Corrupt Boot Sector, Loops at XP Boot

sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
edited October 2005 in Hardware
Okay I was in the middle of playing BF2 and all of a sudden my comp froze and rebooted, and looped at the XP Splash screen and wouldn't boot back into Windows. So I went into the Recovery Console and did CHKDSK and FIXBOOT, and that fixed it. It said there was a corrupt boot sector and it made a new one. This exact same thing has happened once before, and I wanna know what tha heck is going on here! What causes a corrupt boot sector? Why did it reboot in the middle of my game? Any suggestions or theories would be greatly appreciated.
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Comments

  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    Well BF2 just froze on me again and it rebooted my computer. It booted into Windows just fine this time. When XP came back up, it gave me a "Your system has just recovered from a serious error" message and I went ahead and DID send the error report. It then gave me this page. Does all of this mean my HD is going bad? I wouldn't mind knowing that ahead of time :p
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    I'm sure THIS is a good sign:
    10011981cn.th.jpg

    That and the fact I can't boot and I'm STRUGGLING to get it into Recovery Console.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    put PowerMax (Maxtor's utility) on a floppy and tried to boot from it. I got "NTLDR is missing - Ctrl - Alt - Del to reboot" message. I CANNOT get past that. :scratch: :shakehead

    I'm fully expecting to replace this hard drive. Stupid Maxtor!!!!

    I'm sure I can get it RMA'd and resell it. I'll never put another Maxtor in any computer I own.
  • beregidberegid
    edited September 2005
    try putting your xp install disc in and run a repair on the install. it will fix the system boot files.(typically)
  • TheHeartSmasherTheHeartSmasher
    edited September 2005
    It's the type of disc probably SATA disc usually don't have this problem maybe you should upgrade to SATA.

    and use Seagate or WD. That's what I use for my BF2n, by the way what's your BF2 name.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    pilotwings119 wrote:
    put PowerMax (Maxtor's utility) on a floppy and tried to boot from it. I got "NTLDR is missing - Ctrl - Alt - Del to reboot" message. I CANNOT get past that. :scratch: :shakehead

    I'm fully expecting to replace this hard drive. Stupid Maxtor!!!!

    I'm sure I can get it RMA'd and resell it. I'll never put another Maxtor in any computer I own.

    That means it's still trying to boot of the HD (which now doesn't seem to be working at all other than loading the MBR). Make sure you have the floppy disk drive set as the first boot option.
    President Pain wrote:
    It's the type of disc probably SATA disc usually don't have this problem maybe you should upgrade to SATA.

    Erm... it's giving this because the drive is dying, which happens regardless of the interface... suprisingly.
  • TheHeartSmasherTheHeartSmasher
    edited September 2005
    right, but SATA usually don't die like that. So just back up everything really quick and go out and buy a WD or Seagate and upload your backup to the new drive.

    This is what I am about to do so I have peace of mind when my drives that I have now do fail.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Erm, they die the same way all other drives do, changing the connection interface has no effect on things like that, at least in the case of drives anyway.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    beregid wrote:
    try putting your xp install disc in and run a repair on the install. it will fix the system boot files.(typically)
    Wont help anything because the hard drive phisically is broken according to the SMART messages.
    Enverex wrote:
    That means it's still trying to boot of the HD (which now doesn't seem to be working at all other than loading the MBR). Make sure you have the floppy disk drive set as the first boot option.
    I can't boot from the floppy. I set First, Second, and Third (all of my choices) to Floppy, and it still won't boot from it. I get the NLTDR message.
    President Pain wrote:
    So just back up everything really quick and go out and buy a WD or Seagate and upload your backup to the new drive.
    Well I wouldn't have a problem if I could get into windows!! I can't back things up when I can't boot into Windows and the hard drive is broken...

    I'll just have to replace the hd pretty soon, and RMA it sometime. I'm thinking about upgrading to a WD Raptor 10k 74gb SATA drive. I'll post another thread on this in Hardware.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    ok well I was told to take out my 2nd hd (WD 40gb) and try it like that. It booted up just fine and into Windows. Yes.. NOW I'm backing everything up.

    I disabled SMART in the BIOS, and it works fine now with both hard drives. I still need help figuring out which hard drive is going to die!! I have no problem RMA'ing it and replacing it, I just want to know which one is at fault. Are there any good programs for SMART?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited September 2005
    Get the diagnostic program(s) from the HD manufacturer(s) and run the test(s). You'll likely need the test result code for an RMA, anyway.

    If you have trouble finding the program(s), just yell. :)
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    Yeah I said earlier that I have the PowerMax utility on a floppy, but at the time it wouldn't boot from it. I'll try it again sometime, but I'm still not sure it'll boot from it.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    ok I downloaded and ran Western Digital's Data Lifegaurd Diagnostics. I ran a Quick Test on both drives. My 40gb WD passed and it received great results. My Maxtor 250gb "FAILED!" with bold red letters. LOL.

