Machine will not boot from hard disk

[panzerkw]

I get home for my lunch break to find my computer clicking like crazy. Windows had frozen. So I shut it down and restarted, but windows failed to finish booting. The computer restarted by itself and then CHKDSK ran, again by itself. It found many errors, "corrected" them, and the machine restarted.

But now the computer doesn't even see the hard disk. It keeps telling me that the boot disk wasn't found, insert boot disk.

Opened up the case, checked all the cables, all seemed fine. heatsink is clean and fans are running. Memory seems fine. Checked the BIOS, ran default and fail safe settings but still the same problem. BIOS sees the HD, also during startup the HD is detected.

Any ideas?

Athlon 2100 @ 1900MHz
512 Kingston PC3200 RAM
KX7-333R
Windows XP Pro
Western Digital 80GB HD (8mb cache version)

[primesuspect]

Your hard drive just died.

Go to WD's website and download their drive tool - it's possible that it can fix your problem, but chances are you are basically screwed... :(

[panzerkw]

ALright I'll try the drive tool. If that doesn't work, then I'm going to buy a new motherboard/CPU because I've had 3 drives die on me in as many months. I can't go on like this.

[primesuspect]

It might not be the mobo/cpu, it could be dirty power or a bad/dying PSU. I have had a bad PSU take out 4-5 things at once. Do you have the thing plugged into a UPS? Can you go into the BIOS and check the voltages, specifically the 5v and 12v lines?

[panzerkw]

Drive tool shows jack. Dammit!

Screw this, I'm buying a A64 system. What's a good mobo/case+psu choice

[primesuspect]

Panzer, after you buy that A64 system, you're bringing it up to the SM-Lan, right? ;)

[panzerkw]

Well before I can do that I need to build it first, so I need parts suggestions. Eyeing the A64 3200 for 449 at newegg

[Al_Capown]

panzerkw said
Drive tool shows jack. Dammit!

Screw this, I'm buying a A64 system. What's a good mobo/case+psu choice

PSU: http://shop4.outpost.com/product/3446743
Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=13-131-473
Case:
smallatx- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=11-129-124
midatx- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=11-119-023
fullatx- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=11-112-203

I'm not so sure about the motherboard, but from my experiences with motherboards asus has been fair, offered decent performance, good accessories, fair bios, and quality parts.

[panzerkw]

Alright I got another HD in there just to see if I could revive my system. Slapped my WIN XP Pro CD in there to install. The CD boots, and windows loads thedrivers. but when I get to the part where it asks me what I want to do with the hard disk, the keyboard refuses to work. it's a USB.

I can get into the BIOS using thekeyboard during boot

WHen the cd tells me press F6 to install raid stuff, that works

But once it gets passed "Starting Windows" and then the next screen, the keyboard no longer works. I've tried setting the USB KB control to BIOS and OS, still doesn't work.

One thing after another. I'm stuck using my roommates laptop now and the cable modem I installed on it doesn;t want to work, but I'll post that in the appropiate section

[panzerkw]

I'd like a full size case but 184 bucks for the Lian Li is way too much!! Any better values out there?

[TheBaron]

find an option in your bios that says something like Legacy Keyboard Support -> Bios / OS

switch it to bios... ought to solve the problem

[Thrax]

Neg.

You need to set USB Keyboard support to BIOS, instead of OS.

Legacy keyboard is serial support.

[panzerkw]

Guys...

panzerkw said
I've tried setting the USB KB control to BIOS and OS, still doesn't work.

I've tried both settings and the keyboard still doesn't work after it says "starting windows" and it gives me disk setup options.

[Al_Capown]

All the ATX full towers:

go to newegg.com ---> shop by category ---> cases --> on the left under size select: ATX-fulltower --->search

You decide what case you want.

[keto]

If you want a REALLY roomy case - more so vertically than width tho - the AOpen server towers full 24" are reasonably cheap (should be <75US) and very very moddable, tho not all that pretty stock. Bonus, they come with a pretty decent 300 or 350W power supply.

**EDIT** http://www.aopen.com/products/housing/hx08.htm

[panzerkw]

Alright I've ordered the below from newegg to hold me over until the 940 A64's come out. I don't want to mess with the 764 versions.

CPU AMD|2500/333 ATHLON XP BARTON R 1 $90.00
POWER SUPPLY ANTEC TRUE430 ATX RTL 1 $76.00
SOUND HERCULES|FORTISSIMO III 7.1 R 1 $46.00
MB nForce2|5P1A4D NF7-S ABIT 8X ATX 1 $114.00
HD 80GB|WD 7200RPM 8MB WD800JB% 1 $75.00

No new case yet though. I'd like something full tower for about a 100. slide out motherboard base would be nice. No PSU needed now :-)

As for my old system it now lies like as a hulk in my closet. I'll have to buy a new keyboard as well because the one I have now I've beat up for almost 3 years.

[Thrax]

The onboard sound for that NF7-S is better than the Fortissimo.

//EDIT: You mean 939.

[Mt_Goat]

I agree with Thrax on the Soundstorm on the NF7-S being better than the Fortismo. I have mine hooked up to my high $$$ stereo and can make pieces fall off the ceiling and it still sounds great (for real!). Make sure to have a real goos HS/Fan combo unless of course yo're chill'n or on H2O.

[primesuspect]

So, now that you have that kickars system, you're coming to the LAN, right? ;)

[Al_Capown]

BTW... what's in that old system? I might be interested in buying some spare parts from it. PM me or just post it here.

[panzerkw]

A KX7-333R, a T-bred B 2100 Athlon, and an audigy soundcard. That's really all the stuff that's worth selling. But I can't guarantee if any of this stuff works since the PSU seemed to take down the hard drive and the motherboard with it. Who knows what else it damaged.

As far as the cooling goes I'm using a SLK-800 and a 80mm Smartfan.

[panzerkw]

Back in action. New stuff came today and it's all installed. Barton 2500 working great at DDR 400 with my Kingston HyperX, so it's really a 3200.

But there's one thing, when I STAND the case, the system shuts down and I get an alarm. But when I lie it on it's side, it runs fine. I guess the heatsink (a SLK-800) isn't seated correctly? But I checked it and it is. So what gives?