Resolved Computer Not Booting.

An interesting thing happened on my Vista machine. One day I fired it up and received a boot error and the system was unable to boot.

The harddrive was not being recognized in bios, and the Vista Repair tool on the instalation disk was unable to find an operating system. After some fiddling around, I isolated the problem to a faulty IDE controller/slot. Simply moving the cable to the second resulted in bios finding the drive. Vistas Repair Utility found the operating system. Using the repair feature of this diagnostic tool, it found no errors. A closer look at the advanced repair log indicated all harddrive diagnostics passed. There were no errors to fix.

I proceeded to restore the system from a date before the boot error. This also was done via the repair tools. The restoral worked without problem.

So now, when I turn my computer on ... nothings happens. It beeps once, the harddive indicator flashes for a brief period then stops, and thats it. No progress indicatos, title pages or error messages. The monitor display is black, but is receiving a signal. The mouse is all lit up waiting to be used.

The bootup sequence in bios is CD first, then HD.

Please ... I need help!!

 

Thank you Pete for your reply.

1. Yes ... the BIOS does recognize the harddrive when in the secondary IDE slot, but not the primary.

2. I have purchased and replaced the IDE cable with no resolution.

I find it so odd that I have enough harddrive control to run diagnostics and system restore from the Vista Repair module, so obviously communication is taking place.

So, at this point, I'm hoping someone can, if not resolve the issue, suggest what the next move might be. I'd really like to spare the harddrive (Vista diagnostics gave it a clean bill of health) ie lose the data through reformatting/replacement if that is an unlikely cause, but also fear the cost associated with the uncertian results of mother board replacement. I'm not even sure if I can easily replace this motherboard as it's an HP model several years old.

Thanks for all that stop by and consider my issue.

 

The BIOS looks for boot files on the master HDD on the primary controller (drive 0). It won't find boot files on a HDD connected to the secondary controller unless (I think) you can set the BIOS to boot from drive 2 or 3.

Look at what the jumpers are set to on the back of the HDD. If the HDD is set to CS (Cable Select), try setting it to Master and reconnect to the primary controller (or visa-versa, with the boot HDD connected at the end of the cable). You have now (re)set the boot files to secondary controller, so, if the BIOS sees it, you will probably need to run the HP factory-type "system recovery ".

You say it is old, did it come preinstalled with Vista? If the system is modified from what HP have set up, you won't be able to find much support.

Matt

 

Hi Pete and Mattman , thank you both for your support.

Pete ... I have entered my system information as suggested for your review. It's the best I could do by simply looking at the components since I have no access to the system information through the OS.

Mattman ... I stand corrected as I tor apart the innards looking for information. The IDE cable terminates at the IDE1 slot, not IDE2 as I had thought originally. IDE2 was were it was originally before it failed. (original boot problem)

The HDD's jumper is set to MAster (and used the master connector. My optical drive is set to slave.

I went to Asrock's support page and found that there are some BIOS upgrades as well as a slew of driver downloads. I have no idea which is appropriate for my needs.

Anyone care to take another gamble. I know it's easy to give up, but this is a great little system for my use and I'm really not wanting to sink any money into replacing too much. Especially if it is potentially a simple fix.

Jenn

 

I can't understand why Vista is the OS, but it is running from an IDE drive. I would expect that a Vista capable system would run on a SATA drive. Has the system been upgraded from Windows XP to Vista?

If an IDE controller has failed, you can get a PCI add-in card. Not much $, I have run my main system on one for a long time in the past, but if it is a HP system, you might have trouble trying to get it run (see my previous information).

Now that you have changed the boot files to a different drive (and I don't know why they would be originally situated on the secondary controller), you might need to point the BIOS to boot from the new location (master on the primary controller is drive 0).

Matt

 

Thank you guys ... I think we are getting closer to resolution, with success, or not.

Pete ... how would I install these new drivers if I have no access to the system to apply it? It is an executable, but not sure how to access it from my media to apply it. Do you feel there would be any benefit to updating the BIOS?

Mattman ... you ae correct, this is an upgraded XP machine. Things worked flawlessly for many months with IDE control. It was originally in IDE2 because we always thought IDE1 was flawed.

I don't know what you mean by having changed "the boot files to a different drive" (not sure how, where, where I changed any files referring to any drives) and I certianly have no idea where in BIOS I would change the boot location. I've looked and have not found any obvious location where options similar to your suggestion exist. I can change the bootup priorities, and the HDD is set as Drive 1 (with no option other than disable).

