I've got a Windowx XP sp2 machine. Its been working for quite some
time. Recently it crashed due to a NorthBridge fan stopping.

Once I fixed the fan and restarted I get the Boot message.

"Insert System disk and Press Enter..."

So I changed the BIOS boot settings and let the 1st boot drive be the
CDROM.

I put in the Windows XP Pro CD disk, let it boot and did a recovery
console of :

FIXMBR C: and a FIXBOOT C:

I let it reboot and Hey I'm into Windows! It's working I cried!

So I did a CHKDSK. All is fine.

I removed the Win XP CD and let the computer reboot.

Well didn't it just do the "Insert System disk..." error message again!

So I put in the XP CD in again and let it reboot. But I got distracted
this time and it didn't boot up the CD!

This time the copmuter booted up and loaded Windows and it runs.

I was puzzled at this.

So I did a few reboot tests.

Now it seems if I don't have my Windows XP pro CD in the CD drive then
I get the 'Insert System disk..." error message.

If I do have it in *and* I don't press a key to let this CD boot then
Windows loads correctly!

Can someone tell me how to fix this bizarre behaviour!

My Boot.ini is

boot loader]
timeout=9
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


But my C drive does have 2 partitions in it. How do I tell which
partition has Windows installed in it? I suspect this has nothing to do
with it. But I'm missing a certain System file?

My primary Master disc is my E:
My Primary Secondary disc is my C drive.


I tried a recovery console and did a 'bootcfg /rebuild' but its the
same as the original.

Any one tell me what System file I may be missing or corrupted?

Help! Please......

No tough query. Your ini file indicates Windows is in partition (1) and is
the default OS. The message "insert system disk" indicates missing (or
corrupt) system files on the HD or the "active" partition designation has
changed.

Thanks for that.

Well my disk manager says Disk 0: C: is Basic - NTFS - Healthy (System)

I did a sfc /scannow tonight and it didn't report any problem.

What else do you think I can do?

"Quatermass" <stuart@mytriops.com> wrote:

>Thanks for that.
>
>Well my disk manager says Disk 0: C: is Basic - NTFS - Healthy (System)
>
>I did a sfc /scannow tonight and it didn't report any problem.
>
>What else do you think I can do?

What does your BOOT.INI file say?
Do the drive and partition designations there agree with the
information from disk manager about drive C:?

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

Yes it does.

I did discover that if I left my SATA drive (f plugged in then it
works.

If I unplug it then Windows doesn't start.

It is as if the SATA disk is my boot disk not my C: drive!

"Quatermass" <stuart@mytriops.com> wrote:

>Yes it does.
>
>I did discover that if I left my SATA drive (f plugged in then it
>works.
>
>If I unplug it then Windows doesn't start.
>
>It is as if the SATA disk is my boot disk not my C: drive!

It could be. Windows XP does not have an absolute requirement to boot
from drive C:

Is there a boot.ini file on drive F:? What are the contents of it?

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm