Windows HELP- Windows won't start

Discussion in 'Software' started by alice_w, 8 Apr 2005.

  1. alice_w

    alice_w What's a Dremel?

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    I've created a Win2K boot floppy disk but after reading the floppy, the computer gives me this error message:

    Disk I/O Error: Status = 00000400
    Failed to ArcRead the boot partition to check for a signature.
    Setup is inspecting your computer configuration...
    Disk I/O Error: Status = 00001000
    NTDETECT failed


    Please please help...

    Alice

    PS: I've reset the BIOS jumper several times, but it's not helping.
     
    Last edited: 8 Apr 2005
    alice_w, 8 Apr 2005
    #1
  2. Hex

    Hex Paul?! Super Moderator

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    Hi Alice, welcome to the forums.

    Can we get a bit more info on this one? Have you recently changed any hardware in your machine? This error usually indicates that the HAL has changed. If this is the case the only good way to resolve is a reformat & reinstall. Also why have you created a boot disk? Was this because Windows wouldn't start normally? If so,what was the error without using the boot disk?

    Thanks :)
     
    Hex, 8 Apr 2005
    #2
  3. alice_w

    alice_w What's a Dremel?

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    This is a brief synopisis of what happened:

    I was working on a very large file in Photoshop (23MB) and my PC froze and I couldn't even do ALT+DELETE to restart.

    I pushed the re-set button and Windows would no longer boot. At first I got a NTLDR error, so I used my Windows 2000 CD to boot from and tried that a bunch of times to no avail.

    Then I created a boot CD AND floppies from my husbands PC (also Win2K).

    I just ran the PC-Check disk (downloaded from a site) and ran the diagnositcs and it can't read my main C Drive at all (FAILED.) It read my second hard disk (Maxtor 40G) and it passed.

    The problem is that I hadn't backed up in a few weeks (i know i know), so if I reformat C I lose many important files.

    Is there any way to salvage whatever data is on C before re-formatting?

    Thanks for yourhelp...
     
    alice_w, 8 Apr 2005
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  4. kickarse

    kickarse What's a Dremel?

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    Drivesavers.com is a good place for saving drives.

    If you getting corruption like that its probably dead.
     
    kickarse, 8 Apr 2005
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  5. alice_w

    alice_w What's a Dremel?

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    Thank you all...

    ...for all your suggestions.

    after hours and sweat and anxiety, my PC decided to revive itself this morning for no reason known to me, but i won't look a gift horse in the mouth!

    i backed up the entire drive and then bought me a brand new PC.
    i should have done this 2 years ago before i dumped all that $$$ into this clone. oh well, live and learn...

    thanks again for all your replies and suggestions; this is an awesome board!
    alice
    :)
     
    alice_w, 9 Apr 2005
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