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Community Newsletter: Q&A: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it
- 8/17/07 10:22 AM
DBoot 2(first in the Bit Bucket in the Sky)
by montdor1 - 8/4/07 8:25 PM In reply to: All the suggestions in here are good, but I have one other. by RotoRooterGuyTry these time tested, simple pervasively used procedures:
1. Turn everything off, then back on.
2. RTFM
3. RTF
4. Don't let a SNAFU become worse, morphing into FUBAR (FOOBAR).
Perhaps best of all: Providing you are not told you have a 1D10T error by tech support, have a t.s. person come and fix it.
Do not forget that in NY state there is a law called The Warranty of Merchantability that says the manufacturer must fix or replace a broken product free of charge. HP, even Emachines, will send you a box and shipping labels.
Most Likely and less likely reasons for Disk boot failure
by somanyroads - 8/4/07 6:12 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Sata Leads are often at the root of this kind of problem although the fact that a re-boot cures the problem until the next cold boot suggests a failing Bios Battery. Simply put the computer forgets everything when it is switched off and when you reboot its loading its fail safe options. As its such a new machine the manufacturer's really should sort the machine for you. I have seen this error before and so far its been down to a sata lead in one case and a failing BIOS battery in the other. A 6 weeks old computers bios battery should be OK, but you would be surprised how often a duff battery gets through. Unless your happy messing around inside you expensive and vital computer get it fixed by the shop or outlet that sold you the machine.
Disk Boot Failure
by Joe03 - 8/4/07 6:47 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Before you do as recommended by any one else. My mother's Compaq or HP had the same problem. HP directed her to save all her files and then complete a systems recovery of her system - it worked. If you chose to respond to this it would be nice to have whjat type of HP it is memory size etc.. If that does not work it could be as simple as your battery needs to be replaced. If you still have this problem, call Best Buy's Geek Squad thay are very knowledgeable; and no I do not work for them, but they are very good at what they do. If your repair is going to cost you over $500, just start looking for a new computer - my mother refused and she ended up with a corrupted account from HP website from downloading one of their updates.
Boot Disk
by Joe03 - 8/4/07 6:50 AM In reply to: Disk Boot Failure by Joe03Oh, the whole point of a system recovery is to fix the possible problems everyone is suggesting (like updating your drivers).
Use of a power strip
by davejyd - 8/4/07 7:44 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One question - do you use a external power strip (or surge protector) that all of your equipment (monitor, PC, printer, etc.) is plugged into? If so, is it rated for use with a PC? If not, the activation of the power supply could be "too slow" for your PC. One solution - purchase a power strip rated for use with a PC. Another - make sure your PC is powered down before shutting off the power strip, and, when you turn on the strip, wait a minute before turning on the PC (let the monitor, printer, etc. power up first). Finally - just don't use the power switch on the strip - instead turn the individual components off. Of course, the best solution is to buy a PC rated power strip/surge protector, as inexpensive power strips may not have the surge protection needed to protect your PC in the event of a power surge.
Occum's razor, the simplest answer
by John Weiss - 8/4/07 7:55 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It is only very occationally that the error message relates to what is wrong. Have you checked your cmos memory batteries? All computers have some data that is vital (the number of hard disk heads, and cylinders for example) that is stored "permanently" in battery backed up memory. In laptops, this data is most likely stored in cmos ram, backed up by "button" batteries. Unless you are mechaniclly inclined, I would call whatever 800 number you have for technical support, and ask them how to change the cmos batteries. You also might look at whatever manuals for "cmos batteries". If this is indeed you problem, won't you look great, and feel smart, when after replacing the batteries, it just boots right up! Modern bios auto detect and configure any settings, and there is no need to get more technical than that. I read all the answers you have received already, and the Michael Crichton novel, The Andromeda Strain, is largley based on this sort of problem. A group of highly trained scientists is stumped because a piece of paper is lodged between a bell and clapper, preventing it from ringing. I hope this is your problem, as it would be easily fixed.
you bought the pc 6 weeks ago from HP????
by marcmatics - 8/4/07 12:31 PM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
you stated in your original message quote "Once or twice in the six weeks since I purchased the computer"
I would take the pc back to where you purchased it from, i know they say you must return for reair within 30 days of buying but you should additionally be covered by hardware warranty for internal components for at least 12 months,
thats assuming you bought the pc as 'new' and not a refurbished machine.....
Disk Boot Failure
by bosston - 8/4/07 3:12 PM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Marlene,
Have you tried going into the Windows Advanced Options (Hit F8 after the HP splash screen) and either going into Safe Mode or choose Last Known Good Configuration?