You guys are encouraging me not to give up yet ... and for that I appreciate all your support.

 

OK ... I think I'm ready to accept defeat. :-(

Pete, using the command prompt option from the Vista Repair Utility on the installation disk, I was able to access the INF driver executable. Turns out I'm unable to apply them ... "The Intel Chipset Software Installation utility requires a supported chipset platform running on a supported operating system. "

jenn

 

Did you do actually go through with a "Startup Repair" on it, or did it just say there was nothing to repair? [I can't help much with a Startup Repair though, I'm not familiar with it.]

What about trying to get to the Startup Options screen? When it beeps once, that indicates it has passed POST, before it beeps, start tapping the F8 key. In fact, I might not expect it to beep once at startup, because for many years computers have used a Quick Boot method, which just loads the "normal" hardware profile, it does not do a full POST and actually check what hardware is connected. It might need a new CMOS battery. Disconnect the power, leave the battery out for at least a few minutes and press the Power button to drain any residual power. At startup go into the BIOS, you can check if the HDD is recognised, but be sure to "Save and Exit ".

Changing an Operating System drive from one IDE location to another will result in a problem such as yours. After you change the CMOS battery, you could try putting it back to it's original IDE location.

I have come across the "blank screen" problem a few times and overcome it, that is not to say that your problem is different and the hardware is actually broken.

7 years old, I am happy if I get 5 or more. In the worst case and you need a new computer, put the HDD into an external drive enclosure and you can get your data.

Matt

 

Windows Vista has a Repair Module accessed when you boot from the installation DVD. An option to Install or Repair existing. In the repair module, there is a menu of diagnostic and repairs functions ...
Startup Repair - Automatically fix problems that are preventing Windows from starting
System Restore - Restore Windows to an earlier point in time. (done that!)
Windows Complete PC Restore - Restore your entire server or personal computer from a abackup image
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool - Check your computer for memory hardware errors
Command Prompt (which I am able to access the harddrive with)

Selecting the startup repair function, it does some diagnostics and simply reports "No errors were found. There is nothing to be repaired." leaving you with an option to view the diagnostic report.

It does beep once before it does nothing LOL. F8 has no function ... F2 gets me into BIOS.

I will try the CMOS suggestion ... replace the battery.

I don't understand how changing the IDE location affects the drive (not saying your wrong). Is there not anyway to redirect the boot option in the OS to the new IDE ... why is it so stubborn to not accept a new one when it's moved (I thought that was what plug and play was all about).

I'll report back with the CMOS thing.

Jenn

 

Replaced CMOS battery and followed instructions.

Harddrive recognized without battery when in IDE1.

Battery installed, no resolution in start-up. Still black screen.
Switch cable to IDE2, the original, and back to the same original boot error. HDD not recognized in BIOS.

So, looks like death to this poor thing.

Thanks everyone for your support.

Jenn

 

You've done well.

The operating system is not "Plug and Play ". Plug and Play refers to a device you connect to the computer, Windows can talk to the device and load the relevant drivers. The BIOS is not Plug and Play, it is only a tiny program, it just searches the PC for connected devices and then the boot files for an Operating System, which might be Windows, Linux or just DOS. With an IDE system, it searches for boot files on Drive 0, which is the master drive on the primary IDE controller.

There have been some improvements. Windows can put it's boot files on the "Drive 0" HDD, then those boot files redirect to another HDD. Read about Boot Managers.

As I said, switching the OS HDD to a different IDE location could cause a similar problem.

The (new) SATA HDDs (as opposed to IDE HDDs) should have an option in the BIOS for which drive to boot to, but remember that the BIOS is only simple, so you might only be able to select a sequence to boot to...SATA drive 1, SATA drive 2, SATA drive 3, IDE or Drive 0, CD, Floppy, Network, etc. See what your current "boot sequence" offers, it will be at least Floppy, CD, HDD. Your motherboard probably doesn't have SATA.

As I said, 7 years would certainly not make me stress out, although I would not like to think that a 1 year warranty would be "all I got ". If I can find machines that are reliable, I will stick with them.

Matt

 

Wonderful explanation Matt.
Thank you!

It was a good little machine to play with (and learn from LOL), so no regrets.

Resolution: New computer (does this resolution qualify putting solved in the thread as recommended?)