Computer just won't load anymore!

[clampy]

Hi guys, just need a little help. The other day my computer was fine, working like a dream as it should. A few hours later the computer was failing to load off my primary hard disk. It would get half way through the xp loading screen (The one with the black screen with the xp logo) then it would act like it was restarting and just display a blank screen as the monitor wasnt getting any input. I then loaded xp off my second hard drive which loaded up normally but wasnt activated. I left it overnight to activate xp in the morning. In the morning I loaded up my computer and after the initial motherboard screen where it displays processor and the likes and then after that it just goes to a black screen with the 00A2 in the corner. I tried to load xp from the disk in the CD/DVD drive and when I go to select the boot device through the menu, (F10 on my PC)it just ignores it and shows the black screen with 00A" sowing in the bottom right corner. I tired going into the bios and looking at whats goin on but everything is fine as it is reading all my hardware. I even set the bios to optimal defaults. The current situation is the screen goes black with the 00A2 buisness with both my hard drives and my CD drive. Can you help me please ?

My computer spec is as follows:
Motherboard: ASRock AM2NF3-VSTA
Memory: 1024mb DDRII
Processor: AMD Dual Core 2.4Ghz
Hard Disk: Maxtor DiamondMax20 160Gb SATA (Master)
Maxtor DiamondMax10 200Gb PATA133 (Slave)
CD/DVD: CD/DVD - Lite Model LH - 20A1P
Graphics: XFX GeForce7600GT 256mb
Sound: Creative Soundblaster Audigy

 

[kimsland]

Disconnect any external devices (camera; Printer so forth)
Check all internal connections, and remove any addon cards
Re-connect all internal connectors

If fault persists, it may be BIOS related

Latest BIOS 1/15/2008
http://download.asrock.com/bios/AM2/AM2NF3-VSTA(2.40).zip
From here:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/download.asp?Model=AM2NF3-VSTA

»Updating BIOS Procedures

1.Create a bootable system floppy disk.

2.Download an updated ASRock BIOS file (WinZip format with .zip file extension) from the web site, unzip the BIOS file and save both ASRFLASH.EXE utility and BIOS file to the disk you created in step 1.

3.Boot from the disk you created in step 2.

4.At the "A:\" prompt, type ASRFLASH, hit space bar once, and type BIOS file name then press <Enter>. For example: A:\ASRFLASH K7S41GX2.00 <Enter> then you will see a message "Please wait for BIOS loading ROM".

5.After 30 seconds, you will see the message "Flash ROM Update Completed - Pass", then you have finished upgrading the BIOS.

6.After finishing upgrading the BIOS, please remove the floppy disk. Restart your system and press <F2> to enter the BIOS setup utility during boot up.

7.In Exit menu, please select "Load Default Settings" and press <Enter> to continue.

8.Select "Exit Saving Changes" and press <Enter> to exit the BIOS setup utility.

9.Now, system is booting up with new BIOS.

If you encounter problems while updating the new BIOS, DO NOT turn off your system since this corrupt BIOS might cause your system failed to boot up. Just repeat the process, and if the problem still persists, update the original BIOS file. If the Flash Memory Writer utility was not able to successfully update a complete BIOS file, your system may not be able to boot up. If this happens, your system will need service.

 

[raybay]

Common problem with the Maxtor Diamond Max on some computers... and on others it is the hard drive size limitation in the BIOS, so Kimsland's suggestion is an important first step.
You mayl not be able to fix this with a BIOS upgrade if your version of Windows is not Service Pack 2. No Service Pack will definitely not work. Service Pack 1 will usually, but not always work... depending on the system... if the drive is larger than 132 GB.
After you install the new BIOS, repartition the hard drive under a completely new install.

 

[clampy]

Hey thanks for the reply guys, but I seem to have a problem. You suggested that I create a floppy disk with which I should load the BIOS and then boot from it but I cannot open the boot menu as when I am prompted TO load the boot menu I do so but it seems to completely ignore me. I can still enter the setup menu but even if I select the primary or only boot device to be the floppy drive it still doesnt work. Ill keep trying but if their is anything else you can suggest please go ahead because I really dont have the budget to go and buy a new motherboard

Thanks a lot

 

[raybay]

Are you saying you cannot change the Boot order in the BIOS?
You access the BIOS to change the boot order differently on many brands and models... usually you press one of these keys upon pressing the on switch:
<ESC>, <F1>, <F2>, <F3>, F10>, <F11>, F12>, or <DEL>. YOu normally get a notice of which it is upon first booting up.
Then scroll through the pages of the BIOS until you get to Boot Order... and put the floppy drive as first in the boot order.
Then after you install the BIOS update, change everything back the way it was.

 

[clampy]

Oh noI can eccess the boot order in the setup menu. Ill try doing it this way but it seems the floppy drive I bought for my PC doesn't workso it's one for tomorrow. Thanks again