Boot UP Errors 1

[xxman]

Hi
I have a sporadic problem that`s occurred once a week. When I boot up winxp SP3 I get Invalid ini. Windows mentions that the hal.dll file needs to be replaced.
Both times I had problems and this seems very strange. I removed my second and third hard drives. As if by maigic the
PC opens into windows.I also tried to use the recovery console but decided not to continue when it showed the E drive as a windows install. Never did I see the C drive as a option.
I have a sata drive as the C. The second drive uses the primary IDE cable and the third runs off the CD ribbon cable. In the Bios. It does not show any drive as the IDE master. This was the case even when the PC was working fine.
I`m wondering if some of the problem is the bios for the hard drives is not configured correctly. I was never certain as to the master slave relationship when a sata drive was part of the system. The system has worked fine for months with the current bios settings. All three drives functioned fine. Also did a virus scan. Norton showed no problems.

 

[BadBigBen]

The second drive uses the primary IDE cable and the third runs off the CD ribbon cable.

It has been known that XP to go weird when there is NO Master drive on the IDE chains...

so I would set the drives as follows:

Primary IDE HDD (second drive) as MASTER and at the end of the cable...

Secondary IDE HDD (third) as SLAVE and the CD ROM as MASTER...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[xxman]

I`ll try your suggestion. Thanks