PC not Booting up - PXE-E51 message?!

[Stu1]

Hi,
I need some help!My PC has developed a problem in that it cannot boot up...I get through to the screen where I can go to BIOS, and Boot manager, and it then jumps into boot manager and gives me the following error message:

PXE-E51 No DHCP or proxy DHCP received
No operating system detected.

At the weekend I managed to boot it using ctrl alt del, but this no longer works.

Only things recently that I have changed were that I moved the PC 1 metre across the room, and I downloaded some firewall software but think that was after it started playing up.

Is this serious? I am worried about my hardrive!

I have noted stuff about BIOS and looked at this...it appears CD/DVD are at the top of the list
, and harddrive 2 or 3 down...

I have not checked the cables, but think this is unlikely as I only moved it a very small distance...

Any ideas gratefully received!

Stuart

PS Please keep it user friendly as I do not know much about this sort of thing!

[shadowpr]

if you moved it, i would definately check to see that no cables were losened (sp).

if they were loose to begin with, the move might have caused the problem.

[Stu1]

Hi, thanks for the quick response! Will check the cables ...is it fairly easy to do once I have taken the casing off?

IF not that, what would you suggest? could the hard drive be stuffed?

[shadowpr]

first turn it off and unplug the power cord.

take the casing off and just make sure all the cables are plugged in fully.

if that isn't the cause, then post back here.

[glc]

Make sure hard drive boot is BEFORE network boot.

[Stu1]

Ok, you mean within BIOS yeah? is that the list that comes up on the screen looking something like..
CD/DVD
Hard Drive
Floppy drive

etc

Will check it ASAP...that network is below hard drive. Presuming that the top option is the first, and so on...Thanks

Any other suggestions?

[Stu1]

It is now working ok, checked cables and now works! Thanks for all your tips!
I am now considering my maintenance of the PC...e.g. backing up etc...do you guy's have any tips on how often to back up stuff..

Alos what is the best anti-virus software? I currently have norton but need to renew so consideirng changing if anything better?

[glc]

Use a freebie - AVG and Avast are frequently recommended.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Stu1 I am now considering my maintenance of the PC...e.g. backing up etc...do you guy's have any tips on how often to back up stuff..

How important is your data to you? The more important it is, the more often you should back it up. I backup my wife's work files weekly but most other things I do monthly.

Originally Posted by Stu1 Alos what is the best anti-virus software? I currently have norton but need to renew so consideirng changing if anything better?

If you want a pay-for antivirus, NOD32 is good.

Cricket

[Stu1]

Hi Guy's
It has played up again..same error message then worked ok again...
I am using PC then it sounds like something switches off in the hard drive, could it be the fan??then the PC freezes and then stops working...reboot and got error message as before...reboot again and works...
Ideas?
Cheers
Stu

[glc]

I think your hard drive may be dying - or you have a bad power or data cable to it.