will not boot into windows after manual poweroff

[shadowtech]

Problem system specs:

AMD Athon XP 2700
ASUS A7N8X deluxe
Twin 512MB Corsair XMS DDR PC2700 running dual channel (total 1024)
120GB Maxtor 8Mb cache, 7200RPM
Lite-On 52x24x52
NEC 4X DVD+R/W
USB Toshiba 1.44 floppy

Working system or (test system)specs:

Compaq 7PL 7000Z series
1Gh AMD thunderbird
768MB @100Mhz
80GB Maxtor 2Mb cache 7200RPM
MB??
48x memorex burner
compaq DVD reader

Last night I was moving several large files from one folder to the other, and also deleted several large files. After all that, I set up a defrag, during the defrag, I was browsing the net, and kept getting "mouse freeze" it would freeze for a few seconds and then would work again. Frustrated and without thinking, I pushed the power off button for a quick reboot.
The system would get to the windows loading screen, but the loading bar was not moving, so I again pushed the power button. This time, it would not get to the windows loading screen, it would simply hang at the verifing DMI pool data.
So I put in my XP disk to try to reformat the driving. XP disk would go through the regular process of installing drivers ect. then it get to the part where it should give the option of installing windows, or repairing windows, the system hangs there on that screen.

I then thought it might be a motherboard problem, so I reset the jumpers on the MB and again tried the windows xp boot disk and got the same result.

I then thought it might be a problem with the xp disk, so I put it in my other system and rebooted and the disk worked perfectly.

I then took out the hard drive and installed it into the system that is working...it recognized the new HD, but would not boot into windows on the working system, I then put in the XP disk and rebooted, it seemed to work perfect, it deleted the current version of windows from the drive, and reinstalled windows xp on the drive. But would not boot into windows on the compaq. Since the system I am testing the Hard drive on is an older compaq, I think the 120GB HD I had installed was not supported by the old compaq MB. So I took the compaq's hard drive out and used it in the problem system to try to boot into windows, and got "disk read error, press crt,alt,del to restart.

Soo... I now have the 120 GB Maxtor drive with a fresh copy of windows on it.. I then take it back and put it back in the system where the problem started. Now it hangs after verifying DMI pool data, with a different error "DISK READ ERROR, PRESS CTR,ALT,DEL TO RESTART.

I suspect the hard drive is the cuprit of the problem, I have read the tech support on the maxtor forum and tried the sugguestion there and even downloaded a prog to floppy, to test the hard drive, I have the boot order set to floppy, cd, HD, but don't have a internal floppy installed on the problem system, I have a USB laptop floppy hooked up. When booting the system with the floppy drive hooked up to the usb, the floppy light comes on for just a second, but the system will not boot from the floppy disk, it seems to look at it and then goto cd, then hd.

What else can I try?

 

[shadowtech]

I have now completed running Maxtor Power Max 4.09 on the 120GB drive by using the compaq system.
After a full scan, the drive proved to be error free. I am now using the Maxtor Power Max 4.09 to to a full Low level reformat of the drive. Hopefully then, I will be able to reinstall windows and boot into XP??

 

[shadowtech]

I have completley reformated the drive, no windows or anything on it. I put it back in the Athlon 2700 XP system, and put in the XP boot disk, it went through the process of loading all the setting ect... the same damn thing... at the "setup is starting windows screen, the computer just hangs!!!!!

I am able to use the XP disk on the compaq computer to install windows onto the 120gb drive, I am doing that now.

What could be the problem causing Athlon system to hang at the "setup is starting windows screen?"

Anyhelp is welcome.
TIA

 

[Lord Evermore]

Wiping the drive for a reinstall isn't the first step. A Repair install of XP would have been better to try first.

 

[shadowtech]

forgot to mention that I tried that and it didn't work.

Damn thing keeps hanging at the setup is starting windows screen on my athlon machine and doesn't even give the option to repair, so I am working on the hd in my compaq.

Hard drive seems to be ok... I am almost complete in a full windows xp reinstall on the 120gb hd through the compaq....just wondering if the thing will boot when I swap it back into the athlon XP machine, I will know in about 35 mins....

 

[shadowtech]

F5 when the system asks for Raid setup allows you to get past that screen.. Problem solved

 

[mechBgon]

You usually cannot transplant a Windows2000 or WinXP installation from one motherboard to another. That's normal. Repeat, normal. If you install Windows while the HDD is in the Compaq, that's where it needs to stay, barring two very similar motherboards.