[Pending] "Error loading operating system . . ."

roweski · 08-19-2007

Hi, i just completed a new build for my parents and the last peice to come was a 160gb maxtor hard drive. No accompanying CD's etc, just came in a jiffy bag. I hook it up, run xp pro setup disk, and when i restart, an error appears just after the bios loading screens.

I do some research and aparrently there needs to be some fiddeling in the bios. I need to change the IDE hard drive settings from 'Auto' to 'Large'. Except the cheapo motherboard i bought for the build [Elitegroup ECS 945gzt-m] doesn't have that option. So i muck about with the settings and try a few different things. Nothing seems to work.
Then all of a sudden, when i boot i get just a black screen with a white cursor prompt, ala MS-DOS.

I have tried hitting F8 for the boot menu and loading the CD-ROM, and the Hard drive; but nada. Again nothing works.

Any ideas on how to get out of this mess?

Set-up:
Pentium D 2.66
ECS 945gzt-m motherboard
Maxtor 160gb hard drive, diamond seris

MadGamer · 08-19-2007

Originally Posted by roweski

Hi, i just completed a new build for my parents and the last peice to come was a 160gb maxtor hard drive. No accompanying CD's etc, just came in a jiffy bag. I hook it up, run xp pro setup disk, and when i restart, an error appears just after the bios loading screens.

I do some research and aparrently there needs to be some fiddeling in the bios. I need to change the IDE hard drive settings from 'Auto' to 'Large'. Except the cheapo motherboard i bought for the build [Elitegroup ECS 945gzt-m] doesn't have that option. So i muck about with the settings and try a few different things. Nothing seems to work.
Then all of a sudden, when i boot i get just a black screen with a white cursor prompt, ala MS-DOS.

I have tried hitting F8 for the boot menu and loading the CD-ROM, and the Hard drive; but nada. Again nothing works.

Any ideas on how to get out of this mess?

Set-up:
Pentium D 2.66
ECS 945gzt-m motherboard
Maxtor 160gb hard drive, diamond seris

Hi roweski and welcome to PCHF, we have a wonderful team of experts and im sure we can solve your problem.

Can you go back into the BIOS and tell me the boot order. e.g.

CD Rom
Hard Disk

etc.

roweski · 08-19-2007

Thanks for the quick reply

1. Floppy
2. CD ROM
3. HDD

MadGamer · 08-19-2007

Ok you need to change the boot order so that the CD Rom is the first boot device.

CD Rom
Har Drive
Floppy Drive

roweski · 08-19-2007

Done. Its still stuck at the DOS-esque screen, though.
The DVD drive sounds like it tries to read the windows disk but then just stops :S

MadGamer · 08-19-2007

Ok, the next stap involves taking the case or side panel off. Can you check that the hard drive is set to Primary Master and that the CD is set to slave.

roweski · 08-19-2007

They are both on cable select, but the IDE cabling has the HDD as slave, and the DVD as master. When i change it round i get a message telling me to insert boot media etc :s

08-19-2007	#1
roweski Bronze Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 13	[Pending] "Error loading operating system . . ." Hi, i just completed a new build for my parents and the last peice to come was a 160gb maxtor hard drive. No accompanying CD's etc, just came in a jiffy bag. I hook it up, run xp pro setup disk, and when i restart, an error appears just after the bios loading screens. I do some research and aparrently there needs to be some fiddeling in the bios. I need to change the IDE hard drive settings from 'Auto' to 'Large'. Except the cheapo motherboard i bought for the build [Elitegroup ECS 945gzt-m] doesn't have that option. So i muck about with the settings and try a few different things. Nothing seems to work. Then all of a sudden, when i boot i get just a black screen with a white cursor prompt, ala MS-DOS. I have tried hitting F8 for the boot menu and loading the CD-ROM, and the Hard drive; but nada. Again nothing works. Any ideas on how to get out of this mess? Set-up: Pentium D 2.66 ECS 945gzt-m motherboard Maxtor 160gb hard drive, diamond seris

08-19-2007	#2
MadGamer PCHF VIP Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,338 PC Experience: Experienced	Re: "Error loading operating system . . ." Originally Posted by roweski Hi, i just completed a new build for my parents and the last peice to come was a 160gb maxtor hard drive. No accompanying CD's etc, just came in a jiffy bag. I hook it up, run xp pro setup disk, and when i restart, an error appears just after the bios loading screens. I do some research and aparrently there needs to be some fiddeling in the bios. I need to change the IDE hard drive settings from 'Auto' to 'Large'. Except the cheapo motherboard i bought for the build [Elitegroup ECS 945gzt-m] doesn't have that option. So i muck about with the settings and try a few different things. Nothing seems to work. Then all of a sudden, when i boot i get just a black screen with a white cursor prompt, ala MS-DOS. I have tried hitting F8 for the boot menu and loading the CD-ROM, and the Hard drive; but nada. Again nothing works. Any ideas on how to get out of this mess? Set-up: Pentium D 2.66 ECS 945gzt-m motherboard Maxtor 160gb hard drive, diamond seris Hi roweski and welcome to PCHF, we have a wonderful team of experts and im sure we can solve your problem. Can you go back into the BIOS and tell me the boot order. e.g. CD Rom Hard Disk etc. __________________ [center][u]Members Picture Gallery Firefox Tweaks Anti Virus Tools Anti Spyware Tools Pre Work After Work

08-19-2007	#3
roweski Bronze Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 13	Re: "Error loading operating system . . ." Thanks for the quick reply 1. Floppy 2. CD ROM 3. HDD

08-19-2007	#4
MadGamer PCHF VIP Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,338 PC Experience: Experienced	Re: "Error loading operating system . . ." Ok you need to change the boot order so that the CD Rom is the first boot device. CD Rom Har Drive Floppy Drive __________________ [center][u]Members Picture Gallery Firefox Tweaks Anti Virus Tools Anti Spyware Tools Pre Work After Work

08-19-2007	#5
roweski Bronze Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 13	Re: "Error loading operating system . . ." Done. Its still stuck at the DOS-esque screen, though. The DVD drive sounds like it tries to read the windows disk but then just stops :S

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