Installed new HDD, "Error Loading OS"

BZA · 19-March-05, 04:05 PM

So my mom came up to visit this weekend and asked me to perform a couple basic system upgrades.

New RAM, New HDD.

I got the ram, installed it, no sweat, got the HDD (200 gig Maxtor) and installed it as Slave (no jumpers) and booted the system.

The BIOS recognized the HDD as being there, and when windows XP Pro SP1 booted the "detect new hardware" diologue came up momentarily indicating that the system saw the new drive, sweet!

So I go to my computer and it isnt there. It is in the Device Manager as functioning but when I tried to access it via "my computer" it isnt there. I figure, eh, ok, no biggie.

I pop in the max-blast CD and initiate the installation... maxblast detects the drive in question, asks me which type of install I want to do... "New Boot Drive" or "Additional Storeage". Obviously I select "Addt'l Storeage" and procede. It warns me about drives over 137 gigs not working right unless I have XP Pro (which I do) so I procded through the installation and click "Next" when it asks me to in all the right places . Its about a 2 step process and asks me if Im sure, I click "yes" and then it asks me to remove the CD and press "next". I do so, and it reboots my mom's system.

Upon reboot it hangs so I do a manual reboot with the reset button. This time, it detects both drives in the BIOS as normal, registers the new RAM and what happens next is beyond me. It displays an error which states "Error Loading OS". As my step-dad looks on I an dumbfounded. I try to reboot a few more times and each time i get this error. I put in a bootable windows XP cd and get into the DOS menu and try 'chkdsk' and it tells me that "This disk apears to have one or more unrecoverable problems".

What the heck does that mean? What could have POSSIBLY happened on her old drive at the moment I told the new drive to initiate itself as additional storeage that would corrupt or otherwise kill the system drive?

I got into a windows xp help dos menu and there is a command there that is up for grabs called "FIXBOOT". If I run FIXBOOT and it rewrites the boot sector of the drive like it says it will, will that erase the drive?

At this point they are ready to pack the machine up and take it to a repairman in Orlando where they are from.

Is there anything I did involving the new drive that you can see that would or could have caused problems like that?

Im at a total loss here... Somebody help.

MSXenix · 19-March-05, 05:38 PM

Overwriting the boot sector will not harm any data you have on the hard drive. It means it is overwrting the first small part at the beginning of the hard drive which job is to tell the system how to boot the o/s off the hard drive.

corruptjoker · 19-March-05, 05:48 PM

Did you try unplugging the new drive and booting up? Fixboot will not erase your data.

Dr3w · 21-March-05, 07:11 PM

after typing fixboot, type fixmbr to.

19-March-05, 04:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
BZA Semin-Hoe-Le Supp-Hoe-Ter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Tallahasee, Florida Posts: 1,357	Installed new HDD, "Error Loading OS" So my mom came up to visit this weekend and asked me to perform a couple basic system upgrades. New RAM, New HDD. I got the ram, installed it, no sweat, got the HDD (200 gig Maxtor) and installed it as Slave (no jumpers) and booted the system. The BIOS recognized the HDD as being there, and when windows XP Pro SP1 booted the "detect new hardware" diologue came up momentarily indicating that the system saw the new drive, sweet! So I go to my computer and it isnt there. It is in the Device Manager as functioning but when I tried to access it via "my computer" it isnt there. I figure, eh, ok, no biggie. I pop in the max-blast CD and initiate the installation... maxblast detects the drive in question, asks me which type of install I want to do... "New Boot Drive" or "Additional Storeage". Obviously I select "Addt'l Storeage" and procede. It warns me about drives over 137 gigs not working right unless I have XP Pro (which I do) so I procded through the installation and click "Next" when it asks me to in all the right places . Its about a 2 step process and asks me if Im sure, I click "yes" and then it asks me to remove the CD and press "next". I do so, and it reboots my mom's system. Upon reboot it hangs so I do a manual reboot with the reset button. This time, it detects both drives in the BIOS as normal, registers the new RAM and what happens next is beyond me. It displays an error which states "Error Loading OS". As my step-dad looks on I an dumbfounded. I try to reboot a few more times and each time i get this error. I put in a bootable windows XP cd and get into the DOS menu and try 'chkdsk' and it tells me that "This disk apears to have one or more unrecoverable problems". What the heck does that mean? What could have POSSIBLY happened on her old drive at the moment I told the new drive to initiate itself as additional storeage that would corrupt or otherwise kill the system drive? I got into a windows xp help dos menu and there is a command there that is up for grabs called "FIXBOOT". If I run FIXBOOT and it rewrites the boot sector of the drive like it says it will, will that erase the drive? At this point they are ready to pack the machine up and take it to a repairman in Orlando where they are from. Is there anything I did involving the new drive that you can see that would or could have caused problems like that? Im at a total loss here... Somebody help. __________________ "Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement." - Ronald Reagan

19-March-05, 05:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
corruptjoker Decept-Hoe-Con Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,748	Did you try unplugging the new drive and booting up? Fixboot will not erase your data. __________________

21-March-05, 07:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
Dr3w Apex Elite Expert Tech Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Montreal,QC Posts: 1,341	after typing fixboot, type fixmbr to. __________________

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19-March-05, 05:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
MSXenix Apex Techie Lite Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Waterbury,CT Posts: 34	Overwriting the boot sector will not harm any data you have on the hard drive. It means it is overwrting the first small part at the beginning of the hard drive which job is to tell the system how to boot the o/s off the hard drive.