Error Loading O S Help

[666snake666]

Im having trouble with a new build, initial OS install of windows XP on a Western Digital WD800 60Gb Hard Drive. The XP setup disk lets me install OS on hard drive (after formatting) then when it restarts I get the error message
Error Loading Operating System. The same happens with subsequent boot ups from hard disk.

Motherboard: Foxconn Winfast NF4K8AC
Processor: AMD 3000
CD-Rom Drive
500MB Ram

Tried: Using Western Digital's Drive installation disk - disk spins, then error message again.

Installing XP in a partition, same error message

The drive is recognised by the BIOS and formats/installs ok but I just keep getting the same error message.
Any help would be great as Ive scoured the web for solutions but nothing seems to work.
T








, Foxconn NF4k8AC motherboard

[FireByyrd]

this might help.

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000730.htm

[666snake666]

Thanks, I checked my Bios its up to date and tried the other suggestions with no luck. Any other ideas? Anyone one know if trying to set up the HD in a raid configuration would help? not that I know much about them anyway

[glc]

No, raid can only be used with multiple hard drives.

Are you sure you have the bios virus protection disabled?

[GaryRouth]

. . . if it turns out that the Bios antivirus protection has been on during this time - you might be able to get a quick resolution by turning if off, booting from a WinMe bootdisk from http://www.bootdisk.com, and using the fdisk /mbr command from the command prompt. Strangely enough, this Win9x tool can work in some cases like yours for WinXP - when you'd rather not go through the whole reinstall, or fiddle with the Recovery Console. XP begins it's setup with the FAT32 file system & later converts to NTFS5 (if selected), so I guess it should be no huge surprise that the mbr tool still works, too.

Re-enable the Bios Antivirus as soon as things are booting normally.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[I haven't found any direct confirmation from Microsoft yet as to which situations this repair is best suited for --- looks like I may have to resort to writing them an email. I'll post any interesting replies when they arrive.]

[666snake666]

many thanks, however. I tried using the winME bootdisk as you described, got to the command prompt, typed fdisk /mbr. The drive clicked for a while, went back to the A:\ prompt. I restarted and got the same mesaage again (no OS found). The BIOS antivirus was turned off, however it may have been turned on when I did my first initial install of windows (about 5 installs ago). Im gonna try a reinstall now after using the FDisk. Any other suggestions??

[666snake666]

Ok tried a reinstall (after Fdisk format) with no luck. ?????

[GaryRouth]

Did you receive any error messages during the reinstall? Or? . . .

Since there have been a lot of changes going on with the hard drive, it might be best just to zero-write it (using the Western Digital DataLifeGuard utilities on the CD that came with the drive) and start over from scratch. The zero-write will also re-certify that there are no errors on the drive.

Then, after a quick second look in the Bios to make sure all is well there (make sure the drive set to "Auto" to let the Bios auto-detect it --- sometimes there are two settings for each drive [usually relating to size and type - make sure both of these are set to "Auto"]) - try the reinstall again, partitioning and formatting the drive with the Windows XP tools.

Since the drive is only 60gb, bios support shouldn't be an issue. But the Bios Antivirus definitely has to be off during a Windows installation. The problem is that it won't allow the MBR to be altered. MBR problems tend to lead to the "operating system not found" sort of message (along with boot.ini problems & other hard disk failures).

Interesting case.
. . . Gary

[P.S. -- Hmmm... just re-read your first post - the WD800 should be an 80gb disk, not a 60gb disk. Did you have a typo in either the capacity or the model #? . . . If it's not detecting as an 80gb drive, then somethings off in the Bios - you could try flashing it with the most recent version again. ...And - you don't have any drives hooked up to the Sata controllers, right? The WD is the only hard drive? ---and, as a timesaver - you might want to run a quick diagnostic on the drive before zero-writing (which takes a long time) in case something has just gone bad with the drive].

OK - just saw a little more about features on your motherboard. During the reinstall, you probably will want to disable "SuperBoot", "SuperBios-Protect", and "Super-Recovery" (if possible).]