After XP Reload, system boots only with XP disk

[watermelon]

Hi,

I reloaded XP Home edition on my Dell Dimension 2400 desktop. I didn't care about the data so I had the XP setup format the C drive with the NTFS option.

The load went ok, but I had to go to the Dell site for the network driver and video driver.

Anyhow, it appears as if the load finished. I can surf the net and stuff, but the system now needs the XP disk in the drive to boot. If the XP disk is removed the system prompts me to select F1, which takes me to try and reboot, or F2, which takes me to the bios menu. I set bios to boot from the C drive but no luck.

Any ideas? Hope this was clear.



Thanks,

watermelon

[Blackhawk556]

have you tried the "repair" option using the disk? may be the boot file is damaged?

[JDay]

Sounds like the boot flag wasn't set on the system partition. I'd reinstall XP but follow this partitioning guide.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

Step 1: Partition the hard disk

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your CD or DVD drive, or insert the first Windows XP Setup disk into the floppy disk drive, and then restart the computer to start the Windows XP Setup program.

Note If you are using the Windows XP Setup disks, insert each additional disk when you are prompted, and then press ENTER to continue after you insert each disk.
2. If you are prompted, select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD or DVD drive.
3. If your hard disk controller requires a third-party original equipment manufacturer (OEM) driver, press F6 to specify the driver. For more information about how to use F6 to supply a third-party OEM device driver while the Windows Setup program is running, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
314859 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314859/ ) Limited OEM driver support is available with F6 during Windows XP Setup
4. At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER.

Note If you are using the Setup disks (six bootable disks), the setup prompts you to insert the Windows XP CD.
5. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.
6. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you are prompted to repair it. To bypass the repair, press ESC.
7. All existing partitions and non-partitioned spaces are listed for each physical hard disk. Use the ARROW keys to select an existing partition, or create a new partition by selecting the non-partitioned space where you want to create a new partition. You can also press C to create a new partition using non-partitioned space.


Delete all partitions listed at this point.

Note If you want to create a partition where one or more partitions already exist, you must first delete the existing partition or partitions, and then create the new partition. You can press D to delete an existing partition, and then press L (or press ENTER, and then press L if it is the System partition) to confirm that you want to delete the partition. Repeat this step for each existing partition that you want to include in the new partition. When all the partitions are deleted, select the remaining non-partitioned space, and then press C to create the new partition.

8. To create the partition with the maximum size, press ENTER. To specify the partition size, type the size in megabytes (MB) for the new partition, and then press ENTER.

Hit enter on the Unpartitioned Space to let Windows Setup automatically configure your drive and install windows.

You computer should boot from the hard drive after setup is complete.

ETA: Be sure to select NTFS for the partition type.

[watermelon]

thanks all. will try the suggestions and see what happens.

[watermelon]

thanks again all.

i tried the above suggestions and nothing worked. i went out and bought a new internal harddrive and loaded xp and still no luck. i do have the same problem though ; getting "strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility" upon boot.

could bios do it? or, maybe my Windows XP disk is f'd.

i would try a bios update as dell's site shows a newer rev than what i currently have. however, my pc doesn't have an internal floppy so i have to locate a floppy drive.

the Fry's rep told me i needed a "PATA" style harddrive as my o.g. drive said "ATA/IDE" on it. i see an open "ide 2" port on my mother board. what kind of internal floppy disk drive would i need?

dell's site said bios needs to be loaded from a floppy and a usb floppy drive (which i have) would not work.


thanks again,

watermelon

[JDay]

A floppy disk will connect to the FDA connector on the motherboard, they all use the same cable. Strange that your drive isn't booting, it is being detected as the primary master drive right? And how is setup completing if it wont boot, there's a reboot during setup and they system boots off the drive to complete installation.

[moond0ggie]

The only advantage to a bios upgrade is perhaps to have more overclocking options.
I would caution against trying the bios upgrade, it is a tricky operation that could render
your motherboard useless if a mistake is made.

[Nobama4us]

This might be too simple but look at your boot.ini after your system is up and running from the cd boot. I wonder if the boot loader is pointing to cdrom.

[JDay]

The only advantage to a bios upgrade is perhaps to have more overclocking options.
I would caution against trying the bios upgrade, it is a tricky operation that could render
your motherboard useless if a mistake is made.

Its not tricky at all, you just download the new version and install it. The only way you can screw it up is if you reboot during the flash process or the power goes out.

[watermelon]

A floppy disk will connect to the FDA connector on the motherboard, they all use the same cable. Strange that your drive isn't booting, it is being detected as the primary master drive right? And how is setup completing if it wont boot, there's a reboot during setup and they system boots off the drive to complete installation.

ok. thanks. will take another look at the cables and floppy drive again.

yup, it's strange. windows installed successfully. i do reload the video and network drivers from a usb and then i'm good to go. i make sure to go online and verify my xp os with microsoft too.

This might be too simple but look at your boot.ini after your system is up and running from the cd boot. I wonder if the boot loader is pointing to cdrom.

i will look this up. thanks


will post an update.

many thanks again,

watermelon

[Nobama4us]

Where are you located Melon?? If near Sacramento I can take a look.

[taloft]

Sounds like a bad boot.ini

Try this.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

[watermelon]

Thanks for the help all.

I was able to update my bios from a 00 rev to a 05 rev. I also checked to boot.ini file. Nothing worked.

I gave up and went to Costco a bought a laptop.

I think I'm gonna take the old PC out to the desert and unleash a magnum on it.


shoot safely. case closed.


watermelon

[doubledgarage]

Providing your hard drive is enabled (some Dell BIOS have an option to enable/disable hard drives) and configured correctly in the boot order, it might be because your MBR (master boot record) and/or boot sector isn't working correctly.

I would try jumping into the recovery console and use the fixmbr and fixboot options.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_fixmbr.mspx?mfr=true

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_fixboot.mspx?mfr=true

IMO, something isn't configured correctly in the BIOS. If you have a Dell, double check if the hard drive is enabled, double check that the specific hard drive is on top of the boot list (use + and - signs to move it up and down), and also check your jumper cables. Sometimes when it's on master/slave/cable select, it does weird stuff. Try using cable select.