If neither of these options works and you've already ran Checkdisk then call HP if its still under warranty.
Boot disk failure
by Joe03 - 8/4/07 10:31 PM In reply to: Disk Boot Failure by bosstonJust take it back and get another laptop.
Copy the Data First, then reinstall the operating System
by amitanand2k2 - 8/5/07 12:11 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Best thing if your computer giving you boot problem, First copy all your important Data from your Hard drive to another normal computer, to do that without windows, is to take out the Hard drive, and then change your drive Jumper Master – to Slave, then attached with running computer now the running computer run from his hard drive, but you will see one more drive which is your drive on slave, then copy all the data from slave to master drive,
second take the drive out make it master again then put it back to your computer. then reinstall the operating system, Hope fully your problem will be resolved, but if after that it give your same problem, then you can send you system to replace your drive. And in this way you don't have to worry about your data, because it is already saved in the different computer.
BEST OF LUCK
AMIT ANAND
make sure it's breathing!
by sexywrench - 8/5/07 10:28 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had the same issue with a Compaq SR1910NX desktop. I was looking things up on the internet and susequently logged off, leaving the computer idle while I took a nap. When I awoke, The screen was black (after taking the computer out of sleep mode (to which HP has a bios update for certain motherboards that can't wake out of sleep mode with either the keyboard or mouse)) and at the top was the phrase "boot disk failure". I almost went ballistic because my computer is less than a year old as well. I had just loaded new programs for school, and I thought, "great, I just lost all my assignments, everything". I figured at first that one of them was 'bugged'.
Anyway, I shut everything down for the night. I started it up the next day and it worked just fine for a week. I ran the scan with Norton Internet Security 2007 and found nothing. Checkdisk found nothing. At the end of the week, it happend again. This time I was able to at least go in to Bios (after trying to boot from disk and failing) and I noticed that the Bios did not "see" my hard-drive. But, what I also found was that the case was warmer than usual. So, I shut it down again and let it cool. I figured it was just a case of overheating.
Point after all this is that in my case, these were 90+ degree days. My ceiling fan was turned off as well as the AC. But perhaps more importantly, the desk where my tower resides was fully encased. Airflow is critical. I cut out the panel at the rear of the desk, behind the tower to help it to breathe. Turned the ceiling fan and AC on and my issue went away. So far it's been over a month without issue. Yes, I had already tried the cleaning method the first time. But, I am still considering a higher flow internal fan set. I was also fortunate that none of my data was lost. Thank God for Norton Ghost!
Disk boot failure
by dupie_c - 8/5/07 10:28 PM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
check 2 things
1 = that no cd (or floppy) is in the roms
2 = unplug and ensure all cards are set properly.
..new HP computer...boot errors
by rlessmue - 8/6/07 10:32 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had purchased an HP laptop and had problems with it. I no longer have it. Enclosed was a program to backup my laptop (only one time), to make an exact copy of my drive incase I needed to restore it for any reason. I'm not sure if you are running Vista or if this was included in your desktop. I would recommend doing this backup - before - you start doing other things. After you do this backup, try a restore. Mine worked fine for me, everytime (I did it about 6 times). Your computer should be under warrenty and you should not have a problem getting it replaced. If you have a backup of this system, you can then restore it on your new system (must be the same type), which I have done. The reason why I know this, is because each laptop I got had problems. One was a "video display" problem, another had a head phone jack problem. What I'm getting at, is that I was able to take my original back up and restore it to the new computer I got with out any problems. The problem is that you only get one backup for you computer. So, get your computer the way you like it, and THEN burn your backup to DVD. Hope this helps!
Boot failure
by westcat - 8/6/07 2:22 PM In reply to: ..new HP computer...boot errors by rlessmueMy PC is about 4 years old, Pentium 2.4, Rambus 800 memory, and I've had the same boot failure since day 1. It has actually gotten better over time, but still does it occaisonally, once every few months, and I have to boot from the CD. It used to happen every 5 to 10 boots. I first had W2K and now I have XP, and still have the problem. I have changed power supplies and hard drives for other reasons and it didn't affect the boot problem at all. Seems like it could be something in the Intel motherboard or the bios. It seemed to improve when I upgraded to SP2, but other than that I've just lived with it.
Take it back to Dell!!
by acurban - 8/6/07 10:54 AM In reply to: Disk boot failure: What is it and what can I do to resolve it by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you have On site warranty, call it n now. My guess is that its a loose cable or something easy BUT you will invalidate the warranty if you go messing about inside. Trust me, DELL will very quickly use that excuse to drop you from the warranty program. I know a bunch of people its happened to.
Since its brand new, let Dell fix once and for all.
Good luck to you 
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