Operating System Could Not Be Found... Help - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

LoganSnake · 06-18-2005, 10:11 AM

I bought a used IBM T23 Laptop recently. PIII 1.13 Ghz, 512 RAM, 30 GB.

I installed Windows XP SP2 on it when I first got it. After that I installed Microsoft Office 2003, codecs, and other useful stuff. I shut it down for the day. When I turn it back on it gives me the message "Operating System Not Found" at start-up. I put in the Windows XP CD in, choose the repair optoion, it boots into windows. Everything I installed is there and even the file I saved with Microsoft Word is on the Desktop. I shut it off and turn it out again and it gives me the same "No Operating System" message. Any idea on how I can fix this?

phukraut · 06-18-2005, 10:19 AM

Perhaps check the BIOS that you are actually booting off the hard drive.

Slavakion · 06-18-2005, 10:33 AM

The MBR might be messed up.

Link
Link 2

LoganSnake · 06-18-2005, 12:32 PM

It is set-up to boot from the hard drive. I checked twice. I'm looking at Slav's links right now.

ratbastid · 06-18-2005, 12:42 PM

Back in the day, I used to solve this problem mainly by ejecting the floppy that was still in the floppy drive... But I reckon you've already checked that, right?

soccerchamp76 · 06-18-2005, 03:48 PM

Maybe the boot.ini file is corrupted....

wombatman · 06-18-2005, 05:59 PM

Break out that XP cd again, and go to the repair console (hit R where it gives you the 3 options after everything is loaded).

Then do /fixmbr and /fixboot.

If something is fubar with the boot stuff, that will fix it.

LoganSnake · 06-18-2005, 07:20 PM

Checked BIOS Boot order, checked floppy in the drive, checked boot.ini (it is perfect), did both fixboot and fixmbr. Nothing works. The OS only boots when the CD is in the drive, and displays the Operating System not found message when it is not in the drive. I guess re-installing is my only option.

DEI37 · 06-18-2005, 08:56 PM

Probably a reformat and reinstall.

flat5 · 06-19-2005, 02:38 AM

Something in the registry is telling XP to load from the CD?

spindles · 06-19-2005, 07:18 PM

Is your bios battery dead? It might be not properly storing your drive settings in there. Are there any other boot time messages?

LoganSnake · 06-21-2005, 08:43 AM

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

Well, the solution was painfully simple. It appears that if there is a "!" mark next to the device in the BIOS, that device will be disabled. In my case that was the hard drive. I had no idea until somebody pointed it out to me. Thank you all for help.

06-18-2005, 10:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	Operating System Could Not Be Found... Help I bought a used IBM T23 Laptop recently. PIII 1.13 Ghz, 512 RAM, 30 GB. I installed Windows XP SP2 on it when I first got it. After that I installed Microsoft Office 2003, codecs, and other useful stuff. I shut it down for the day. When I turn it back on it gives me the message "Operating System Not Found" at start-up. I put in the Windows XP CD in, choose the repair optoion, it boots into windows. Everything I installed is there and even the file I saved with Microsoft Word is on the Desktop. I shut it off and turn it out again and it gives me the same "No Operating System" message. Any idea on how I can fix this? __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-18-2005, 12:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	It is set-up to boot from the hard drive. I checked twice. I'm looking at Slav's links right now. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-18-2005, 03:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
soccerchamp76 Go Cardinals Location: St. Louis/Cincinnati	Maybe the boot.ini file is corrupted.... __________________ Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department. Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.

06-18-2005, 07:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	Checked BIOS Boot order, checked floppy in the drive, checked boot.ini (it is perfect), did both fixboot and fixmbr. Nothing works. The OS only boots when the CD is in the drive, and displays the Operating System not found message when it is not in the drive. I guess re-installing is my only option. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-18-2005, 08:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Probably a reformat and reinstall. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

06-18-2005, 10:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
phukraut Addict	Perhaps check the BIOS that you are actually booting off the hard drive.

06-18-2005, 10:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
Slavakion Mjollnir Incarnate Location: Lost in thought	The MBR might be messed up. Link Link 2

06-18-2005, 12:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Back in the day, I used to solve this problem mainly by ejecting the floppy that was still in the floppy drive... But I reckon you've already checked that, right?

06-18-2005, 05:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
wombatman Insane	Break out that XP cd again, and go to the repair console (hit R where it gives you the 3 options after everything is loaded). Then do /fixmbr and /fixboot. If something is fubar with the boot stuff, that will fix it.

06-19-2005, 02:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
flat5 Very Insignificant Pawn Location: Amsterdam, NL	Something in the registry is telling XP to load from the CD?

06-19-2005, 07:18 PM	#11 (permalink)
spindles Mine is an evil laugh Location: Sydney, Australia	Is your bios battery dead? It might be not properly storing your drive settings in there. Are there any other boot time messages? __________________ who hid my keyboard's PANIC button?

06-21-2005, 08:43 AM	#12 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	PROBLEM SOLVED!!! Well, the solution was painfully simple. It appears that if there is a "!" mark next to the device in the BIOS, that device will be disabled. In my case that was the hard drive. I had no idea until somebody pointed it out to me. Thank you all for help. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques