error starting windows

[Shibbe]

Need some help here if anyone has some info.. A friend of mine started to get a NTLDR missing error when booting his pc. We read through many forums and posts doing everything suggested and could not get it working. So he got a new HD after this hoping it would fix, but no luck. Windows will not even install on his pc with the new HD.

I plug his HD into my pc and install windows on it. Installs fine no prob, boots up no prob. We plug it into his and on startup windows shuts itself down and brings us to an error screen.

"A problem had been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer"
etc
etc

Tech info :
*** STOP: OXOOOOOO7B (OXF7C4O, OXCOOOOO34, OXOOOOOOOO, OXOOOOOOOO)

His PC info:
KT4A ultra (mb)
Athlon XP 2500
1gb ram
Nvidia Ti 4600 128mb
SB Audigy gamer


We are stumped and have no idea what too do, any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Justin]

You can't move an NT os from one machine to another like that. If the chipset is different, it will bluescreen and refuse to start, even in safe mode. Swapping hard discs with NT oses will only work if you are using the same chipset, or very nearly the same.

I'm assuming you both have a different motherboard of course.

Now, have you tried running a repair install on the original machine / original disc? If you haven't, boot from the XP cd and attempt a repair install (not the same as automated system recovery).

 

[Shibbe]

REPAIR

Just tried to do the repair as you suggested, I ge t the same error now as I do when I try to install clean on that pc. "The file ______ was not copied correctly" etc.

Possibly an IDE controller prob?

Any ideas?

 

[Rick]

IDE controller problem is a possibility, as well as a bad cable, bad CDROM or bad CDROM drive.

The hard disk itself may have problems as well. Is there any chance you can delete thep artition and format it? Or is there data you'd like to keep on that drive?

 

[Shibbe]

Switched out IDE controller, no luck. Have not tried switching CD rom drives. I do know it is not the cd, as I installed it on his HD on my pc just to make sure. He is gonna take it in and have a tech look at it for himself. Thanks for the info all.


EDIT * Definately not the HD either, since I installed windows on it while it was in my pc.

 

[Justin]

Well it very well could be the CDROM then. However, if it turns out not to be, (via swapping the cdrom with a known good one), then most likely you're looking at a hardware fault, possibly RAM, it tends to be one of the more finnicky things during an NT os install. Have you checked to make sure his PCI bus is running within spec(at 33mhz)and that his ram timings are not off? If the cdrom is not the problem try using less aggressive memory timings and make sure the machine isn't overclocked.

 

[Shiney]

Have you correctly set up the bios on Mobo and jumpers on the Hd ?

 

[Shibbe]

...

As far as I know all his bios settings and HD jumpers are set correctly. We did switch out the memory already once. Now his mobo has its own self diagnostic and it runs every time you start the pc, which is how we found out his memory was bad. I guess I will go ahead and try switching my cd-rom with his and see if I can get anywhere before he ends up taking it in and spending an arm and a leg to have a service tech figure it out.


BTW - All this started when he swaped mobos. (should have posted this before) His old was overheating so he got a new one (same exact mobo). When he plugged it all in with his old HD he got the "NTLDR missing" error. We couldnt fix that as I said in my first post which is when he decided to get a new HD. He also got a new cpu (1700 to 2500) chip and his bios does read it at a 1100. So perhaps his bios setting are set wrong which is leading us to this problem. I really hate changing any bios settings that I dont know what they do, so I try to avoid bios alltogether.

 

[Charles Hammond]

If you change a motherboard, you may need to do a repair install of XP/NT type OS.