it's never done before.

What should I do?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

For the record, if necessary, the new HD will be a Samsung HD753LJ SpinPoint F 750GB Hard Drive - 7200, 32MB, SATA-300.

[caravel]

So maybe I should hold off on buying the new drive? I installed FSX last night, played for a bit, and turned off the computer. This is the first time I've booted since then. It ran a full memory test as well, which it's never done before.

What should I do?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

For the record, if necessary, the new HD will be a Samsung HD753LJ SpinPoint F 750GB Hard Drive - 7200, 32MB, SATA-300.

The fact that it's running a full test indicates that either there is a problem, or that the full test is enabled in the BIOS. Usually the quick test is enabled. This also could point to some kind of factory reset or loss of settings.

Have you been into your BIOS setup and tried doing an HDD detection so see if it can pick up the HDD at all?

Also power up your machine with the side of the case removed and listen to the drive as it powers up and runs. If there is no sound whatsoever coming out of it, it could be a dead drive, if you hear any kind of scraping noise, especially any repeating scraping or ticking, clicking or buzzing noises this could also mean that the drive is dead.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Have you been into your BIOS setup and tried doing an HDD detection so see if it can pick up the HDD at all?

How do I go about that?

Also power up your machine with the side of the case removed and listen to the drive as it powers up and runs. If there is no sound whatsoever coming out of it, it could be a dead drive, if you hear any kind of scraping noise, especially any repeating scraping or ticking, clicking or buzzing noises this could also mean that the drive is dead.

Sometimes a quiet buzzing when the test is running, otherwise I think it's fairly normal. Never know for sure though. The test always turns up OK.

[caravel]

How do I go about that?

You'll need the manual for your motherboard.

Sometimes a quiet buzzing when the test is running, otherwise I think it's fairly normal. Never know for sure though. The test always turns up OK.

The test, is a test of the system RAM and not the HDD so it should be silent. Try to find exactly where the buzzing is coming from.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

So I'll want to go into CMOS and go to "configure HDD model"?

EDIT: In CMOS, it shows:

IDE CHANNEL 0 MASTER - NONE
IDE CHANNEL 0 SLAVE - NONE

Drive A - NONE
Halt On - All, But Keyboard

[caravel]

Usually there is an option in the CMOS setup to detect HDD devices. This will show you if the HDD is actually detectable or not. Beyond that I can't help you much, you'll have to check your manual, and if you don't have the manual, acquire one.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Above post edited. Also, I have a manual, and I'm trying to follow it, but I've never done this before.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

The IDE Channels won't detect my HD. The SATA channels are not displayed at all.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Short question: New hard drive. Yes, no, maybe?

[TevashSzat]

Judging from the sounds of it and my many many many many harddrive failures, I'd say you might need it.

The error itself (DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRES ENTER) might mean you have a corrupt file partition or something like that. Anyways, are you sure that you can't access/do any diagnostics on your harddrive at all? If you can I guess you might want to see what Hard Drive Diagnostics says under XP which should be under Boot Setup which is F12 on my comp.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that (instructions?), but right above the

DISK BOOT FAILURE

error, there is the following:

Diskette Drive A: None
Pri. Master Disk : None
Pri. Slave Disk : None

[caravel]

In CMOS, it shows:

IDE CHANNEL 0 MASTER - NONE
IDE CHANNEL 0 SLAVE - NONE

Drive A - NONE
Halt On - All, But Keyboard

This is for the PATA, do you have any PATA HDDs or CDROMs? If you have CDROMs connected to the PATA then they should be appearing, though on some BIOSes setting "none" causes CDROM devices to be detected anyway.

The IDE Channels won't detect my HD. The SATA channels are not displayed at all.

Check in the CMOS that the SATA controller is enabled. It should show up at boot time to check for devices.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that (instructions?), but right above the

DISK BOOT FAILURE

error, there is the following:

Diskette Drive A: None
Pri. Master Disk : None
Pri. Slave Disk : None

Do you have a floppy disk drive? Also the Primary master and slave refer to the PATA again, it may be normal for these to show none.

As I've said before it's up to you to determine if the HDD is dead. Do you have any local PC shops that do repairs that can check it over for you?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

This is for the PATA, do you have any PATA HDDs or CDROMs? If you have CDROMs connected to the PATA then they should be appearing, though on some BIOSes setting "none" causes CDROM devices to be detected anyway.

My HD is SATA (my only one), and I'm not sure how my CDROM drive is connected.

