Funny boot problem

[CC_Pirate]

The other day I was messing around inside my PC mounting some fans. Then, when I hooked it back up and tried to boot, it wouldnt boot into windows. It finds the harddrives, all connections are good, boot order is the way its supposed to be etc. It just wont boot straight from the harddrive.

Then I attempted to run the recovery console using the WINXP CD. It didnt really help, but I discovered that the computer WOULD BOOT into Windows just fine WITH THE CD in the drive.

I dont understand why. I checked that my C: drive is active and primary. Everything is fine. But the computer wont boot unless the WinXP cd is in the drive.

It works, its just a little annoying. Anyone have a clue what might cause this?

Specs:
Asus A8N SLI Premium (latest beta BIOS)
AMD X2 3800+
WinXP
Raptor SATA primary drive.

all help is appreciated

 

[djnes]

Sounds like your boot sector is corrupted. Boot from the XP CD, go into the recovery console, and run fixboot.

 

[CC_Pirate]

Thanks dines.

I did like you said and fixboot ran succesfully, but unfortunately it didnt fix my problem. Still need to have the CD in the drive to boot.
Any other ideas?

 

[Phoenix86]

It just wont boot straight from the harddrive.

What's the error?

The other day I was messing around inside my PC mounting some fans.

10-1 you knocked a cable loose (or damamged it), check the HDD cable, then replace it. Every problem has exactly 1 cause, the action you did before the error was opening the case, therefore the likely cause has to do with that, which *should* exclude software things.

 

[hulksterjoe]

10-1 you knocked a cable loose (or damamged it), check the HDD cable, then replace it. .

good advice there
Those sata connections can come loose VERY easily.. reseat them even if they look good and tight

 

[Phoenix86]

good advice there
Those sata connections can come loose VERY easily.. reseat them even if they look good and tight

Good, 'cause I just keep posting random solutions until I find one that works. Every now and then I get lucky.

 

[hulksterjoe]

even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then

 

[CC_Pirate]

HAHAHA
Thanks all. The first thing I thought of was the SATA cable being loose. But I checked that a million times, and it cant be that since once Ive booted using the CD the drives work perfectly .

I didnt really get an error message, it just stops at that screen that comes after the BIOS splash screen.

 

[Phoenix86]

Tehehe.

You know, it's a good thing we actually help people so we can post crap like this in OS.

CC_Pirate, replace the cable, it may have been damaged. Just remember, you had you hands in the case, so chances are that's where you problem is.