Frag Infinity Tournament, Inc. - FITES LAN Party - www.fites.net

LAN Party Forums => Support Group => Started by: _!Rathe!_ on September 28, 2009, 07:35:24 PM

Title: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: _!Rathe!_ on September 28, 2009, 07:35:24 PM
A friend called me up tonight and asked me to come over as when he tried to boot up his computer it said "Disk boot failure.  Insert system disk and press enter."  My first question was "Is there a floppy disk in the drive?" and he said Huh?  Anyway I went over and booted a linux CD.  His drive is fine.  All the files are there.  I did a Fixmbr and fixboot on the disk from a winxp setup disk and the system booted fine.  I rebooted it to make sure it was fixed and it did the insert system disk again.  Repeated fix and system boots.  Any ideas as to what is wrong?  My google-fu is failing me and booting into recovery console every time is gonna get old.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: The Shoctor on September 28, 2009, 09:29:55 PM
Make sure the BIOS is pointing at the correct drive for boot and if all else fails do an over-top repair.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: .:F3ar0n:. on September 28, 2009, 09:49:46 PM
Like Mark Said, sounds like your bios may not have that HD pointed as the first boot device. I'd check and make sure the boot priority is set right. You may wanna do a quick chkdsk as well from repair and make sure everything is ok though I would put money on boot priority over anything at this point
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: _!Rathe!_ on September 29, 2009, 01:18:45 AM
I will have him take a look at that.  Never thought of that.  He has 2 SATA disks in the system and an IDE dvd burner. 
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: decepticon on September 29, 2009, 07:45:41 AM
MBR might be hosed. 
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: _!Rathe!_ on September 29, 2009, 07:52:19 AM
MBR might be hosed. 

Wouldn't Fixmbr fix that though, or do you mean the sector itself is damaged.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: Five Aces on September 29, 2009, 09:07:34 AM
Make sure the BIOS is pointing at the correct drive for boot and if all else fails do an over-top repair.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: decepticon on September 29, 2009, 09:40:48 AM
MBR might be hosed. 

Wouldn't Fixmbr fix that though, or do you mean the sector itself is damaged.

Could be either/or.  Try FixMBR after verifying that the bios settings are correct as Five Aces quoted. (but if I remember correctly, FixMBR is only available in the recovery console which is available on the install cd)
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: The Shoctor on September 29, 2009, 09:48:44 AM
But an over-top repair will fix the MBR and any system files without much work, just a bunch of waiting.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: decepticon on September 29, 2009, 09:52:21 AM
But an over-top repair will fix the MBR and any system files without much work, just a bunch of waiting.

Won't that force him to re-install all of his apps? Just trying to make it easier in the long run before going through all that.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: The Shoctor on September 29, 2009, 10:06:13 AM
Nope, that's the point of over-top. You just have to make sure you use a install disk with the correct service pack level.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: decepticon on September 29, 2009, 10:41:18 AM
Give that a go then.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: The Shoctor on September 29, 2009, 10:46:08 AM
But be warned you have to go through the menu like you are going to install from scratch! Don't pick the first part where it says repair. Go to install and the installer will be all like "HOLD UP!" You have windows installed, wanna fix that Crap? THEN you tell it yes.
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: decepticon on September 29, 2009, 10:49:30 AM
Go to install and the installer will be all like "HOLD UP!" You have windows installed, wanna fix that Crap? THEN you tell it yes.

LMAO!  I have visions of a ghetto Windows installer.  "You wanna install that Crap?!"  option: "Hells to the mutha Fudgein yeah!"  or  "Shiiit, you MUST be crazy, foo!"
Title: Re: Hard Drive problem?
Post by: Five Aces on September 29, 2009, 11:45:30 AM
Go to install and the installer will be all like "HOLD UP!" You have windows installed, wanna fix that Crap? THEN you tell it yes.

LMAO!  I have visions of a ghetto Windows installer.  "You wanna install that Crap?!"  option: "Hells to the mutha Fudgein yeah!"  or  "Shiiit, you MUST be crazy, foo!"

Aiiight, Aiight, we'll fix joo sheet! Settle down.