Re: Non system disk - press any key

Anna,

Many thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail. It is appreciated!

A few points:

1 As far as I know they are SATA but I’m not the best person to ask! In
‘set up’ under ‘drives’ they are all listed as SATA. In ‘boot sequence’ 0 =
SATA and 1 = IDE. …yup no CD/DVD in the optical drive but thanks for asking!
2 Yes, a routine back up to my external HDD
3 First time.
4 Yes SATA 0 = boot drive and SATA 1 = second drive. I’ll try the
disconnection trick when I get a chance.
5 I’ll delete the ‘sos’.
6 Google links? I couldn’t see them?
7 Thanks for the Wilder links. The first didn’t work but I’ll check it with
the ‘sos’ deleted. The second needed a MS disk which I don’t have,
unfortunately.
8 I would need some guidance to do this!
9 I gave up on Dell ‘tech support’ some years ago!!!!
10 The only problem before the restore was an occasional freeze when
switching users. I hope I followed the ATI wizard OK but I have no way of
telling! Unfortunately, the original image has gone! ..cleared to make
space for new back ups! The HDD failure arose from an accidental knock on
the switch of my multi-plug that my PC and peripherals are on. The incident
wrecked both my HDDs. Fortunately, I had my back up! Yes, the Dell disk
just gives you a ‘factory’ restore.

Thanks again. I’ll keep working at it!


"Anna" wrote:


"offwego" <offwego@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:87EDCB17-20E1-4A5D-8ED0-32226A98848B@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Following a hard drive failure I have replaced the two HDs in my PC.
Everytime I boot it gives the error 'non system disk - press any key.'
..which I do and it boots normally. How can I get rid of this unwanted
pause
in booting my PC? I restored my data using Acronis True Image 2009.

System:
Dell Dimension 9100
XP Pro version 5.1.2600 SP3 build 2600
WD Netcenter external hard drive


"Anna" wrote:
offwego:
This may be a problem affecting the disk-cloning or disk-imaging process
of the Acronis program. So you may want to check out the info on these
forums that deal with ATI issues.
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=100986
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=216257

If nothing there that resolves the problem you're experiencing, do a
Google search on "non system disk press any key to reboot".

And, of course, you've ensured that the two HDDs that you replaced in
your system are properly connected/configured, right?
Anna


"offwego" <offwego@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:92A5ED2B-DD58-4CF2-B206-49B1130D4FAE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anna,
Thanks for your post and the links. I had a look but soon got into
difficulties! The first one refers to a boot.ini file. I could only find
a 'boot.ini.backup' file which when I clicked on it, it wouldn't open so
couldn't take the instructions any further. I was asked if I wanted to
search the web for a way to open it so gave up! The second one relies on
you having an XP disk. Dell provide you with a Dell XP disk but I
couldn't
find the 'repair' thing anywhere!

As for my new hard disks being connected and configured, then yes to the
first but I don't have the knowledge to answer the second!


"Alister" <alister.gcs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:gt7fls$qh8$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you right-click on boot.ini.backup and rename it to boot.ini you
should find that you can then continue with Anna's instructions.
You may even find that that simple procedure cures your problem.

Alister


"offwego" <offwego@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:E25F22D4-8257-42F7-8F70-AE44555C492C@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
OK ..I've given it a go. This is a copy of the text in the boot.ini file
that I now have:

[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional"/fastdetect/sos/NoExecute=Optin

Pretty sure this is identical to the text given in Anna's link. I had to
swap 'fastdetect' and 'NoExecute=Optin' and add 'sos' but sadly folks it
hasn't worked!


"offwego" <offwego@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:CD31244E-9DBD-4093-B0FC-396D757EE86A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The boot order I have is:

1 Onboard or USB CD-Rom drive.
2 Onboard SATA hard drive
3 Onboard IDE Hard Drive (not present)
4 Onboard ordinary USB floppy drive (not present)
5 Onboard network controller (not present)
6 Add in hard drive (not present)
7 USB Device

Is this what it should be?


"Alister" <alister.gcs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:gt7fls$qh8$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you right-click on boot.ini.backup and rename it to boot.ini you
should find that you can then continue with Anna's instructions.
You may even find that that simple procedure cures your problem.

Alister


"offwego" <offwego@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:BD7BA940-3CAD-47F9-B421-1246D37A03AD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I ran a virus scan but unfortunately it did not pick anything up.



offwego:
1. Your boot priority order is fine as it is. I'm assuming that the two HDDs
installed in your machine are SATA HDDs in a non-RAID configuration, one
being your boot drive, the other used for storage/backup or some such. So
that the secondary HDD does *not* contain a bootable OS, right?

Naturally you've ensured that you do not currently have a bootable CD or DVD
inserted in your optical drive, right?

2. I suppose you stored the Acronis disk image(s) of your boot drive either
on your USB external HDD or on the secondary HDD, right? And you did this
routinely?

3. Have you ever previously restored your system from a Acronis backup, or
is this the first time you've attempted to do so? And previous attempts were
successful?

4. I'll assume your SATA boot HDD is connected to the *first* motherboard's
SATA connector (either designated SATA0 or SATA1). Presumably your second
SATA HDD is connected to the second SATA connector (designated SATA1 or
SATA2).

It probably won't make a difference re the problem you're experiencing, but
while you're checking the SATA HDD connections, disconnect the secondary
SATA HDD's data cable from the motherboard's SATA connector and see if you
can boot.

5. Also, delete the "sos" entry from your boot.ini file. It's a "flag" that
was in use some years ago but it's really not needed now. I don't think
that's at the root of your problem but try deleting it anyway.

6. There was no info in any of those Google links that would give you a clue
as to the cause of the problem and more importantly, how to resolve it?

7. And there was nothing in those Wilder (Acronis) forums that was of any
help either?

8. You might also want to review the motherboard's BIOS settings just on the
off-chance there's one or more settings that might be causing some mischief
here.

9. Have you contacted Dell tech support on the chance (unlikely as it may
be) that they might be of assistance?

10. We're assuming in all this, of course, that the Acronis-generated
disk-image you had used to restore your system was a *good* image, in that
it was an image of a perfectly fine-working OS, uncorrupted & problem-free.
That's right, isn't it? I'm also assuming that you know your "way" around
the ATI program and correctly undertook both the imaging & restoration
process.

Assuming that's the case, and you still have the disk-image available, have
you tried repeating the restoration exercise?

I do notice that all this occurred following a HDD failure so that always
raises suspicion that something else may be afoot here. And you say you
replaced the "two HDs in my PC"? Why two HDDs?

Ordinarily I would also suggest a Repair install of the OS, however, I
assume your Dell installation CD will only allow a restoration of the system
to its original (factory) condition and I would guess you would rather not
go that route.

I really don't know what else to suggest from this distance. Perhaps someone
coming upon this thread who uses the ATI program & has had experience with
the problem you're experiencing can offer some help. In any event, assuming
you're able to resolve this problem please keep us informed of the fix.
Anna



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