disk boot failure. insert system disk and press enter

Shyoonen · #1 07-03-2005, 02:36 PM

I read up a bit before posting on this site. i read that this usually means the hard drive is dead, but i don't think so.

i just recently formatted my pc from a previous xp professional and installed the home edition. the installation goes well, but after it restarts to take me to the user setup screen i get this display.

i downloaded the "Windows XP Home Edition Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install" from the microsoft site from a different computer and ran through the directions but only to find myself reinstalling windows again and having to repeat the same procedure with the same problem in the end.

I got through to the user setup screen once and even installed a display driver to the computer, but when it restarted it failed to load up. only after having the computer off for a few minutes was i able to start, but only lead me to the "disk boot failure screen". i read that when computers don't start after restarting is a hardware problem, so i reassembled my computer. this is where i am at now, after reassembly, successful installation of windows, but once restarted stuck on the "disk boot failure screen"

sorry for the long post but i am in need of great help. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thankyou in advance

thedon57 · #2 07-03-2005, 03:08 PM

hAVE YOU NOT GOT THE XP HOME CD. BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE WHY USE FLOPPYS. IF YOU HAVE THE CD DO A COMPLETE REINSTALL BY FORMATTING THE DRIVE AS HOME WILL NOT LOAD PROPERLY IF THERE IS A TRACE OF XP PRO ON IT

Shyoonen · #3 07-03-2005, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedon57

hAVE YOU NOT GOT THE XP HOME CD. BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE WHY USE FLOPPYS. IF YOU HAVE THE CD DO A COMPLETE REINSTALL BY FORMATTING THE DRIVE AS HOME WILL NOT LOAD PROPERLY IF THERE IS A TRACE OF XP PRO ON IT

thanks for the reply.
i do have a legal copy of windows xp home.
the first time i installed home xp i used the cd only. and didn't work. i formated (by selecting the ntfs and not the 'quick' one).
i tried the floppy to 'start up' the install because it kept asking for the boot disk.

is there a way i can format without using the disk? i remember i did something like 'fdisk' or something... i don't know if that has anything to do with formating. once i formated through dos or the command prompt but i forgot.

thedon57 · #4 07-03-2005, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shyoonen

I read up a bit before posting on this site. i read that this usually means the hard drive is dead, but i don't think so.

i just recently formatted my pc from a previous xp professional and installed the home edition. the installation goes well, but after it restarts to take me to the user setup screen i get this display.

i downloaded the "Windows XP Home Edition Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install" from the microsoft site from a different computer and ran through the directions but only to find myself reinstalling windows again and having to repeat the same procedure with the same problem in the end.

I got through to the user setup screen once and even installed a display driver to the computer, but when it restarted it failed to load up. only after having the computer off for a few minutes was i able to start, but only lead me to the "disk boot failure screen". i read that when computers don't start after restarting is a hardware problem, so i reassembled my computer. this is where i am at now, after reassembly, successful installation of windows, but once restarted stuck on the "disk boot failure screen"

sorry for the long post but i am in need of great help. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thankyou in advance

IN YOUR bios HAVE YOU MADE IT SO THT THE FIRST BOOT OPTION IS CD ROM, THEN HARD DRIVE THEN FLOPPY.

insert yor cd into cd rom, if it does not start , then you may have to press any key to start it off, it should take it from there just follow instructions on screen when it asks you do you want to update or advanced click advanced to do new reinstall, when it come to what partation do you want to use use the one that has already been used, it will then tell youit will need a format press enter and then that will formatt your drive and hopfully a complete reinstall.

That is how it is suppost to work.

Shyoonen · #5 07-03-2005, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedon57

IN YOUR bios HAVE YOU MADE IT SO THT THE FIRST BOOT OPTION IS CD ROM, THEN HARD DRIVE THEN FLOPPY.

insert yor cd into cd rom, if it does not start , then you may have to press any key to start it off, it should take it from there just follow instructions on screen when it asks you do you want to update or advanced click advanced to do new reinstall, when it come to what partation do you want to use use the one that has already been used, it will then tell youit will need a format press enter and then that will formatt your drive and hopfully a complete reinstall.