    Now I wonder.. Where is this program coming up with this information when SMART is disabled in BIOS? :scratch:
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited September 2005
    pilotwings119 wrote:
    ...Where is this program coming up with this information when SMART is disabled in BIOS? :scratch:
    Which program would that be?
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    pilotwings119 wrote:
    Western Digital's Data Lifegaurd Diagnostics
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited September 2005
    The WD diagnostic runs independently of SMART. Rather than rely on the SMART data (drive temperature, rpm's, etc), it does it's own evaluation of the drive, based mostly (if not entirely - I'm not sure) on it's ability to get a clean read of each sector of the drive.

    If it gives you a code along with the "Failing" warning, make sure you write it down. It will make the RMA process go a lot easier.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    WD's HHD diagnostic program worked on a non-WD drive? I thought those programs were proprietary - only for the specific manufacturer's drives. :scratch:
  • TheHeartSmasherTheHeartSmasher
    edited September 2005
    Nope I have that in a 32 megabyte boot sector on my harddisc so incase things go wrong I can try and find out what went wrong.

    I don't think I have one from seagate though they just have the windows drive formater which I got 148gb instead of 160 man I hate the difference between real (148) fiqure and manufactures big figure(160)

    I am glad you got your stuff working again buy a western digital or seagate they are really good and reliable
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    President Pain wrote:
    Nope I have that in a 32 megabyte boot sector on my harddisc so incase things go wrong I can try and find out what went wrong.

    I don't think I have one from seagate though they just have the windows drive formater which I got 148gb instead of 160 man I hate the difference between real (148) fiqure and manufactures big figure(160)

    I am glad you got your stuff working again buy a western digital or seagate they are really good and reliable

    Erm... I hope you mean boot partition... heh
    Leonardo wrote:
    WD's HHD diagnostic program worked on a non-WD drive? I thought those programs were proprietary - only for the specific manufacturer's drives. :scratch:

    Nope, works on all drives, I use it whenever something goes wrong.
  • TheHeartSmasherTheHeartSmasher
    edited September 2005
    Tha'ts right whoops.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    yeah it worked for my Maxtor and WD.

    So far theres no problems (after disabling SMART). BF2 has been very stable, and no reboots/crashes. :)

    I've backed everything up, and I plan to do so more regularly. I wont be surprised if the Maxtor does suddenly die on me sometime.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited September 2005
    Make sure you follow up on your backup strategy. My guess would be that you're going to need them soon. :(

    You need to be absolutely certain where you stand warranty-wise, too. Murphy's Law says that it will gasp its last breath just after the warranty expires. Since you've got proof the drive is failing (your test results), I wouldn't dilly-dally.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    I see what you're saying, and you probably have the right idea.

    The 10k 74gb Raptors are on sale with MIR on Newegg right now, so it must be meant to be. I never ever needed the 250gb storage that I bought, so I'll be fine with the huge downgrade in capacity.

    Hopefully there wont be any problem RMAing it.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited September 2005
    pilotwings119 wrote:
    ...Hopefully there wont be any problem RMAing it.
    My experience has been that as long as you have the test results from the actual manufacturer of the drive (Maxtor isn't going to care two craps about WD's test, etc) saying it's on the way out, then you are golden. (Assuming the warranty hasn't already expired, like it did with my dads 200GB Maxtor - only 14 months old... :shakehead )
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    My RMA experience with Maxtor was very pleasant. They were professional, polite, and their cross shipping (with my CC number as security) was nearly immediate. Excellent service. My second Maxtor's death occured after the warranty expired.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    How long is Maxtor's warranty? If its 1-Year, its already expired anyways :rolleyes:
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    Yes I looked - its only 1-Year for boxed ATA hard drives. :(

    Oh well... Doesn't look like I'll be getting it RMA'd, but I'll probably still replace it with a Raptor soon.

    edit: purchased on 6/11/04 at a local CompUSA for $199 + tax

    So it lasted 15 months.. thats very sad.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited September 2005
    Just a FYI, but my next drive will almost certainly be a Seagate.

    Five-year warranty, baby. :mullet:
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Leonardo wrote:
    WD's HHD diagnostic program worked on a non-WD drive? I thought those programs were proprietary - only for the specific manufacturer's drives. :scratch:

    Mostly, but not always. WD's program is meant for WD, BUT, the core of the program code is licensed from someone else. As the full program that WD licensed can run about $9000.00 USD, I tend to use it for more than one brand of HD (Maxtor included).

    Pilotwings, SMART error was for your WD drive, second drive listed in picture (the WD-400BB......).
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited September 2005
    Straight_Man wrote:
    Pilotwings, SMART error was for your WD drive, second drive listed in picture (the WD-400BB......).
    omg... you're COMPLETELY right. I totally overlooked that! Thats verry weird, because I just finished running PowerMax (Maxtor's diagnostic program) and I ran a full test on my Maxtor. It came up with a bunch of errors and gave me an error code to contact Maxtor with.
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