Windows can't load/hard drive boot failure

[Maniacal]

So I had my computer running normally for about 15 minutes and then Opera froze, I tried start menu, ctrl alt del, alt tab, nothing worked except the startbar decided to place it'self on top of the window. I manually shut down my computer and turned it on where it gave me an error message I should have wrote down. It was something like;
Boot drive failure (or didn't load or something),please insert system disk and press enter.

I put my windows CD in but it couldn't find the hard drive. I turned it back off and checked for any loose cables but found none.Turning it back on it came up with the windows screen where it says that it wasnot shut down properly last time I tried loading it in safemode last good configuration and normally but once it got to the windows loading screenfor afewseconds it restarted every time.

So am I screwed? Or can I fix this. Preferably without losing stuff.



Note: This computer I am using now has a faulty keyboard, sorry for any bad spacing.

EDI: The error was;

Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter

 

[Speedo]

It won't even boot into safe mode? If so, you're probably screwed. Make yourself a BartPE bootdisk and use it to recover any data that you can, then wipe 'er and start fresh.

 

[Maniacal]

Well that is another problem, I think I mixed up my CD/DVD drive 9whichis recognized) and my DVD/CD writer when i installed my new mobo, as mywriter isn't recognized and i was planning on fixin that when I had time on thursday. They are hooked upproperlyjustI think the master///slave isbackwards.

Also I'm confused as to how to make a BARTPE disc if I have to downloadsomething (I found his site; http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/)

EDIT: Got to my BIOS, it lists my hard drive under SATA1 but it only lsits alarm clock,EZ flashand something else under Boot priority.

 

[GoodGame]

Fixing the CDROM order should be easy. at the least, put both on the same cable, and set them to cable-select.

I'd seriously consider just buying a brand new hard drive and doing a fresh install of windows on it. You can put your old HD in an external HD enclosure and backup any data from there. I'd bet this is the beginning of the end for your old HD.

 

[Hakim]

For how long have your computer been connected to the power outlet? I had a disk error recently that was solved simply by disconnecting the computer from the outlet a couple of seconds. Before that it gave the same error everytime I booted up. Simple thing to check at least.

Also I've had "no disk"-problems with my laptop where the solution simply was to gently turn it sideways or upside down, as if the harddrive was loose or something (but it wasn't).

 

[Maniacal]

I've had this hard drive since 2006 and it's been plugged in 99.99% of that time.

It has a 5 year manufacturers warranty on it, so hopefully I can get something from that if I can't fix it.

I wish now i had ordered a new hard drive with my new graphics card I'll do that tomorrow if I can't fix it.

 

[Hakim]

I meant the computer, not the drive itself. Appearantly some electricity-related problem builds up over time if the computer is constantly fed with power even if the computer is switched off. Well I don't know really. Perhaps you have a different problem.

 

[Speedo]

I meant the computer, not the drive itself. Appearantly some electricity-related problem builds up over time if the computer is constantly fed with power even if the computer is switched off. Well I don't know really. Perhaps you have a different problem.

....no. No such thing.

If the drive is registering in the BIOS but you're still getting that error, then it sounds like it's completely dead.

 

[Maniacal]

Argh, it was working when I first got up >_<

Worked fine before that >.>

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Did you hear any clicks before the comp died for the first time? If you did, your HD is most likely dead. I suggest you find another HD, install your OS on that, put the broken HD into an external case, stick it in a plastic bag and put it into the freezer overnight. Then, boot up in the morning, and copy everything you absolutely need off it ( you're very time limited here). This is what I did when my old laptop HD died and it showed the same exact error during the boot.

 

[Maniacal]

I don't remember if it clicked, I think it may have made some sounds before but I don't recall if they were clicky or not. I do know that I had to stop leaving it on at night to download things because it was loud. Now that i think about it that probably was a warning... er. I really need to pay more attention to stuff.

Question;

Why the freezer. Also, it's been dead since yesterday morning (it's 11:40 PM here) in case I misunderstood you.

Guess I should have ordered an external case with that new HD.

EDIT: Would this work with a SATA2 hard drive? (as an example)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=18867&vpn=NST-360SU-BL&manufacture=VANTEC

 

[Maniacal]

Okay I put my new hard drive in, my BIOS detects it but after the mobo's logo it just says failed to boot insert system disk and press ENTER. Which I did, but it jsut flashes black then goes back to the message when I press enter >_< :suicide:

PLEASE HELP

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Do you have an OS installed on the disk?

 

[Jerrymander]

Have you tried booting up with the CD/DVD/other drives all unplugged with only the harddrive plugged in?

What is your boot order in your BIOS?

 

[Speedo]

Okay I put my new hard drive in, my BIOS detects it but after the mobo's logo it just says failed to boot insert system disk and press ENTER. Which I did, but it jsut flashes black then goes back to the message when I press enter >_< :suicide:

PLEASE HELP

CD/DVD drive(s) need to come before the HDD in the BIOS boot order so that you can install an OS.

 

[mourndraken]

never trust a computer that you can't throw out the window

 

[Genocidicbunny]

never trust a computer that you can't throw out the window

How is that related to anything in this thread though?

 

[GenMarshall]

CD/DVD drive(s) need to come before the HDD in the BIOS boot order so that you can install an OS.

Or can he just invoke a keystroke to bring up the options to chose which to boot? Since that's what I had to do when I had to reinstall Windows XP.

 

[Jerrymander]

How is that related to anything in this thread though?

Always have a contingency plan if something like this happens?

 

[Maniacal]

My boot order is CD-Drive and then Hard Drive.

*throws mourndraken out a window*