Evil Computer Will Not Boot

[LalartuAkhkharu]

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
I own an Alienware Hive/Mind.
Until fairly previously I had no problems with it.
But, my IBM Harddrive began to make a noise as if it were scratching on the inside and the machine would not boot. I tried to fix this but soon gave up. I recieved a new Harddrive from Alienware(Seagate Barracuda).
I took out my old drive put in the new one. But on attempting to boot up my computer will get to "verifying DMI pool data......" where the message, "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER" appears. I have looked through the Bios, but didnt catch anything out of place, i have also re-seated all of my hardware. What is the problem?

[YODA74]

Have you changed the boot sequence in the BIOS to boot off the floppy? If not it will still try to boot from the hard drive.


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Death has come to our windows.

-- Jeremiah 9:21
(undoubtedly a Biblical reference to a Microsoft product!)

YODA74@carolina.rr.com

[baron]

Is your new Hard Drive blank?

if so that is why you get that error...there is nothing on it to boot from.

[ErnieK]

Hi there Lalar
If the disk has never been used before you will need to enable it as follows (others will correct where I am wrong)

Boot computer using Boot disk.
At the A:\ promt type fdisk

You then choose Create Primary Partition (I think otion 1)
When asked if you want to enable large disk support say YES
Check that the partition is made active
Exit (press escape key on keyboard) and reboot.

After reboot switch to drive C if you get the C:\ promt then your drive is ready to recieve an operating sysytem

Hear is the pcguide link to thhe search page in pcguide. When the page opens type FDISK in the search field. http://www.pcguide.com/_vti_bin/shtml.exe/search-c.html
click on sixth (6) link on page for better instruction tthan I could give
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Ernie




[This message has been edited by ErnieK (edited 03-01-2002).]

[LalartuAkhkharu]

Thanks for the help. I've gotten my problem underway to being fixed. I can get to the Windows set up now. I go through the routine check on my system. I get the message, "Please wait while Setup initializes, Scanning system registry...Copying files needed for windows setup..." but it stops there and the curser just winks at me over and over. Please help me out again.

[Paleo Pete]

Check my site linked below, scroll down to the MS Knowledge Database articles. You'll find one dealing with SUWIN error messages, and one to the win98 setup.txt file. I think one of the SUWIN error messages listed pertains to the machine hanging during file copy. If that doesn't help, some searching might be in order...Let us know...

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[classicsoftware]

Were the drive's the same size???

If not, it may be too big for the bios without being flashed

try these links:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q287553
http://www.maxtor.com/products/DiamondMax/techsupport/InformationBulletins/15007.html

This is known problem with the only real solution is to upgrade the bios.

Good luck

[LalartuAkhkharu]

I can't find anything about SUWIN errors. I just can't figure this thing out. I was trying to setup ME, and it wouldnt work, so i tried 2000, it wouldnt work either, the setp program just kept going in circles, it would get halfway through the process, an error would flash so quickly that I could barely tell it was an error and then setup would restart. Im hanging on to sanity by my fingernails here. I'm probobly going to take it to a local computer service center and pay them to fix it. thanks for your help

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The word "maybe" is the most important word in the English language. It allows one to give a response that seems to have some thought put into it, when in truth it is most often used as an excuse by those of us who dread the day we have to clean the cobwebs out of our heads.

[Paleo Pete]

It's there, I just looked.

Copied this link from it. Q224836 SUWIN Errors (http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q224/8/36.ASP)

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[shanmuga]

Lala, Please check whether virus protection is enabled in the bios settings,if it is disable it.I had a similar problem with my previous system trying to reinstall 98.


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Don't take it seriously !