WindowsXP and BIOS boot problems

[Pihlaja]

Howdy. Am new member with my first post.

Problems arose yesterday. When I boot, get error message stating:


Windows could not start because following file is missing or corrupt: System32/DRIVERS/pci.sys.
You may attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM.


But I discovered I can no longer boot using CD-ROM drive, DVD drive or even floppy drive. despite all drives are being recognized by BIOS and are showing in proper boot order sequence.

Any suggestions/guidance?

[mjc]

Can you provide full system specs...make/model, flavor of XP, drives, memory, etc?

[crisis]

have you set bios to boot from cd first? may i had the same error message after recently building a computer

[Pihlaja]

Make/Model: HP/7965

Windows XP (hp version) w/ SP2

Hard Drives: SAMSUNG SVS00004H (Master Primary)
MAXTOR 6Y160P0 (Master Slave)

Other Drives: CDD4851 CD-R/RW (Secondary Master)
TOSHIBA DVD-ROM SD-M1502 (secondary Slave)
Floppy Drive A (1.44Mb 3.5")

CPU Type: Intel Pentium 4
CPU Speed: 1700MHz / 400MHz
Cache RAM; 256kb

Installed Memory: 512MB / PC133
Memory Bank 0: 256SDRAM
Memory Bank 1: 256SDRAM
Memory Bank 2: Not Installed

AWARD BIOS VERSION 6.0
BIOS Revision 3.05 08/28/01

[crisis]

go into bios set-up and set your cd/dvd drive to be the master Primary, re-boot your system with your xp disc in and it should come up with boot from cd press enter to continue

[crisis]

once windows has copy from the disc and ask's you to re-start go back into bios settings and put you hard drive back as master primary, and thten you should be able to continue with you re-install

[Pihlaja]

have you set bios to boot from cd first? may i had the same error message after recently building a computer
Yes. Made CD-R/RW as first in boot order. Then tried DVD drive as first in boot order. Then tried Floppy as first in boot order... all with same results.

[crisis]

may sound obviouse but are all your drives connected ok?

[Sylvander]

1. Windows XP problems with damaged or incompatible hardware (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330181).

2.
a. Did you make any hardware or software change just before this?
b. Is this a new set of hardware being set up?
c. Or did you install new PCI hardware?
e. Or did you update to Windows XP?
f. Was this present set of hardware and software previously working well?

3. Make sure all the drives are set to "Auto" in the BIOS Setup.

4. If [at any time] you make any change to the connected PCI hardware [e.g. add or remove; resource requirements altered], you should "Force Update the ESCD".
To do this, go into the BIOS Setup to "PnP/PCI Configuration" and "Reset Configuration Data : Enabled", then "Save and Exit Setup".
This forces the BIOS to redetect all the presently connected PCI hardware, make non-conflicting resource allocations, and saves the new allocations in the ESCD ["Extended System Configuration Data"] table.
These new allocations would then be used at each new Startup until you again reset the ESCD.

5. "go into bios set-up and set your cd/dvd drive to be the master Primary"
There is no need to make your optical drive the Primary Master.
If you want to boot from a CD disk, either make an optical drive 1st in the boot order [in the BIOS Setup], or even better, make the FDD 1st in the boot order and use this "Smart Boot Manager" [SBM] bootable floppy to display a list of bootable drives so you can choose which to boot from the list.

6. How to make a free “Smart Boot Manager” floppy
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41498
This makes it easier to boot a chosen drive [particularly one holding a bootable optical disk].

[saphalline]

If that old Samsung hard drive originally came with the system, and if you're still booting off it, then it sounds like it died. Disconnect it, switch the new 160GB Maxtor to the Primary Master, and see if the system boots off a CD again.

[Pihlaja]

Tried all the steps offered in preceding posts, either before my initial post, or later. Still will not boot into CD-ROM.

[saphalline]

The last thing to try, then, is to strip it down and see if the core parts still work anymore. Disconnect everything except the CPU (and cooling unit) and the mobo. Does it do anything like give a beep code? If it does, add a stick of RAM. It should then POST. Connect a monitor to it and see if the BIOS screen shows up. Basically, just start off with nothing and move up from there. If it can't do anything with just the CPU and mobo, then you're better off calling it dead and replacing the whole thing.

[Paul Komski]

Are you sure you are trying to boot from a proper and bootable Windows Installation CD? Your specs indicate you are running an OEM HP version.

Which floppy diskettes have you tried booting from? - and if they fail to boot up do you get an invalid disk or similar error or are the diskettes totally ignored and you then get the same message from the hard drive about the missing file.

It could also be worth replacing the CMOS battery and resetting the CMOS and/or setting the BIOS to the default settings and then moving the CDROM back to the start of the boot order.

P.S. On reflection I think I have seen this before and it was to do with a bad/failed modem or other PCI card, so it could well be worth removing any such cards from their slots.

P.P.S. Or here (http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/141713.html) with Bad Memory. So all in all going with a bare bones boot a la Saphalline would be wise.

[Pihlaja]

Are you sure you are trying to boot from a proper and bootable Windows Installation CD? Your specs indicate you are running an OEM HP version.

Tried booting with original retail version of WindowsXP CD... but nothing. Also tried Windows Memory Diagnostic CD. Both boot fine on other computer.


Which floppy diskettes have you tried booting from? - and if they fail to boot up do you get an invalid disk or similar error or are the diskettes totally ignored and you then get the same message from the hard drive about the missing file.

Other floppies weren't bootable. Found an old emergency boot disk for Windows98. This did boot and assigned drive letters to the CD-RW and DVD drives but could not read files system on my CDs. Could only read DOS


It could also be worth replacing the CMOS battery and resetting the CMOS and/or setting the BIOS to the default settings and then moving the CDROM back to the start of the boot order.

Did remove/replace CMOS battery.... still no boot. So, seems I can only boot to Floppy or my Samsung HD (which gives me the missing file message). Booting to Maxtor HD, CD-RW or DVD drives only bring me a constantly blinking - with no end.

P.S. On reflection I think I have seen this before and it was to do with a bad/failed modem or other PCI card, so it could well be worth removing any such cards from their slots.

I will try after removing my PCI cards.

P.P.S. Or here (http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/141713.html) with Bad Memory. So all in all going with a bare bones boot a la Saphalline would be wise.


Can't see how tearing it all down will help that much..... but I probably will end up removing everything for parts.

[Paul Komski]

So your system attempts to boot from the HDD, boots from a floppy but doesnt boot from the CDROM and the floppy can see but cant read files on the CDROM.

Sounds very like a bad CD drive in some way. I know you have both a CD and a DVD but try booting with just one at a time attached and jumpered as master.

[Sylvander]

Have you tried the "Smart Boot Manager" bootable floppy?

That is really good at showing...
A) If a drive is registering as being seen as a bootable drive.
B) You know exactly which [optical] drive you're attempting to boot [CD0 = Master, CD1 = Slave], and it does it quickly and easily.
C) When the drive won't succeed in booting the SBM program displays a prominent RED ERROR! window.
This gives instant feedback on success or failure.
I can get a failure if I fail to wait whilst the LED on the drive is flashing; I must wait until the flashing stops, or I get an ERROR.
Only if I do it right [waiting long enough = a few seconds] does the bootable optical disk succeed in booting.

[saphalline]

Can't see how tearing it all down will help that much.....Because if your core doesn't work, then we know it will never boot reliably again. It could be a mobo issue, in which case we can put the problem to rest and dump the system. The way you're diagnosing it right now assumes that the mobo is good. What if it isn't?