Windows XP Boot Problem

[User01]

Recently, my computer has started to act up. It no longer boots up normally.

Before I would just turn the computer on and it would start up windows XP professional, however, now whenever I turn the computer on I get the following message:

"Invalid system disk, Replace the disk, and then press any key"

I thought it might be the hard drive, so I swapped it with another one and reinstalled windows. Windows installed perfectly and it was running. I then shut my pc down and came back to it later that day. When I turned it on, I was faced with the same invalid disk error.

I then put the windows XP disc in and started the computer, this got rid of the error and it went on to booting from the hard drive as normal. When I removed the disc the next time I started up the computer I got that invalid disk message again. It seems as if I NEED to have the windows XP CD in the CD drive in order for me to boot up from the hard drive.

Does anyone know why this is happening and what is causing this problem? Its not really a massive problem as I can eventually boot from my hard drive, but it is a nuisance. I hope you can help me out, this is really annoying me.

Any input will be greatly appreciated; I hope you can help me

Thank you very much

User01

[-pops-]

Check the boot order in the BIOS. It may be that the hard drive ("C" drive) is too far down the list to act as a boot disk.

If the "C" drive is not the first in the boot list, try making it thus and see how that goes.

[andsome]

Check the boot order in the BIOS. It may be that the hard drive ("C" drive) is too far down the list to act as a boot disk.

If the "C" drive is not the first in the boot list, try making it thus and see how that goes.

I keep mine as second, with the CD as first. It probably adds all of one or two seconds to the total time.

[dadyassa]

Have you left a floppy in the drive ????

[User01]

i dont use floppy, im too cool for that :lol:

i already changed the boot sequence

originally it was:

floppy

cdrom

hard drive

i changed it to:

hard drive

hard drive

hard drive

then:

cdrom

hard drive

hard drive

that made no difference :(

but then i thought about clearing the cmos by using the clear jumper on the motherboard. that seems to do the trick, it gets rid of the message but i just hope i dont have to keep doing it every now and then.

thanks for all your help :)

[andsome]

i dont use floppy, im too cool for that :lol:

What does temperature have to do with using a floppy disc? I use floppy discs when I feel cool, hot or even downright cold. :)