That is how it is suppost to work.

mmhmm exactly the way i did it, but i didn't have the order in my bios like you have it listed.

well i tested around and found that i can get it to run xp only when i have the xp cd to boot at startup. if a different cd or if the drive is empty it will show up the 'boot disk failure' screen. this is weird... why would i need the xp cd to run windows after i installed it?

thedon57 · #6 07-03-2005, 06:28 PM

you should not need to once you install it go back to bios and make your hard drive the first boot order then it should work, have you also downloaded sp2 as well or was it on disk, also updates from website. so at least you can now sort it out glad i was able to help that is 8 today.

Shyoonen · #7 07-03-2005, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedon57

you should not need to once you install it go back to bios and make your hard drive the first boot order then it should work, have you also downloaded sp2 as well or was it on disk, also updates from website. so at least you can now sort it out glad i was able to help that is 8 today.

you are a great help to me thedon57 and i really appreciate helping me through this
but, even if the bios is set with hd first, (then cd, then floppy, forth is disabled) it still fails to run xp unless the xp cd is in the drive.

i might be mistaken but could it be the bios? i checked everything and its detecting the correct drives (set on auto) and everything looks fine, but it appears that something is missing to get it start up and what ever is in the cd is helping it.

should i update to the latest bios?

TopFarmer · #8 07-03-2005, 09:53 PM

you might want to check and make sure that the boot partition is set active.

thedon57 · #9 07-04-2005, 01:34 PM

before you think of upgrading your bios you have to create a floppy disk, Imyself have never done it as you have to go into dos and microsoft do issue a word of warning about doing it.
What they have said and want to no, how many time have you tried to install windows xp, and if not many would you now you know how to do it be prepared to install once more but this time when it runs, on the second time, do a repair rather than a full reinstall. or are you ok using your disk to start up everytimne as there is a file that is not quite installed.

Shyoonen · #10 07-04-2005, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedon57

before you think of upgrading your bios you have to create a floppy disk, Imyself have never done it as you have to go into dos and microsoft do issue a word of warning about doing it.
What they have said and want to no, how many time have you tried to install windows xp, and if not many would you now you know how to do it be prepared to install once more but this time when it runs, on the second time, do a repair rather than a full reinstall. or are you ok using your disk to start up everytimne as there is a file that is not quite installed.

how do i make sure my boot partition is active?

personally i don't want to mess around with the bios... all that flashing and so on. i am not sure how many times i installed windows xp on the computer, but i know i formatted, and hopefully throroughly, everytime before i installed again. i believe you're right, windows is probably not installed fully. i will try repairing, but i have selected that option only to lead to the boot disk screen again. i will try it once more and see how it goes.

right now i have two cd drives so i have one with the xp leaving one empty. this is ok but i like to keep my computer clean and neat without any problems... even minor ones.

thedon57 · #11 07-04-2005, 03:22 PM

you should see repair come up twice click on second one

Shyoonen · #12 07-04-2005, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedon57

you should see repair come up twice click on second one

yep just did the repair... still have the problem.
i selected the second repair, not the first one.

thedon57 · #13 07-04-2005, 04:09 PM

ok sorry about that, use cd for now on start, leave it with me, wil ask someone who is more up on it than me, cant get back to you until wed evening as i have to build a tower tomorrow night to earn some money. i will not abandon you, look on my profile if you want my e-mail address ok bye for now. don,t worry we will worek it out. pity you dont live on south coast of uk i would come and do it for you.

Shyoonen · #14 07-05-2005, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedon57

ok sorry about that, use cd for now on start, leave it with me, wil ask someone who is more up on it than me, cant get back to you until wed evening as i have to build a tower tomorrow night to earn some money. i will not abandon you, look on my profile if you want my e-mail address ok bye for now. don,t worry we will worek it out. pity you dont live on south coast of uk i would come and do it for you.

my friend suggested i try replacing the battery on the motherboard. he says sometimes computers that have not been turned on have this error due to no battery power. Even though my computer is used daily i gave it a shot and replaced the battery, and now it appears to have been fixed.

thankyou thedon57 you've been a great help. next time this happens ill know what steps i need to check. hopefully i won't have anymore problems. but thanks to you, if i do i now know a person i can consult. thanks again!

Elupo · #15 09-03-2006, 05:29 PM

I have the same problem on my pc. I've just re-installed windows and it keeps on getting that failure message on the screen. It only boots on windows with the help of the xp cd.

it is driving me crazy. I tried removing the CMOS battery for like 20 mins but still no hope. Now I'll try buying a new one and hope it works.

Has anyone found another solution to this problem ?