Help please - computer wants to boot with Windows CD

[Howard Neill]

We have two video editing machines. They both use, legal versions of Windows XP and Adobe Premiere Pro. They normally work well, without a fuss. They never connect with the internet.

One went a bit haywire, last week. It now only wants to boot up using the Windows XP CD. I have tried setting it back to the last known good configuration but it still wants to boot up with the Windows CD.

I could send it in to our local computer shop for repair but would like to avoid that expense, if possible.


Any suggestions would be welcome.

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[sprout]

The word from Gertie is "As long as you have all the pertinent software to reload...FORMAT C!" (mmm...tried this once and Gertie had to fix, soooo...)

[Howard Neill]

The word from Gertie is "As long as you have all the pertinent software to reload...FORMAT C!" (mmm...tried this once and Gertie had to fix, soooo...)

Thanks Elza

I've done that before and can do it again. I was secretly hoping to avoid that, because it takes time. Although we edit with Adobe Premiere, there are other programmes to reinstall, like Photoshop, printer software, scanner software, etc.

I'll do that, if need be, but it is so boring. :whistling:

Cheers


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[sprout]

Well, seeing as you are the pro on the site...I have had a teensy little accident with my camera (just as I am getting ready to do my course and send in my portfolio), and she is in 20 thousand different pieces...I had an Olympus, was very happy with it and now need a replacement..what would you recommend. I do wildlife photography (I try, anyway!), and need a versatile camera for close ups and long shots, would also like to try my hand at underwater shots. Lenses will have to come later as that also went out with the pieces..

[Howard Neill]

Please remember that we are videographers and not still photographers. Any advice that I give you could be dangerous. I frequent a forum for videographers but they do have a still photo section. I don't know if this is of any help?

http://www.videouniversity.com/forums/gforum.cgi?post=434762;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC ;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unre ad

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[jiggs]

Well, seeing as you are the pro on the site...I have had a teensy little accident with my camera (just as I am getting ready to do my course and send in my portfolio), and she is in 20 thousand different pieces...I had an Olympus, was very happy with it and now need a replacement..what would you recommend. I do wildlife photography (I try, anyway!), and need a versatile camera for close ups and long shots, would also like to try my hand at underwater shots. Lenses will have to come later as that also went out with the pieces..

Hi Sprout - I have done a bit of U/W photography and a word of advice the colour spectrum is lost very quickly underwater so whatever you get make sure itr has a good strobe - I have a Sea & Sea Motor Marine 2 with a YTB2 strobe which will take very good colour photos down to 50m - probklem is that it is a 35mm - Digital are available in housings but will be useless below 5m without a strobe

[Exzim]

We have two video editing machines. They both use, legal versions of Windows XP and Adobe Premiere Pro. They normally work well, without a fuss. They never connect with the internet.

One went a bit haywire, last week. It now only wants to boot up using the Windows XP CD. I have tried setting it back to the last known good configuration but it still wants to boot up with the Windows CD.

I could send it in to our local computer shop for repair but would like to avoid that expense, if possible.


Any suggestions would be welcome.

.


Howie, can you add a little more info.. also confirm you dont have the Xp Cd in the CD-drive...

Can you describe the process from power up?

[Tricky Nicky]

Well, my advice.......... please see attached .....

[Howard Neill]

Howie, can you add a little more info.. also confirm you dont have the Xp Cd in the CD-drive...

Can you describe the process from power up?

Thanks - it runs through a series of checks, which look familiar. I don't know what they mean. :smiley9: It stops with the following message:

Verifying DMI Pool Data

Boot from CD

DISC BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISC AND PRESS ENTER

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[Howard Neill]

BTW That is without the Xp Cd in the CD-drive

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[Exzim]

Thanks Howie,

have a look here go through what it says it could be, and let me know

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm

[gertrude]

Hi Howie.

Seeing as sprout kidnapped yesterday, I couldn't speak for myself really.

I had the same sort of problem with hubby's machine a few months ago. He wouldn't let me format the drive, so had to come up with another plan.

Have you tried to get into the Recovery Console? If memory serves me, with the CD in, you should be able to select Recovery Console from one of the menus (erm, think at the bottom of the screen, but not sure). It's a bit of a dangerous place to go, but I managed to get his machine working again, with nothing lost whatsoever. (Miracle of miracles).

Having said that, I (being of the very old school) believe that it's a good thing to occasionally format your hard drive, as it gets everything back in place and gets rid of extraneous files that aren't being used anymore. But, I agree, it is a major schlepp to reinstall everything.

