My Computer got a disk boot failure when it started up..

[imported_K3N]

Today when i started up my computer, i got a "disk read error occured" message, and then it said "press ctrl alt del" to restart. After doing that two times, i got a message "disk boot failure" , Boot from CD. So does this mean that mean that my main hard drive with the C:\ partition is main cause of this, and that i have to replace it through Western Digital?

A few months ago i would always get the "disk read error" and my computer would freeze at random times within windows. When i decided to reinstall windows i no more got the disk read error, until a few weeks ago 🙁

I have a WD 160GB hdd (C:\ is located here) and a WD 320GB hdd. If i install windows on the 320GB would it be possibble for to try and retrieve some files on my wd 160GB?

 

[Ayah]

You'll probably want to run a WD diag on the target drive.

 

[imported_K3N]

after turning my computer back on after 15 minutes, i was able to get into windows..but seriously though what do you all think could be the main culprit in this? im suspecting my msi motherboard because when i had dfi 754 i didnt experience this problem at all. When i swapped with the msi 939 motherboard i didnt experience this until i used it for four months... i think i'll consider doing a diagnostic as soon as i can..

 

[SparkyJJO]

And another WD bites the dust....


You can try getting stuff off of it by putting windows on the other drive. Possible that just the boot sectors on the drive are corrupted.

 

[imported_K3N]

I ran a diagnostic with "Western Digital's LifeGuard Diagnostics (DLDIAG for Windows)" on both of my hard drive. They both passed and i didnt get an error. I also did an extended test on the 160GB hdd. NOTE: this program allowed me to do the test within windows.. so you think its my mobo? or windows xp is just trying to give me a really hard time?

 

[StraightPipe]

I'd make a boot disk for WD diag, and run it from that. Did you install any new hard ware?

You should also try running scandisk on windows to see if anything is fucd'up

If i had to guess i'd guess it's the HDD. you might also try snooping around the bios to be sure nothing got out of what there.

 

[Slugbait]

I had the same problem...except I would also occassionally get NTDLR missing, or some other three-finger message. And yes, Windows would just "freeze" on me, sometimes at the logon screen, but usually just doing something mundane, like clicking a web link.

Odd thing...I would be running my TV-in, and the audio continued like there was nothing wrong when the shell froze. And Event Viewer never said boo. I was wracking my brain for months.

Solution:
I replaced my IDE cable. No more boot problems. The problem with the shell locking up was greatly reduced, and I assume the few times it happens now is cuz my vanilla 6800 is unlocked and overclocked.

 

[imported_K3N]

scan disk is chkdsk right? i ran that and did indeed get errors

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/9896/chkpe5.jpg

Originally posted by: Slugbait
I had the same problem...except I would also occassionally get NTDLR missing, or some other three-finger message. And yes, Windows would just "freeze" on me, sometimes at the logon screen, but usually just doing something mundane, like clicking a web link.

Odd thing...I would be running my TV-in, and the audio continued like there was nothing wrong when the shell froze. And Event Viewer never said boo. I was wracking my brain for months.

Solution:
I replaced my IDE cable. No more boot problems. The problem with the shell locking up was greatly reduced, and I assume the few times it happens now is cuz my vanilla 6800 is unlocked and overclocked.

Yeah i was thinking that the Sata cables i have could be a culprit because they are long (3ft) and well usually i'd have to bend it to navigate it through the board. I only wanted to send my HDD back as a last resort.