Please Help me! SATA problem

[Airwalker700]

I have a desktop computer that is/was running Windows XP pro. It was running off a 200 gig maxtor SATA drive perfectly fine for about 3/4 a year until yesterday, when a blue warning screen popped up, and before I could read it my computer restarted. When I try to boot up my computer, I get a black screen saying that windows could not start properly, and gives me certain options, (Start windows normally, use last working settings, safe mode, safe mode with network, and safe mode with command prompt) I've tried every one of these, and all that happens is windows tries to load and my computer restarts.

I've called places for help, and my analysis right now is that I need to repair some windows files. When I try to do this, with my XP disk, I get to the point where windows is checking my drive, and then I get a blue warning screen telling me that windows was shut down to prevent damage, and it also says this, although I don't know what it means:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

It also says viaraid.sys at the bottom, which I believe is the driver for my SATA drive.

So, basically, I have no idea what I should do next, can anyone help me?

 

[MrGaribaldi]

I'd try booting from the XP cd and choose the repair installation option.

There it will check all the system files against the ones one the xp cd, and copy the original files back if it senses any changes. This will take a long time.........
It also means you'll have to update your system again, but should give you a working OS.

On the other hand, it should also be possible to do this with the repair console, where you would only replace the viaraid.sys file, though it's a bit more work.
Basicly, you'll have to either burn the file to the cd, or find out which .cab file it is in. Then expand it from the cab and move it to the correct location. This will give you less work afterwards.

 

[Airwalker700]

I've tried to repair my windows installation with the Xp cd, however when I get to the part where I press enter at the little "welcome" screen, to initiate the setup, I get a blue screen saying windows was shut down to prevent damage to my computer. Any ideas?

 

[urbandragon]

sounds like your bios may have antivirus enabled.. it keeps anything from writing to the MBR. go into bios and disable virus protection.

not sure of the exact wording but it should say antivirus or something similar in the wording..

 

[Airwalker700]

I couldn't find anywhere in the BIOS about disabling the virus protection. Is it worded completely different? Or is there some other way for me to disable it?

 

[Liquidlen]

Flip thru each page of your bios Setup ,look for Security /Supervisor Password and Boot sector Virus protection (This for Asus Bios Setup ,Other Companies will word a little different ,but you'll figure it out)
As for your other problem, I am not sure if you can reload the drivers for your SATA , but you should do a search at the Website for that Drive to see if there is some option or Repair Disk etc to perform that task.
Do you have an IDE HDD laying around ; Install it Disconnect the SATA Temporarily.
Then you could load Windows and get a GUI to do some troubleshooting ,even if all you do is retieve files off the SATA.
Let us know.