Problems with starting up computer.....

Joined
Mar 10, 2005
Messages
1,091
Reaction score
0
Hi,Im having a problem starting up my computer, when it starts up it goes through everything, but then when nearly done it says "A disk read error has occured" and then when i restart like it tells me to it simply goes to the same page and a dot in the top left hand corner flashes and nothing happens.

Please help if possible :)

thnx
 
Try booting up with XP or 2000 cd (which ever os your running) and then goto to recovery console and run a chkdsk /r

Can you get into safe mode?
 
Last edited:
How do i get into recovery?? and how do i run the check?? :S Sorry never done it before.
 
Last edited:
Boot from the windows XP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a "Y" (without the quotes). Use exit to restore the computer.
 
It won't let me boot the Windows XP cd, the computer starts like normal nearly completes the setup and goes to the page with the dot in the top left hand corner. or is there something i need to do to get the cd to boot??
 
you need to change the boot sequence, enter BIOS and change to CD then HD
 
sorry took a while had to go out. Thnx me thats worked, but when i get into the setup is says that their is no hard disk drives installed on my computer :S

Can you help?? :)

thnx to all replies so far.
 
still having the problem, i asked my friend who built it and he said that he just used my old hard drive and that the new hard disk was not recognized, not sure if that helps.

please all help is needed.
 
Is the old hardrive an IDE drive??? That would explain why that one would boot and not the SATA.

So you have post, you see the windows logo, then it states a disk read error has occured and then nothing?...... It should go somewhere, unless thats when you see the blank black page with the blinking cursor. Have you tried SAFE MODE???? Reboot tapping F-8 and it should bring you to windows advanced options, then slecect 'Last Known Good Config' and see what happens. If still same, try all options available, just follow the prompts. If its windows XP then thier should be one that says something like step by step disk check or something like that.


I personally, have not had the best of experiences with the SATA drives. I had a pain of a time with my girls pc. I actually had to use an old 6GB hard drive, get windows loaded on that, install the SATA drives, then reboot. On reboot it recognised the Sata Drive. I then Installed windows into the Sata Drive and removed the IDE. Did a couple of test runs, and things were stable. Then reconected the IDE drive as a Slave and left it there. So it is now basically a recovery drive. BUt since then no problems, going on 3 months.
 
Sounds like your hard drive is not being seen at all, so nothing has changed?

If not you need to open the machine up and check all the cables, then go back into the bios and check under the IDE device settings that they are set to auto.
 
yeh my old drive is IDE, how do i get it to run my SATA instead would that sort my problem??

The screen stays on the blinking cursor....i left it for 15 minutes and nothing happend, it was the same screen. If i press alt+ctl+del then it restarts.
 
Which one has windows???? ......

Which ever has the Os, leave that, remove the other and reboot. I'm assuming the SATA has windows and the IDE is storage. Hmmm, did the SATA drives come with a floppy disk??

Neither Drive is recognised???? Thats crazy. Sounds like MOBO trouble if that is so. Have freind with an Imaged drive, or one who can check yours to see if they boot??
 
download knoppix and see if everything works, obviously you wont be able to get drivers for everything but if it boots its a good sign
 
Back
Top