Windows Bootloader Freezes & Will Not Load Os

[phidaux]

After 4 reinstalls I finally got XP to boot on my new system.

all was great till I attempted to reboot -
1st couple of times, I'd just have to restart the computer, choose my OS de jour (both XP, one olde - soon to be removed / one new) and then it'd boot up fine.

Until this morning, when after rebooting due to a software install (java) the damn boot loader freezes after I make my OS selection.
help! I've tried all the "advanced options" & no dice.

Any thoughts? I've seen bsod's after loading before, but nothing this frustrating. No error code, no msg as to WHY it's failing etc.


Br & thanks,
Mike


computer I'm running (if this'll help any)
amd 3500 w/ 1 gig ram on an ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe mb.
Nvidia 256meg pci-express video card
2 200 gig hard drives

 

[aquias]

First question,

Did you try a "Last Known Good Configuration"?

 

[phidaux]

oh yes... I've tried all of the f8 loading options w/ no luck... it just goes back to the boot loader and sits there freezes and has no HD activity.

 

[linney]

Why 4 attempts to install, what other problems did you have?


331958 - Hard Disk May Become Corrupted When Entering Standby or Hibernation or When Writing a Memory Dump

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;331958&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

303013 - How to Enable 48-bit Logical Block Addressing Support for ATAPI Disk Drives in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Can something like Fdisk see the existence of either drive?

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

Smart boot manager

http://btmgr.webframe.org/index.php3?body=docs/user-guide.html

 

[phidaux]

My own stupidity - nothing less. Had the 2 drives in at the same time. Was booting from the wrong one, the asus mb (which I had never used b4) has a much diff setup menu then abit & I missed a couple of the boot settings.

duh.

 

[phidaux]

almost forgot...
yes - when windows WAS working, it could see the correct drive size.

M

 

[linney]

That was "then", but I was wondering about the "now" and whether they are still accessible?

 

[phidaux]

good question... I'll check that asap.

oy... that's all I need... a crashed drive.

thanks for the help


M

 

[phidaux]

Well... looks like chkdisk /r can see both disks and they are browseable ... i'm at 80% now, only a few more hours to go.

 

[phidaux]

well... yet again... no luck...
took fdisk took it's damn time too.


and after 3 hours later, nada.

 

[phidaux]

*update*
all the hardware is functioning properly. I even did attempted a "repair previous install" last night/this am and it worked...


until I restarted and then I was back at that <insert colorful expletive> bootloader, but at least this time the bootloader isn't crashing/freezing - now after I make my selection it reboots the computer.


any thoughts? I'm familiar w/ the grub loader, but I'm kinda lost when it comes to the MS bootloader - is there a way to set it up via boot up disk or ???


thanks again.... and again.
M

 

[bcastner]

Substitute XP for Windows 2000:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318728&Product=win2000

Root directory fragmentation:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320397

Are these normal IDE type drives, or are they SATA or RAID drives?

 

[bcastner]

Also, I hope your installation CD is an SP1 or SP2 slipstream with those big drives.

 

[phidaux]

i'm installing a winxp w/sp2.

And both of the drives are IDE.

 

[linney]

Smart boot manager

http://btmgr.webframe.org/index.php3?body=docs/user-guide.html

You can also turn off "automatically restart after an error" so it will just halt at the fault and display the full Stop Error and blue screen.

See if you can use the F8 Safe Mode screen options to select the SP2 installed option to turn off automatic restarts. See also whether any of the other options listed there now work since you have changed and fiddled with your install.

And if you ever get it loading again, see what information and errors might be listed in the Event Viewer before rebooting.

 

[bcastner]

It do not think going to an alternative bootloader is the right path to take.

I am concerned as there have been several boardlevel driver updates for the AN8-SLI. Once recommendation that I read in the newsgroups resonates with me:

"Click "Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager > IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers". Right click on the "Nvidia Nforce Parallel ATA controller", then click "Properties". Click the "Driver" tab, then "Update driver", "next", select "display a list of known drivers", and "next". You should see 2 controllers, the Nforce and "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE controller". Select the "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE controller", then click "next" to install the driver, then click "finish". When you close the "properties" window it will ask if you want to reboot, click yes. Upon reboot the system will redetect your IDE devices and may ask to reboot again. When you are finished you will now have in the device manager "primary IDE channel", "secondary IDE channel", and "Standard dual channel IDE controller" along with the Nvidia nforce Serial ATA controller.

You must now enable DMA in the primary and secondary IDE channels by right clicking each, click "properties", click the "advanced settings" tab, and select "DMA if available" for transfer mode, then click OK. You will again be asked to reboot click no after changing the primary and yes after you change the secondary channel. You should now have WIndows IDE controller installed with DMA on."

 

[phidaux]

Great idea... but I can't even get the OS to load, the computer starts goes to bootloader and then restarts w/ no bsod.


I'll give it another whack when I get home tonight.

 

[bcastner]

Apparently with a repair reinstall you get at least one whack at it.

Begin by pulling the second drive. Add that later. It is an uneeded complication at this point. Lets get the boot/Active partition/System volume sorted first.

My temptation would be to assign a partition < 33 gb. as the sole partition during setup and install XP to it clean. I can use Dispart later to extend that, or live with it and use Disk Management later to add partitions.

 

[linney]

I'll give it another whack when I get home tonight" Do you mean that literally? Might be a good idea.

Did you ever try the boot loader or even the startup floppies, just to see if it would load your XP?

 

[phidaux]

Did you ever try the boot loader"
I think that is what's giving me all the grief.