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Boot Failure: System Halted

T

thecrafter

I have LOVED the Cock for
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
571
Please help!

I just got all the parts to a computer and it won't boot anything!

Hard drive is wiped, so there's no OS. I went into the BIOS and set the boot order to boot from CD first to install Windows. But that doesn't work, I still get that message.

I tried everything in the BIOS pretty much. I thought it was the CD drive (bought used) so I went to Best Buy to try one of theirs. Brand new cd drive. Still does not boot. Both HD and CD drive are recognized correctly in BIOS so I really don't know....

edit: but boots up Fedora from an external HD OK...

I've also tried reseating all the cables
 
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thecrafter said:
Please help!

I just got all the parts to a computer and it won't boot anything!

Hard drive is wiped, so there's no OS. I went into the BIOS and set the boot order to boot from CD first to install Windows. But that doesn't work, I still get that message.

I tried everything in the BIOS pretty much. I thought it was the CD drive (bought used) so I went to Best Buy to try one of theirs. Brand new cd drive. Still does not boot. Both HD and CD drive are recognized correctly in BIOS so I really don't know....

edit: but boots up Fedora from an external HD OK...

I've also tried reseating all the cables
Click to expand...

Have you tried another OS disc ? Could be a bad disc.
 
Simmonz said:
Have you tried another OS disc ? Could be a bad disc.
Click to expand...

Yes, tried XP, Win98, and Ultimate Boot CD. I know for a fact the XP CD works on other computers :(

Really stumped here. It isn't the CMOS battery, because it saves settings fine and I managed to boot Linux from external HD. I have HD connected with one ribbon cable to primary IDE and set to master, and DVD drive connected to 2nd IDE connection and set to master (tried setting to slave, no luck).

I figured, since it boots Linux from external fine, I followed a guide on how to install Windows from an external HD but that did not work. Gives me the same error message. Basically all I need is to install Windows on this damned hard drive, but I can't without having the CD drive work =/
 
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How far into the install process do you get? When you first boot the computer with the cd drive set to boot, do you get the "hit any keys to boot from cd" message?
 
Nope, when I set it to boot from CD first (or anything, really), it completes POST successfully, and then the screen switches (whatever it's called, you know what I mean), then I get a flashing underscore for a few seconds and then that error.

I also tried removing the HD all together, hoping it will then have no choice but to boot from CD. Same problem. I also tried switching the IDE ribbons, as well as switching between primary and secondary IDE connections for both the HD and CD drive. I'm just about to throw up here.

Maybe the IDE controller is dead? But this is a new motherboard.. (OK, well to be honest it's Intel D815EEA2U, it's about 10 years old. But the one I got is brand spanking new and unopened).

Edit: actually, I don't think the IDE controller can be dead, because in BIOS as I said, it detects both the CD drive and HD just fine
 
This is a real mystery. By all accounts everything should work.

BIOS detects HD and CD drives. Check. That means cables are OK too, right? CD spins for a couple of seconds during POST, too.

CD drive set to boot first. Check.

CD drive is fine because:
1. Tried two different ones.
2. Second one is brand new from Best Buy.

CD media is fine because it boots from laptop.

Able to boot system using Linux from external HD. Check.

CMOS battery good. Check. (saves settings, and was able to change boot order and successfully boot from external).

What the heck then????
 
According to the Intel website, there's a BIOS update that fixes the following:
Fixed issue where boot order would become corrupted when the boot device configuration
changed.

But how can I update the BIOS with no OS and no ability to even install an OS since I cannot get it to boot from a CD?

edit: no way. The BIOS files for this mobo are only available in .exe format. So it requires DOS or Windows
 
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OK Linux recognizes the hard drive and is able to see the Windows CD. Sigh.

So I formatted the hard drive within Linux and now I no longer get that error. Just a flashing underscore forever.

The problem is that it definitely is unable to boot from CD for one reason or another. Maybe it's a BIOS bug, maybe not.

I'll try to convince my boss to let me install the HD on one of the work machines today and just install Windows on it there, lol. Then take the drive back home. Hopefully it won't cause problems because of installing on one motherboard and transferring to another. But since I won't be installing drivers there or anything I think it should be OK. Only problem is, the work machines are AMD Tri Cores and I need to install Windows 98. Wonder how that'll work

CD ROM works, HD also works... whatever, just can't boot from a CD.
 
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