How to get to BIOS on a computer that wont boot?

OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
edited December 2006 in Hardware
If I start it up with nothing in the cdrom drive, it goes right from the hp screen to a black screen with "Operating System not Found"

If I put the windows disk in, it will run some boot info but not much, not enough to get to the "to go to set up press Delete" or whatever HP does. It'll begin the XP set up but not finish it.

If I put the set up disk for the new harddrive in it'll do the same boot info as with the windows disk but wont complete because the computer isnt recognizing where the HD is set (Primary Master, Primary Slave, Secondary Master, Secondary Slave)

The computer is an HP Pavillion 500
Hard drive is a WD 80G 7200rpm
256MB RAM
Intel processor
Attempting to Install Microsoft XP Home SP1
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Comments

  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited November 2006
    How old is the pc? Which model of the HP 500 series?
    <=2002 the boot bios key used to be F10
    >2002 it changed to F1

    If its an IDE hard drive, make sure the jumpers on the drive are set to Cable Select or CS.
    check the label on the drive itself, if looking for CS. If the drive is not labeled, look at the drive documentation.

    Serial ATA drives do not require jumpers
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    Kentigern wrote:
    How old is the pc? Which model of the HP 500 series?
    <=2002 the boot bios key used to be F10
    >2002 it changed to F1

    If its an IDE hard drive, make sure the jumpers on the drive are set to Cable Select or CS.
    check the label on the drive itself, if looking for CS. If the drive is not labeled, look at the drive documentation.

    Serial ATA drives do not require jumpers

    Thank you!! That helps a ton. I got into BIOS.
    Its a 2002, HP Pavillion 500
    It's an EIDE Hard drive, Jumper is set on CS
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    OhNoImStuck wrote:
    Thank you!! That helps a ton. I got into BIOS.
    Its a 2002, HP Pavillion 500
    It's an EIDE Hard drive, Jumper is set on CS

    Now it just says Operating System not found. No errors! Woo hoo! :clap:
    That's progress. I hope.
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited November 2006
    If it's a new hard drive sounds like it needs to be formatted for fat32.
    If you set the bios to read the cd rom drive first
    then put your win xp in the cd/dvd drive and restart your pc
    you should get a message asking if you want to format the drive
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    Thank you so much. I have to make dinner now but I'll do that and update later on.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    It appears that Kentigern has done an admirable job in getting you going. :thumbsup:

    The only thing I'd add is that for WinXP you may want to format it in NTFS. The Windows Setup procedure should take care of that for you. :)
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    It appears that Kentigern has done an admirable job in getting you going. :thumbsup:

    The only thing I'd add is that for WinXP you may want to format it in NTFS. The Windows Setup procedure should take care of that for you. :)

    Yup it's doing that now. Formatting in NTFS.
    Western Digital showed up in the boot sequence as well! Hooray.

    I'm concerned that in the NTFS formatting screen it says:
    C Partition1 [NTFS] 76316MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
    Shouldnt it say WD? Never really paid attention to that screen before. I was like "Oh this is going to take a little while" and went and did something else.

    If it doesnt work this time, would it be ok to delete that partition? Probably not, huh? It gives a warning for a reason I'm sure. I either need to go to school or buy a big heavy book. I've replaced several HD's, loaded the OPS with no drama. This one makes me feel dumb. I'm so grateful for all the help.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2006
    C Partition1 [NTFS] 76316MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]

    Standard entry for an 80gb hdd in the Windows format tool.
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    Thrax wrote:
    Standard entry for an 80gb hdd in the Windows format tool.

    Ok, I'm obsessing. I'll stop. :nudge:
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    BAH! We're looping again!!!!!!
    Formats fine,
    Copies the files fine,
    Reboot
    Start all over again..I have the licensing agreement screen again.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2006
    Move your RAM to different slots, or outrightly replace it with some junk RAM for now.
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    Ok, I'll go see what Ive got.
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited November 2006
    The memory I have doesnt fit.

    I switched hers around in the slots and we're looping again. :banghead:
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited December 2006
    After the windows install from cd - did you remember to go back into the bios and change the first back to your hard drive?
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    Kentigern wrote:
    After the windows install from cd - did you remember to go back into the bios and change the first back to your hard drive?

    It never completely installed. It formats, copies some files then reboots and starts all over.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2006
    Do you know for a fact that your hard drive is in good condition?
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    Thrax wrote:
    Do you know for a fact that your hard drive is in good condition?

    I would assume so, it's brand new. I made sure I was grounded before opening it and installing it into the case, Touched the metal part of the case before I touched anything inside the computer.

    I wonder if something else was damaged when her old drive crashed. I know her cd rom and burner werent working with the old drive. There are a few more inexpensive things I can try. Updating her cables. She has the classic 40 pin IDE cables, I've seen there are 40 pin 80 wire cables out now. And the cables are round so they'll look nicer in the case.

