Boot Problem

[Missing Digit]

Can some one tell me that is causing this problem? I think it might a hard drive issue, but I wanted to make sure.

When I turn on the computer it runs through the normal BIOS stuff, but after it displays the message:

Verifying DMI Pool Data........

It displays this:

Remove Disk or Other media
Press any key to restart

There is not a floppy or any things else in the PC. So I am un sure what is causing this. Any help would be great. THis is a PII 450 system.

Thank you for your time,

[Garfield99]

First off pop in2 the cmos/bios setup page and try setting the cmos back 2 default settings, via the option thats hopfully on the main bios settings page then redetect the hdd, once u have done that save the cmos settings and try a reboot see if it gets past the dmi pool.

If that fails and your able/confidant enough when the system is powered off take the lid of the computer, try clearing the cmos by moving the batt jumper on the mainboard or maybe even unclip the batt, then leave it about 30mins to an hour put the batt jumper back to its orig setting and if u have clip the batt back in, then repower the sys backup see if it now progresses past the Verifying DMI Pool Data.

Just remember if u go poking around inside your case be very very CAREFULL, only do it with the sys turned off and the power cable unpluged from the the psu

[Ruslan]

Remove Disk or Other media
Press any key to restart

Look like system cannot find system files - it could be because of virus, harddrive failure, or simply harddrive is not formatted...

More info: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;812492

[Ruslan]

There is not a floppy or any things else in the PC.

... or simply there is no harddrive at all... ...if HDD is connected, check and make sure an IDE cable and HDD power connector are properly connected...

[confus-ed]

Look like system cannot find system files - it could be because of virus, harddrive failure, or simply harddrive is not formatted...

More info: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;812492

(& allowing for Ruslan's 'erata' which follows ) ...I'd try booting from the windows cd & see if it 'knows' about the drives (can 'see' them even if it can't 'read' them) ... Knowing how we 'got here' would probably be very illuminating - try explaining just what happened to get us 'here'

[Missing Digit]

(& allowing for Ruslan's 'erata' which follows ) ...I'd try booting from the windows cd & see if it 'knows' about the drives (can 'see' them even if it can't 'read' them) ... Knowing how we 'got here' would probably be very illuminating - try explaining just what happened to get us 'here'

To answer one of the of the questions, yes there is a hard drive in the system. Now, the systems was running fine on Windows XP, then suddenly a few days ago, it started giving me this current problem. Sometimes it boots to Windows some times not. Now it seems to be more not than anything else. I thought it was the HD, but before I formatted it and tried over, I thought I would ask you all, sounds like it must be the HD, right?

Thank you all for your help thus far.....

[tommo666]

identify the manufacturer of the drive and pay a visit to their website. Most manufacturers provide a diagnostic program for their hardware. All the drives parameters are programmed into these utils so they give a good indication.

They run from a boot floppy and test the hardware directly so are OS independant but some expect to see the drive as primary master so some jumpering/re-cabling may be required.

hope this helps

[confus-ed]

identify the manufacturer of the drive and pay a visit to their website. Most manufacturers provide a diagnostic program for their hardware. All the drives parameters are programmed into these utils so they give a good indication.

They run from a boot floppy and test the hardware directly so are OS independant but some expect to see the drive as primary master so some jumpering/re-cabling may be required.

hope this helps

...it might not 'help' ... but it very well may 'discover' our problem

So the problem 'comes & goes' ? ... that's often a failing sector somewhere in the boot or startup regions of the disk - this looks 'likely' since we have a p11 450 system, which would make it 2+ years old ? (Boot & start of disk get most 'hammer' & therefore fail more often than other areas)

Lets see if the disk diags have anything to say ...

btw - formatting in a case like this does no good ... if you suspect the disk itself is 'awry' somehow - you want to fdisk or run the manufacturers utility to do it - this maps out bad & failing sectors from normal usage which is often enough to save an otherwise 'duff' disk for a bit longer

[freddy]

if u are going to fdisk / format it . use a 98 disk , the fdisk/format is a lot harsher than xp , if u put a faulty h/drive and xp "quick" format , it will come out as ok, but in fact is cream crackered. the dos version , ie:98 WILL find the bad bits and mark them.



freddy