Keep us informed if you can!

[Tricky Nicky]

Oh how wonderful to see that word Schlepp again - god I miss it! :smiley36:

[gertrude]

Oh how wonderful to see that word Schlepp again - god I miss it! :smiley36:

Am I the only one that still uses it? God, I must be old!!!


(Sorry about the mini-hijack, Howard!)

[Tricky Nicky]

I have got out of the habit cos when I say it here in the UK they don't know what on earth you are talking about!

[gertrude]

And all these years, I thought it was just a Canadian expression.....

[gertrude]

We have two video editing machines. They both use, legal versions of Windows XP and Adobe Premiere Pro. They normally work well, without a fuss. They never connect with the internet.
.


I just want to say I'm very impressed, Howard, that you are running legal (licensed) software on both machines!!! Well done!:smiley32::smiley20::smiley20::smiley32:

[Steve]

Howard!

If the problem is not yet resolved, please let me know.

Steve

[Howard Neill]

Thanks everyone. I decided to reformat C drive and reinstall Windows, etc. Your help is much appreciated!

.

[Howard Neill]

I just want to say I'm very impressed, Howard, that you are running legal (licensed) software on both machines!!! Well done!:smiley32::smiley20::smiley20::smiley32:

Thanks Gertrude. It is something that we must do. We can't afford for word to get out that we create products for our clients, using pirate software. I think that you will find most people in our field are the same.

When we switched to computerised editing, one of our first clients worked in the IT Department for a large company. He wanted to know what we edited with.

Then it was Adobe Premiere 6.5. When I told him, there was a pause and he said, "That is hardcore". You never know who is looking over your shoulder. :naughty:

Cheers

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[yarrumsg]

righty, without reading the other posts... my solution, http://www.bootdisk.com/

you can download the xp boot disks from there, if you have a cd drive on the pc's hey presto job done, if not you can create a few disks...

boot off the disks and go to repair your installation (r when prompted)

it will ask you to select a parition to repair, (the chances are it's 1) then enter the admin password, with anyluck it's blank just press enter

when you get a dos type box, type help /? or /? i think the command you are looking for is fixboot.

to be honest, if all else fails the best thing to do is pop the disk into a second pc and run a scan disk...

(sorry looks like i'm too late i've just spotted you have formatted and reloaded :(

[Steve]

righty, without reading the other posts... my solution, http://www.bootdisk.com/

you can download the xp boot disks from there, if you have a cd drive on the pc's hey presto job done, if not you can create a few disks...

boot off the disks and go to repair your installation (r when prompted)

it will ask you to select a parition to repair, (the chances are it's 1) then enter the admin password, with anyluck it's blank just press enter

when you get a dos type box, type help /? or /? i think the command you are looking for is fixboot.

to be honest, if all else fails the best thing to do is pop the disk into a second pc and run a scan disk...

(sorry looks like i'm too late i've just spotted you have formatted and reloaded :(


I also am to late. (Q) How old is the PC and HD??

But here is my info for future reference:


Disk Boot Failure could well be what it says. A failed hard drive - preceded by some noticeable problems as it was developing the fault.

First see if the hard drive is detected in the BIOS setup. If not and that is still the case after you have checked all the connections it probably means that the drive is toast but do then try it in another PC to see if it can be recognised on another system.

If seen in the BIOS try booting to any utility floppy or CD that can see the partition structure. BiNG (in my sig) would do or fdisk on an MSDOS boot floppy or GParted or the HDD maker's own diagnsotic utility. If the hard drive and its partitions can be seen check that the correct partition is marked as active. If the hard drive cannot be identifed by such methods then the only question that remains is whether data recovery is of relevance or not. If not then get a new hard drive and clean install the OS etc etc.

[joemac]

Howard, just because something costs no money doesn't mean that it is pirated. There is a whole world of open source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source_software) out here.

[Howard Neill]

Howard, just because something costs no money doesn't mean that it is pirated. There is a whole world of open source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source_software) out here.

Thanks Joe

Is there an open source equivalent of Adobe Premiere CS4. If there is, I will try it out right away.

Cheers


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[joemac]

Not as good probly, but an open source alternative is The Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/)

[joemac]

Sorry, for windows, it is here (http://www.gimp.org/windows/)

[Howard Neill]

Thanks Joe. I'll have a look at it.

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[gertrude]

Let us know how you make out, Howard.

[Howard Neill]

Thanks Gertude.

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