    Sorry for the babbling, I'm on my first cup of coffee. :beer:
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited December 2006
    Which version of xp home do you have -oem - hp's own - new boxed?
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    She has no disc with hers so I'm using my disc. She has her own Auth Code on the side of her computer case.

    Mine is Windows XP Home Edition OEM
    Her sticker says Windows XP Home Edition-Hewlett Packard

    We're nowhere near where it asks for the Auth code, I was going to cross that bridge when we got to it. If her code that she has didnt work, It gives you 30 days to Authorize. I know you can buy the Auth code from Microsoft for about $50 less than what Best Buy sells the disc for. Or find a good deal on evil bay.
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited December 2006
    When you get the licensing agreement window do you accept and continue or just reboot?

    Some ms oem software needs the end user to accept before continuing to load windows. Likewise some oem already have an activation code activated within the setup, eg HP
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    Just thinking out loud:

    There's a battery in the mobo I could change before I do anything rash. Sony CR203? Easy non expensive thing to replace.

    I have a version of ME here. I could try install that and just have her buy an upgrade.


    I could pull it out and put it in mine as a slave and try the XP install that way. Not positive how that would go. And dont want to jeopardize my system that's been running pretty fly. (knock on wood)

    We're trying to get away with cheap here. She's buying a new laptop for her own personal do everything computer and this one will be set up at her house so my brother can check his email or whatever he does *gag* without putting his mitts on Mom's new computer.
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    Kentigern wrote:
    When you get the licensing agreement window do you accept and continue or just reboot?

    Some ms oem software needs the end user to accept before continuing to load windows. Likewise some oem already have an activation code activated within the setup, eg HP

    I hit F8 to accept and continue.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2006
    Your third idea wouldn't work.
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited December 2006
    Haven't used the F8 key before, so not sure what it does at this point of the setup. But if it's like just continue/next then you are at this point declining the agreement.

    Usually the licensing agreement is set to NOT ACCEPT so you have to click on the I ACCEPT button to continue loading....
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    I have an appt this morning, when I get back I'll run again and note the exact sequence it goes thru before rebooting.

    Thank you all so much for your insight.

    That's good to know, Thrax. I really didnt want to have to do that.
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    Ok. Here we go live.. *=new screen ...=what I actually did
    Windows Setup,
    *Set Up is loading files (listing files as it loads them)
    *Set Up is starting windows
    *page that asks if you want to set up windows, repair an installation, or to quit... I Hit ENTER to continue.
    *Windows XP Licensing Agreement Options: F8=I agree, ESC=I do not Agree PAGE DOWN=Next Page ....I hit F8 to agree.
    *List of Partitions, Well ONE partition Options: ENTER=Install, D=Delete Partition, F3=Quit ...I hit C to try to make a different partition..nothing happens so I hit ENTER.
    *Gives me a warning that the partition contains an operating system, Options: C=Continue Set Up, ESC=Cancel...I hit C
    *Shows the partition, Options to Format NTFS <quick>, Format NTFS, or Leave the Current file system intact...I select quick this time, and hit ENTER to Continue.
    *Caution: Formatting thi drive will delete all files on it, Confirm that you want to format. Options: F=Format ESC=Cancel...I hit F
    *Please wait while Set Up Formats the partition...I wait :whistling:
    *Please wait while Set UP Examines your disks..wait only a few seconds
    *Please wait while Set UP copies files to the windows Installation Folders. This might take several minutes...I wait some more.
    *Please wait while set up configures something or other
    *This portion of set up has been completed successfully. Your computer will reboot in 10 seconds.
    REBOOT
    Starts again from the top of the list. Lather, rinse, repeat.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2006
    Okay, so, did you take the CD out after the computer reboots? You have the PC set to boot from CD, naturally it's going to start the CD every single time and take you back to the blue screen.

    Either set your computer to boot from the hard drive, or take the CD out, let the PC start the next stage of windows, then put it back in.
  • OhNoImStuckOhNoImStuck
    edited December 2006
    Thrax wrote:
    Okay, so, did you take the CD out after the computer reboots? You have the PC set to boot from CD, naturally it's going to start the CD every single time and take you back to the blue screen.

    Either set your computer to boot from the hard drive, or take the CD out, let the PC start the next stage of windows, then put it back in.

    Reset to start from hard drive
    Reboot
    Black Screen "Operating system not found"
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited December 2006
    I'm baffled, usually after the 1st reboot the screen asks if you want to boot from cd or hd - at this point you would normally choose hd in order for windows to continue setup.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2006
    Kentigern wrote:
    I'm baffled, usually after the 1st reboot the screen asks if you want to boot from cd or hd - at this point you would normally choose hd in order for windows to continue setup.

    I, too, am at this point baffled.
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