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

 

[linney]

Not the XP one, the third party one?

As it runs from floppy and doesn't write to the hard drive, and only to the floppy if it saves your selections for booting, it is hard to follow what additional problems it may cause, as all you have to do is remove the floppy.

And what about the other startup floppies?

 

[phidaux]

ah, right on I'll give that a try - any recomendations as to which one I should use?

oh and fyi - I don't have a floppy on this box, do u know if it'll run from cdrom?

 

[bcastner]

There is no evidence that the native bootloader is at fault.

Jan 20, 2005
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.

Jan 21, 2005
well... yet again... no luck...
took fdisk took it's damn time too.

and after 3 hours later, nada.

Everything cries out:
. a physical plant issue: bad jumper settings, bad cables
. a BIOS issue
. An XP driver issue, see my thoughts earlier
. a hard disk(s) issue
. Non-hard disk related issues. USB devices and video adapter drivers would be a promising area to investigate.

For example:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;832577

 

[phidaux]

I'm with you on the XP driver issue. It just doesn't make any since to me why it can install fine, but then after a couple resets and most likely windows installing some bit of the pnp hardware.

So, lets go with the driver issue idea.
if this is the problem then I should be getting the windows splash/loading screen. And then a bsod or freeze. I'm getting neither it'll just reboot it's self over and over again.

That's what is stumping me.
Oy....

 

[bcastner]

if this is the problem then I should be getting the windows splash/loading screen. And then a bsod or freeze. I'm getting neither it'll just reboot it's self over and over again.

I am sorry, I must have missed this. I thought the issue was a freeze, not a reboot cycle.

Since you have done a chkdsk /r without joy, this becomes a pure hardware issue.

 

[phidaux]

not quite clear on this, I can install windows fine, it loads all is peachy keen the 1st couple of times.

Then it all goes to hell and I'm stuck in this infinite loop of restarts due to a "hardware issue"?

color me confused... because I would think a hardware issue would present it's self during the initial install.

 

[bcastner]

The next time you manage to load it, disable in System Properties an automatic restart on an error. It is under the Advanced tab, Startup and Recovery Options.

 

[phidaux]

ok - this is a new one on me...
Got the box up and running again.

buuuuuut

it still dies after I reboot,

buuuuuut

if I boot w/ the windows xp disk and fixboot it'll boot up... once.
And then I have to go and re-run the fix boot utility to get it to boot up again.
wierd.

also after I run the fixboot util, the bootloader doesn't pop up after it restarts, but then when I restart again it pops back up and i'm back in to that never ending reboot cycle.


any thoughts?

 

[phidaux]

Well I did it! whew! ...

ended up having to fix the mbr and then change the drive access mode a couple of times.


Thank you all for your help
best regards,
Mike