Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter

H

Hunter 0.00

New Member
I have a desktop computer and have 3 hdd's. 300GB is the one I use most and a 40 GB I use sometimes for backup and a 20GB that was giving to me, I was gonna install another operating system on it, awhile back. The computer has worked fine and don't think I've had a problem with it before. The 2 hdd's (20GB and 40GB) I had problems in the past. One had missing NT file and the other one, just didn't have any OS on it. I had fix them a couple months ago. Couple worked fine since.

I few minutes ago. I had brought the computer downstairs and hooked it up. All I did was switch the VGA and power plug from this computer to mine and I put in the 40GB hdd to back up files from one computer, and store them on the 40GB since it was was just laying around.

I turn it on and it says "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER" I was kinda surpised. I think I may have seen this message before but that hdd worked fine before so it shouldn't have this message. So I put in the OS CD and try to repair windows. I typed FIXBOOT but it didn't recognize, also tried FIXMBR but nothing happened.

I try to reformat the hdd, I notice when I get to the format screen. I notice there are no partitions on the hdd which I though was very strange. So I press Enter to reformat and I get a stop error everytime. it mentioned something about it setupdd.sys (think that the file or something simular).

I try the 20GB hdd and had the exact same thing. I tried the 300gb hdd and had the exact same thing too. So it messes up all 3 hdd's. It ever did this before. I dunno how to reformat the hdd.

Anyone have any idea why or what messed up the hdd's?
 
So, you took the 40 GB Drive and installed it in another system that already had a Drive in it? If so, check the Master/Slave settings - it sounds like BIOS is trying to boot to the (empty) 40 GB and giving you the error since it can't find the OS.
 
imsati said:
So, you took the 40 GB Drive and installed it in another system that already had a Drive in it? If so, check the Master/Slave settings - it sounds like BIOS is trying to boot to the (empty) 40 GB and giving you the error since it can't find the OS.
Click to expand...

No, I had taken out my 300GB and put in the 40GB one instead.
 
OK, so either way, it's a moot point trying to boot to the 40 GB since there's no OS on it.
 
imsati said:
OK, so either way, it's a moot point trying to boot to the 40 GB since there's no OS on it.
Click to expand...


I'm not trying to boot, I'm trying to fix it or reformat it. I would also like to know what cuased this? Can't see why it would do that, and to 3 hdd's.
 
Hunter 0.00 said:
I'm not trying to boot, I'm trying to fix it or reformat it. I would also like to know what cuased this? Can't see why it would do that, and to 3 hdd's.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I'm not getting what you're trying to accomplish. I'm reading your Posts as you have a HDD that cannot be booted to but has files on it, and that you're hooking this Drive up solo and trying to format it; in which case, you can't do it without taking a few extra steps.

Can you (re)post what your trying to do and how you're trying to do it, and what Drives have an actual Operating Sytem on it and not just random files?
 
Sounds like your computer has a 300gbs drive. Then downstairs you hook up a 40gb to transfer files to it and you got the "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER". If this is right, at that point probable all that was wrong is that you threw your boot order off and it was trying to boot to the 40gb.

Then you boot to your OS cd and run FIXBOOT and FIXMBR and then tried to do a format. At this piont I dont know what drive you did this to so more info is needed.
 
Problem solved!!! One idea came to me a few minutes ago, nothing else made sense. Got the same error no matter what hdd I put in, anable to boot, no partition found etc. A theory came to me that one of the IDE cables came loose, so I unplugged the IDE cable to the hdd, and plugged it back in and the computer works great. :) :) :). Now I know, if I ever get this error again, first thing, first, check the IDE cables(s).
 
Last edited:
Good job. Sorry we didn't suggest that before - I guess we just assumed since you were doing a lot of plugging/unplugging, things would have been connected. Just goes to show how sometimes it's something super-simple.

And btw, Welcome to CF!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top