Boot Problems

[Ben Wakefield]

When I turn on my computer I get the start up menu.
Improper shut down, etc... safe mode, sm with networking,
sm with command promt, last known working configuration.
and start normally no matter which one I select the
computer reboots to the same menu over and over.

I tried to reinstall xp, but the system hangs during the
set up, and during 2 instances of an install attempt I got
this error (both while attempting to recover, install
locks up):

Error in file ntfs.sys

Address F81A184F base at F815A000 date stamp 3d6dc5c1
Stop: 0x00000050 (0xE10C101C, 0x00000000, 0xF81A184F,
0x00000001)

Page fualt in non-page area

Also, I tried a 20gb hard drive (Original was a 60gb) that
already had Windows XP installed. BIOS detected the
correct drive, but it failed to load. Instead displayed a
blank screen.

I was able to get it to boot to a floppy, however, c is an
invalid driv spec. I tried using a set up disk for windows
98 that I can use to format the hard drive, it wont boot
up becuase of the invalid drive. I used the cable that was
originally for the cd roms for the hard drive becuase it
could read from the cd roms (it would get into set up and
lock up when it was examining the set up config)

So I am at a loss of what to do. I am afraid it is the IDE
controller on the motherboard itself. I would test the
hard drive in my other computer, but it cannot see above
32gb.


any and all help is appreciated.

-Ben

 

[Computer Guy]

If you were getting to the safe mode screen then I doubt
it is your IDE controller since it would have to read the
drive to display that screen. Try reinstalling windows on
the original drive in a different computer. (A computer
that can see large drives)

Hope this helps

 

[Ben]

Yeah, it didnt make sense to me, but I couldnt think of
anything else. BIOS saw it, but when I booted up from a
floppy, I got invalid drive.

I was also told that it could be a faulty cd rom causing
it, but I dont think such is the case becuase the same
thing happens when all, none, one, or another is connected.

The trick will be finding a computer, or somebody who has
a computer, that will let me borrow it for a few hours.
lol.

Any other suggestions to force my computer to see the
drive? (I don't quite understand why once I boot to a
floppy that it wont work. I also may have the wrong boot
disk set up, hence the problem)

But I used my own boot disk, and made one from a KB
article.

Its an HP Pavilion 533w, 60gb hdd, 2.0ghz Cel with 512mb
ddr.