EDIT: SATA options are supposed to appear in the BIOS underneath the IDE Channels, AFAIK, but they're not.

Check in the CMOS that the SATA controller is enabled. It should show up at boot time to check for devices.

Trying to figure out how to do that now. Do you mean on the first boot screen? The one where it shows the processor and memory testing, with the options (DEL to enter SETUP, ESC to enter Boot Menu, ESC to skip memory test)? Or should I press DEL and root around in there?

Do you have a floppy disk drive? Also the Primary master and slave refer to the PATA again, it may be normal for these to show none.

No, I don't.

As I've said before it's up to you to determine if the HDD is dead. Do you have any local PC shops that do repairs that can check it over for you?

I think the HDD is fine, personally, but isn't it a one or the other case if the BIOS or HDD is dead? The BIOS aren't stored on the HDD, are they?

But then, does the last error I've been experiencing (DISK BOOT FAILURE) point to a corrupted BIOS or a corrupted HDD?

[caravel]

My HD is SATA (my only one), and I'm not sure how my CDROM drive is connected.

CDROM drives are usually connected through the PATA (IDE). It may or may not be working, though from what you've posted so far it appears as though it may not be.

EDIT: SATA options are supposed to appear in the BIOS underneath the IDE Channels, AFAIK, but they're not.

This points to the controller being disabled for some reason or other.

Trying to figure out how to do that now. Do you mean on the first boot screen? The one where it shows the processor and memory testing, with the options (DEL to enter SETUP, ESC to enter Boot Menu, ESC to skip memory test)? Or should I press DEL and root around in there?

Hit del to enter setup. It's a simple as that. There are usually instructions listed near the bottom of the setup screen that tell you how to navigate and change items. You can't do any damage in here so long as you don't save anything. If in doubt exit without saving. You'll have to check through and find the section relating to the SATA.

I think the HDD is fine, personally, but isn't it a one or the other case if the BIOS or HDD is dead? The BIOS aren't stored on the HDD, are they?

The BIOS isn't stored on the HDD and the BIOS isn't dead as you can see it performing the memory test and you can see text on your screen.

But then, does the last error I've been experiencing (DISK BOOT FAILURE) point to a corrupted BIOS or a corrupted HDD?

It points to a boot device not being present. This can mean that no bootable device is available, i.e. it has been removed or damaged, or that the device is incorrectly configured in the BIOS.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

The tech support person at EVGA said to go through the following steps:

1) Remove CMOS Battery - reinsert after 10 minutes.
2) If problem persists, try new HDD.
3) If problem continues after that, write in for a new Motherboard.

I'm working on step one now - those little clips are really hard to get open.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I've removed the battery, and I'm putting it back in about five minutes.

[Caius]

Thats good. You will notice that your pc thinks it is in 1980, just change it to the normal parameters.

I'm not sure if that will work, but try it anyway.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Battery back in. I think the problem is fixed, but I don't want to get my hopes up just yet.

You will notice that your pc thinks it is in 1980, just change it to the normal parameters.

Yep, it's always dead slow when you have to restart everything.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I'm in the Windows Recovery Console, and I've entered the Admin password and the install I want to recover. What command do I type in after C:\WINDOWS> appears to begin recovery?

[Caius]

What are you talking about?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Nevermind - I booted from my HDD instead of CD, and everything is fine and as before.

Thanks to everyone for your help, especially Caravel.

[caravel]

So the problem was BIOS settings? I had suspected as much. Strange that they advised removing the battery, you could have tried loading optimised defaults first (I was going to suggest that next) and if that fails factory defaults before going for the CMOS battery removal. I wonder what caused it? Would anyone have been in your BIOS setup messing around?

Oh well, glad it's working again anyway.



p.s. when ciaus said 1980 he was referring to the date and time, ensure that it's correct in the BIOS.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Would anyone have been in your BIOS setup messing around?

Nope, the only person even allowed near my computer without my supervision is my father, when he comes up. I guess it was a malfunction of some kind. I think the problem was that it didn't recognize the SATA channels, and now it does, as well as my disk drive.

p.s. when ciaus said 1980 he was referring to the date and time, ensure that it's correct in the BIOS.

Yep, just restoring everything to normal, like telling it "No, I do NOT have a floppy drive."

[Caius]

My system says: Please check hardware. Needless to say that Im accesing org from other pc.

Nmd. I love you Caravel. I followed your steps mentioned and I have a computer again. Now, I iwll make backup.