2 weeks can't boot off a HD HELLLPPP

[evalias]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Troubleshooting starter

1. Overview of the problem
   Computer won't properly boot from any of 3 hard drives, one may be defective but the rest have worked..WinXP reinstalls and fudging with the BIOS don't seem to be much help either.
   
2. Full description of the problem and symptoms
   Guys this totally sucks. I mean I am not a tech by job or anything but I've been around these machines gaming, fiddling and all that for bout 18 years now and this just annoys the heck out of me, ok..
   Even when/after I change stuff in the PhoenixBIOS 4.0 build or version 6 it goes to this random grey screen before an OS boot "press any key" that basically takes out any HDs I've assigned (IDE removeable or user-defined with cylinders, cyl/heads blah blah)..and then goes to this Intel Boot Agent where it looks for a random client address and goes nowhere at all.
   
   I can get it to boot off of an OS CD and then it sees a hard drive/drives (when I have multiple installed, now only have 1) with partitions blah blah but after it finishes an OS install IT WILL NOT BOOT OFF THE DRIVES EVEN WHEN I MAKE IT SO FROM THE BOOT MENU OR FRIGGIN BIOS.
   
   I would say I wanna smash it but frankly I'm just annoyed I had it set up with 2 screens was a very stable and smooth system up till now I have no idea perhaps a HD controller is jacked? Perhaps there's some way to remove that grey screen after BIOS boot that screws up my settings or the dang Intel Boot Agent that also doesn't help me?
   
3. Did it work normally at one time, or has the problem always existed?
   It worked beautifully for so long but now it's like my baby got both it's legs cut off that's what's up I hope I don't have to just pull the HDs and graphics card, sell the RAMBUS ram
   
   
   
4. Is the problem consistent and repeatable, or entirely random, or semi-random?
5. I already tried these steps:
   It's pretty dang repeateable; like a few days ago I tried to install openSUSE 10.3 on drive D a 160G WD1600J and from then on it pretty much looks like a week of goodtimes, even after deleting drive data it would still load GRUB 1.5 (I guess from the C or reserved/unpartitioned space) and then I installed XP after a repair/format both drives manually from command prompt took place. After I got XP on it and went through several Microsoft update cycles....it brings me back to the no hard drive boot deal and I can't think of anything else to do. PS Have already forced another set of manual formats and another XP install and yes it happened again.
   
   In short:
   1) BIOS seems to reset to it's pleasure even after I have an user defined HD set up,
   2) When I had it to factory default with no IDE drive defined (and the SCSI drive wasn't hooked up) it would show the drive on a device check but then go to the Intel Boot Agent that would do nothing useful and not boot.
   
6. My software:
   • Operating System and service-pack level
   WinXP Home SP2.
   
7. My hardware
   • 
     HP x4000 workstation
     Intel Xeon 2.40gHz
     Radeon 9550
     2 sticks of 512MB RAMBUS
     Delta Electronics, Inc. 465W max power supply - DPS-465AB-1A
     WD1600J 160g drive, sometimes used the Fujitsu 3735MP SCSI drive (Not now), also have a Seagate ST380021A 80g that I haven't used at all except to briefly test if any HD will boot.
     

1. 
   
   PLZ HELP I will pray for kittens and hot girls love u long time ok <3 I promise. Can't even leave the house much this problem is unmanning me you know what I mean? Sighfriggin those boxes made in the 80s lasted 10+ yearsss the comps these days you blow hard on em and they explode.

 

[Tenet]

Hi Evalias,

I gathered that you brought the system to a single ide drive configuration for troubleshooting purposes and loaded WinXP. Is there any other partition on that drive besides WinXP ?

You said you assigned or defined drives in the BIOS. Does it detect the hdd if you set it to Auto?

After you get the "gray screen" and press any key to continue, if you reenter the BIOS, are all the settings reset to default or just the hdd specs? What does it show as the boot order at that point? Did it change?

You said you loaded XP and it "went through several Microsoft Update cycles". Does that mean it rebooted ok a few times?

What happens if you disable the SCSI controller?

If you find the Intel Boot Agent too annoying to look at, follow these instructions:
How Do I Turn the Boot Agent Off or Prevent It from Running?
But realize thats not part of your problem.

 

[ThePiston]

sounds like a corrupt bios, reset cmos yet?

 

[nineball9]

If the BIOS keeps resetting, you may need a new CMOS battery.

 

[Tenet]

Originally posted by: nineball9
If the BIOS keeps resetting, you may need a new CMOS battery.

The CMOS battery would only be suspect if all the BIOS settings reset - including the date & time AND this occurred after the system had been powered off completely and restarted. Neither of those conditions have been indicated.

In fact, ThePiston made it a point to make sure the OP tried clearing the CMOS - which forces the BIOS to reset.

 

[evalias]

Hey guys thnx alot for the responses I read Tenet's briefly last night but I got in way late taking a friend around town so, MUCHO thnx eh and yah I think if the CMOS constantly reset then it would totally be the battery, but there are certain settings where it keeps it saved.

 

[evalias]

Um let's see..


a) I gathered that you brought the system to a single ide drive configuration for troubleshooting purposes and loaded WinXP. Is there any other partition on that drive besides WinXP ?

Nope no other partitions I've reformatted the sucker quick and manual and it's still not loadin the OS.


b) You said you assigned or defined drives in the BIOS. Does it detect the hdd if you set it to Auto?

YES, it does detect it as auto although on auto it "doesn't exist" whereas if I try to define anything, it doesn't, Perverse huh? Still doesn't boot, though just shows me it's there on another hardware check.


c) After you get the "gray screen" and press any key to continue, if you reenter the BIOS, are all the settings reset to default or just the hdd specs? What does it show as the boot order at that point? Did it change?

I can't enter the BIOS after the grey screen of removing-IDE-defined-devices appears.


d) You said you loaded XP and it "went through several Microsoft Update cycles". Does that mean it rebooted ok a few times?

Actually yah when I manual format from a "repair" version of the Windows CD boot and have had different/mixed/DIDNTWRITEITDOWN
BIOS settings it would on random cool occasion, boot. However it would then not boot and do the same thing over again, or boot and then after some MS updating, REFUSE TO BOOT YAY SAME PROBLEM so is a MS update responsible for part of this??? <so confused>


e) What happens if you disable the SCSI controller?

I'd like to lie and say I checked in the different configs for sure but that's not the case Ima try it from defaults and SCSI disabled then repair format, reinstall windows, keep SCSI disabled, then I dunno. Obviously, if I plan to use the 3735HD I can't have it disabled but Ima keep with this WD 160g IDE and see what's up some more (Well Day 7.5/15 is still better than GETTING OWNED FOR 300 BUX LOL)

I think I can try fiddling with this.


f) Boot agent..

Yes, I am disabling that blasted program I can't see any diagnostic relevance of any kind from it.


U R THE MAN SIR TENET I at least got somewhere to go now alil, would like to buy you a beer and get owned in a FPS and thanks all the rest for tryin to help me out too.

- Mike