Re: Disk Boot Failure, but Hard Drive is fine.

Hi Adam,

In other words, the replacement for a initial bad Hard Drive was
defective or bad from the get-go. But you assume that the Hard Drive was
good, because you just replaced a Bad Hard Drive with a new Hard Drive, I am
assuming.

Like, I am having a DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Windows Blue Stop
Screen basically each day and always pointing to the D-Link Driver A3AB.SYS
as the probably cause. D-Link already replaced the Card, but problem still
continues.


--
thecreator


<abright52@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1155883700.159579.278070@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Problem Solved.

I replaced the WD Hard Drive with a Seagate, installed Windows and all
is well.

-Adam


w_tom wrote:
Unfortunately there are many layers of wiping. For example, you can
erase all drive partitions and that WD disk setup tool still remains
elsewhere in the drive. Formatting does the least amount of wiping. I
suggest you use that WD setup tool to (maybe) identify that BIOS
extenders and maybe remove it. Removing the BIOS extender may make
current data unreadable. But at least the drive should work better.

Appreciate the complications here. BIOS used CMOS to boot from one
configuration. But when Windows is loaded, it may just use another.
Therefore when fixing the hard drive in Windows, it may simply put
Windows parameters in the boot program that are not same as in CMOS. I
cannot be more explicit or better it because complication is unique to
how Windows handles that motherboard and BIOS. However trying with
manual disk setting for LBA, etc - and carefully verify the cylinder,
sector, and head setting are always correct - might reveal further
useful information - including executing Chkdsk without /F (disk
changes disabled) for each manual BIOS setting

Having used that WD setup program, check for and remove if necessary
any WD setup program "Bios Extender".

Again, this we know. The Boot program (if it created the "Not
Bootable" error message) is executing but it not finding NTLDR,
NTDETECT.COM, or BOOT.INI on hard disk root directory. This does not
involve CPU, CD-Rom, Memory, or other hardware. WD diagnostic says
motherboard CPU talks to disk drive CPU and that disk drive is working
properly. BIOS executes and loads Boot program from disk boot sector
(again this assumes the error message is from Boot Program). Boot
program (sometimes called the Boot Strap Loader) does not find NTLDR,
etc on hard drive root directory. Maybe because CMOS parameters are
not correct. Maybe because root directory is not in a partition marked
active. Maybe the WD setup program loaded a BIOS extender that still
remains on the disk drive.

Only other way I have removed that Bios Extender is executing a
completely different type of program unique to each disk drive
manufacturer and that some manufacturers do not provide - a low level
disk formatter.

Above are where boot is getting hung and a list of reasons why boot
program may not load necessary files. Above test procedures (and a
long shot such as disk defragmenter) might reveal some new detail - new
symptom.

When done, you should have a better grasp on why AUTO in CMOS worked
and other setting do or do not when CD-Rom boots Windows. It should
provide a better idea of what the disk is setup as. LBA setup is most
common.

One final point. I wish I knew exactly the error message in your Boot
Sector program. That involves reading the boot sector - first disk
sector. Windows NT OSes deny user to read that sector - except using a
special program. First data block can be read with DOS. Point is to
confirm the "will not boot" message is coming from the boot sector
program - confirm the BIOS is reading and executing that boot sector
program. Probably is. But I have proceeded on an assumption rather
than know that boot sector program is executing. That first (boot)
sector will read for every CMOS setting - a first sector in first
cylinder is same for all CMOS parameters, for every partition marked
active, and for any BIOS extenders. If disk is good, then the boot
sector should read and execute - as I have assumed.

abright52@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
I didn't try to boot into Windows with all three settings, only the
Large setting. That just means that Auto is not using Large. Sorry
for not specifying that originally.

I tried one of the WD Tools to setup up that drive, but that was long
before I used the WD Diagnostics tool to wipe the drive.

I will try a defrag and see what happens.



.

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