Failure to load operating system

[ebolaosu]

I just bought a new motherboard to replace one that died. When I installed it I kept getting the error "failure to load operating system" after the normal boot up sequence. It would stop on the error. I attempted fixing the boot sectors on my HD, reinstalling and repairing windows XP. That didn't work so I got a different HD and tried it again. Both disks got the error. When I did the install, the normal boot to cd worked, the computer would reset, and the install wouldn't continue like it should. It would generally loop endlessly from boot to CD, install setup files, reboot, start over. I figured that the motherboard was screwy and I sent it back. I just recieved the replacement motherboard and it is experiencing the exact same problems. I at least know that the problem wasn't a defective motherboard.

My computer worked just fine with the old motherboard, so something about the new one is causing the error. Any ideas?

System:
Processor: AMD Athlon XP 1900
Running XP professional, I assume SP-1, though I can't really check.
HD1: IBM 80Gig 7200rpm
HD 2: Seagate 20Gig 7200rpm
CdRW: Plextor
Graphics card: LEADTEK Geforce TI 4400
Case: Antec sx-840 server case
PSU: 400 Watt
RAM: 512 DDR (2 sticks of 256) PC2100

Old mobo - Soyo Dragon Plus! SY-K7V VIA KT266A
New Mobo - DFI NFII ULTRA INFINITY with Nvidia nForce2 Ultra 400 + MCP-T chipset.

Thank you in advance.

 

[jaun1477]

i had lots of problems to reinstall winxppro os but my problem was solve when i got the bios update
what do you have in your comp?
hd ram did you do a single hd format? whats the size?

 

[ebolaosu]

The mobo is new, would I really need a bios update already? I could try I suppose.

I did a reformat with reinstall of XP AND I tried to repair and reinstall without a reformat. All recieved the same error.

 

[jaun1477]

i just said how i fix my problem but are you
refomatting with the disk while installing ?
see this tread if you are using floppy disk
http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14488

 

[ebolaosu]

yeah, I did all that a couple times, I don't think that is my issue. I think I have a hardware compatibility issue, but I am not sure.

Thanks.

 

[killians45]

Is the o/s cd you're using possibly an OEM? I know some manufacturers like gateway, etc have the OEM o/s tied to the MB bios, but usually it will start the installation and freeze somewhere after the first initial reboot when it checks. Kind of like a copy protection. A real pain if you ever have had a bios update and the bios mis matches whats on the cd. I'm not sure EXACTLY how to explain how and where the confirmation comes up, but the only other thing you may want to do is check for any MB drivers (controllers and such) that may need to be put into the precopy or windows folder before installation. Yes, that means you will need to create the folder first. Finally, you could always debug and write zero's to the drive. IF you do that may as well do a flat install by copying all the cab files to a created windwos directory and run the installation off of the hard drive, but debug and write zero's first. That way instead of each sector being marked as usable, it LITERALY writes a zero to it removing anything there and it also checks for bad clusters.

 

[ebolaosu]

Killians,

First, thanks for your help, but I am confused.

The CD I am using is not an OEM, it is just WIN XP PRO. The system is custom and the OS worked fine for the original install on the original Mobo. Is there any chance that something else is having an issue with the new mobo? something that would remember the old mobo and not recognize the new one until I fix it? Anything? Anyone?

I admit that I haven't a clue how to do what you said to do. Do I need some sort of boot disk to be able to get on the drive before there is an OS? I have tried this on both a disk that had XP and on one that I freshly reformatted and tried a new install (The reformatted one never got used in this system so it is new to the system and the mobo). Which drive should I use for your suggestion (precopy the files). I don't even know how to guess how to do the entering zeros into each sector...

Thanks

 

[sPlAtOiD]

Ok Im not sure but try unpluging the second hard drive and use just the one with your OS on it just for trouble shooting purposes.Also set your bios to default.Is your bios seeing your hard drive.

 

[ebolaosu]

When I used the two hard drives, I used them one at a time, so at no time were both on there at the same time.

Both drives showed up in the bios and on the bootup hardware detect.

They are both working, they just cannot load the OS for whatever reason.

 

[killians45]

Still try to remove the secondary drive like suggested. Maybe master slave config problem. Just to see if thats it, then you will know where next to take the trouble shooting. As far as OEM, you answered that already. There is a program called (I think) first aid. It will write zeroes. Not sure if that was what you refered to when being unsure, but here is a long definition. When doing a format of a drive, you dont really erase anything. You just mark the sectors on the hard drive as "available", but it never really deletes it. You cant recover the info without special utilities, but thats what happens. Even with fdisk, its not really GONE, just marked for "available". HOWEVER, when writing zeroes (remember all data is 1'a and 0's, in octects), then the program (which you boot to via floppy), writes zeroes to each and every part of the hard drive. Also known, I think, as a low level format. Dont do this on old machines, as the hard drive contained special info on a partition (cylinders, head, sectors, etc) and doing this would overwrite that info, as well. If you're computer is newer, then this is not a problem. So instead of having, for example, 10110110 10110001 etc it writes 00000000 00000000 (this isn't exactly true, but the time to explain indepth alot of this stuff, well.... anyhow, hope this helps!