Can't get HD to boot.

P

pyro

New Member
Ok. I recently had ALOT of problems with tigerdirect screwing me over and over. I FINALLY got all stuff and it WORKS. I didn't buy a hard drive however cause I have my 160gig SATA HD to boot. It's being read, but when I turn it on I get the screen that says "Select proper boot drive or insert install disk and reboot" or something along those lines.
I don't under stand this at all since I have it all setup in the BIOS and everything. I'm pretty sure I know what it's not working, I just don't know how to fix it.
I already have windows installed on this HD, and if I reformat it'll work. I DON'T want to reformat though. Anyone know how to fix this?
 
Any copy of Windows installed for an older system won't work on a new build. Since you will likely need to see a fresh primary for a clean of Windows to go onto you would simply be better off planning a reformat following a good backup of anything you want to keep.

A freshly reformatted drive will also see a fresh start and no clutter left over from now useless installation logs plus you have reclaimed a good deal of drive space. Windows will also see far fewer problems as a totally hardware profile is created.

With an entirely different board. memory, cpu, etc. a repair install if XP is the OS won't work. You might get away with a reinstall while preserving the present primary. With Vista however the installer will likely automatically reformat the primary as part of installing a fresh copy of Windows.
 
I don't want to reformat yet. I have a lot of valuable stuff on it still. And I can't make a new partition because I use the full 160 on one because I don't like splitting it up, which I've come to realize is a smart idea, however I didn't do it.
 
Everytime I've done a repair, it managed to wipe my entire drive. I don't know why it did it. I was trying to repair a damaged hard (windows was damaged) and instead of repairing it, it wipe out everything I had on it, had alotta important stuff on it to.
 
When you do a repair dont pick R at the first of the setup, thats the recovery console. Let it move on to the license agreement, then let it look for the windows install. When it does then pick R for repair. You will have to reapply all the windows updates because it will replace all the files with copies from the CD.
 
Buy a bigger HDD, very cheap anymore and use your existing as extra data storage. Then you can partition your new one into 2 or more. One for OS and the second for data or a third one for dual booting XP/Vista.
 
StrangleHold said:
Just do a repair install.
Click to expand...

And what see drivers from the first board still on and likely in conflict with the new board's own? :rolleyes:

johnb35 had a much better there with simply buying a new sata drive even larger then the 160gb to use as a primary storage device and backup everything off of the ide. First you see a clean copy of Windows go onto the 160gb for the host/OS drive and later plug the ide drive in long enough to copy everything you want off of it.

The option to perform a repair install isn't always seen in XP especially when you just saw a major hardware swap. Everything will need a clean fresh install to simply start over.
 
Everything will need a clean fresh install to simply start over.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily...uninstall the old drivers and install the new ones. He just needs to leave the USB ones on there, because we all know Windows gets trashed when you uninstall those, right?:D Honestly, how has no one not banned you yet?

And while john's idea would certainly help down the road with future issues, it did nothing to address the OP's questions/concerns. Once again, Strangle's spot-on with his advice, and well...PC's on his way to being made the fool again.
 
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PC eye said:
And what see drivers from the first board still on and likely in conflict with the new board's own? :rolleyes:

johnb35 had a much better there with simply buying a new sata drive even larger then the 160gb to use as a primary storage device and backup everything off of the ide. First you see a clean copy of Windows go onto the 160gb for the host/OS drive and later plug the ide drive in long enough to copy everything you want off of it.

The option to perform a repair install isn't always seen in XP especially when you just saw a major hardware swap. Everything will need a clean fresh install to simply start over.
Click to expand...

Its got to where replying to any of your post is a waste of time. Its like trying to catch a dog on fire in your house. It runs from room to room till the whole house is on fire.
 
Ok guys. Let's not argue -.-...I posted for help not to read an argument, thank you.
John, I plan on getting a new hard drive...eventually...I don't have money for it right now. Hence the reason I'm trying to use my current one. And yes they are cheap, but for someone struggling to find a job, it's not cheap.

I can give that a try strangle, thanks for the advice :}
 
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