Re: CANNOT ACCESS HARD DRIVE AFTER BOOT FROM FLOPPY

NJ Realtor wrote:
I have tried:

1. Starting from boot floppy downloaded from Microsoft. - Invalid drives when I try to access the HD
2. Downloading and running downloaded floppy setup. cdrom.sys is corrupt - stops at disk 5 ( of 6)

3. Starting either from normal route or CD. get the windows/system32/config/system missing or corrupted message.

All I wanted to do was change my case!

Help!

Does the drive show in the computer's POST display?. Does the POST display show the proper capacity?

Identify type and source of the optical media you are attempting to boot from. Is it an upgrade or full retail installation CD from Microsoft? Is it a generic OEM Windows XP installation CD from a custom system builder? Could it be a computer model specific recovery disk from a brand name computer manufacturer?

I don't understand the "disk 5 ( of 6) reference. IF Windows XP came on floppies, and it doesn't, it would take many more than six. IF a computer needed to load drivers from a floppy to access a CD based Windows installation CD, a single floppy should have plenty of room for a command line and generic CD drivers. Identify what the floppies are supposed to accomplish and a more specific description of source (like the URL of the web page advising you to download them) than "Microsoft"

When attempting to boot from the CD are any other screens displaying before you get the error message? Are you reaching a point where you are offered the choice of installation or running the recovery console? Is the motherboard BIOS set to attempt a boot from CD?

I also don't understand why changing ONLY the case would result in all this trouble, assuming all the data, case and power cables are connected and oriented properly AND there is adequate spacing under the motherboard to prevent shorts. With the same motherboard, power supply, memory, video accelerator, sound accelerator and hard drive there shouldn't be anything to make a difference in the boot sequence.
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