Windows won't boot without CD

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:54 pm

I just installed windows on my file server and I can't seem to get windows to boot from the HD. I've tried FIXMBR and bootcfg /rebuild from the recovery console with no luck.

Help, please?

Post by **DiscoDave** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:22 pm

Have you tried the automatic repair off the windows CD? Also check your BIOS Boot sequence.

Post by **Underpants?** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 5:32 pm

could it be something like a sata add-in on a pata board issue?

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 5:51 pm

When I set the boot sequence in the BIOS to anything other than CDROM the PC hangs at Verifying Data Pool.......

I do have a PCI SATA controller installed, but the C: drive is IDE that windows is installed on.

Post by **DiscoDave** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:26 pm

Disable any extra drives you have (only have the HDD with windows on in) Deselect "Boot from other source" or whatever it is and have the boot sequence Just HDD. nothing else.

Post by **Tormentius** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 8:07 pm

Is it overclocked?

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 9:07 pm

Tormentius wrote:Is it overclocked?

Yes

Post by **SOAPboy** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 10:14 pm

YourGrandpa wrote:
Tormentius wrote:Is it overclocked?
Yes

undo the overclock

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:54 pm

Changing the clock speed to it's normal setting doesn't change a thing with the boot-up. I also tried the fixboot command in the windows recovery console.... No luck yet.

Post by **FragaGeddon** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:46 pm

Did you try and reset the BIOS settings to default?

Post by **Tormentius** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 1:57 am

Overclocking can fry an installation and this wouldn't be the first time I've heard of it.

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 3:38 am

I really think it's the SATA PCI controller that's causing the problem.

Post by **R00k** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:13 pm

Do you have a boot menu in your POST? On mine I can hit F12 for a boot menu, and specifically choose which partition, drive or device to boot to. I'd try that first, choosing the IDE drive and then directly choosing the C: drive if that doesn't work.

If it still won't boot, go into the recovery console and try a couple other things:
LOGON - just type it and hit enter, to see if it even finds a valid Windows installation
BOOTCONFIG (maybe BOOTCFG, can't remember) should display the boot settings in your boot.ini so you can verify them.

If either of those fail, and fixing the MBR doesn't work, you probably have a corrupted install, and will either have to try the "Repair Installation" option during Windows setup, or have to reinstall completely.

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:41 pm

I've tried the FIXMBR thing and setting the boot drive in the bios doesn't work. I'll look into the LOGON and BOOTCONGIF fix. I've also got to try the the repair feature as well.

The PC is busy all the time and I really haven't got around to shutting it down to try and fix it.

Post by **R00k** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:58 pm

Those two aren't really fixes, as much as they are ways to identify if there is a problem with your install or not.

In the recovery console, you have to use the LOGON command, and logon to a valid Windows installation before you can make any changes to Windows. For instance, you can't disable any services at startup via the recovery console unless you use LOGON first and authenticate with the OS.

So if you try LOGON, and no installations are displayed, then the Recovery Console cannot recognize any windows installations on the drive, which means you have a problem with the install.

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:36 am

R00k wrote:Those two aren't really fixes, as much as they are ways to identify if there is a problem with your install or not.

In the recovery console, you have to use the LOGON command, and logon to a valid Windows installation before you can make any changes to Windows. For instance, you can't disable any services at startup via the recovery console unless you use LOGON first and authenticate with the OS.

So if you try LOGON, and no installations are displayed, then the Recovery Console cannot recognize any windows installations on the drive, which means you have a problem with the install.

I understand completely. I didn't really mean fix, as in those commands would fix it. I meant that I'd use those commands to find a fix.

Once these torrents are done, I'll give those a try.

Thanks....

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:51 am

riddla wrote:oh, I know this one.

But I'm sure that your immature grudge will keep you from constructively praticipating. Why even bother to post if you don't plan on sharing a possible solution? Everyone already knows that you're a childish prick. There's really no need for you to keep posting to prove it.

T&T is a place where people come for help. Try helping and keep the other bullshit to yourself.

Thanks...

Post by **Tormentius** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:24 pm

Bloody hell you two, take up your issues in R&R. Any more of this shit will be deleted on sight.

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:07 am

I'm not the one trying to derail topics in T&T.

I don't need a warning, thank you.

Post by **Tormentius** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:51 am

YourGrandpa wrote:I'm not the one trying to derail topics in T&T.

I don't need a warning, thank you.

Yet your ongoing responses seem to end up helping to derail them nonetheless.

Post by **YourGrandpa** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:11 am

Tormentius wrote:
YourGrandpa wrote:I'm not the one trying to derail topics in T&T.

I don't need a warning, thank you.
Yet your ongoing responses seem to end up helping to derail them nonetheless.

So I'm not allowed a retort?

Don't spew your Mod bullshit at me, I've heard it all before.

When I start begrudgingly derailing topics in this forum, feel free to give me your lecture.

Post by **Tormentius** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:55 am

YourGrandpa wrote:
So I'm not allowed a retort?

Don't spew your Mod bullshit at me, I've heard it all before.

When I start begrudgingly derailing topics in this forum, feel free to give me your lecture.

You seemed to have mistaken what I said for a suggestion; it wasn't and this topic is now done.