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Thread ID: 148202 2019-09-07 23:09:00 Legacy System Problem[s] Perry (4966) Press F1
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1463644 2019-09-07 23:09:00 Windows XP SP3

After pulling out the power supply to re-lubricate the fan, all hell broke loose at start up.

Further peering around revealed a SATA cable had been dislodged from one of the three HDDs.

I noticed it was quite a loose fit, when I plugged it back in. Since then, multiple attempts at re-booting have failed.

The error message is: "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key"

Rebooting and F2-ing into Set Up prompts for a password - which I do not have.

So I seem to be stuck, for now.

Any wet Sunday morning ideas, please?
Perry (4966)
1463645 2019-09-07 23:19:00 Few quick things to try - Try resetting the BIOS, being a older board ( going by the fact its XP) have a look and there should be a reset CMOS jumper on the board. You may need to look it up from the manufactures site to locate it or post what make /model of board here and it can be advised.

Could also be the CMOS battery gone flat, try changing that.

Its possible that if the SATA cable was pulled out by force ( mistake) it may have damaged something on the HDD.

Once in the BIOS you can look to see if the drive is actually showing.
wainuitech (129)
1463646 2019-09-08 00:20:00 SATA cable had been dislodged from one of the three HDDs.
when I plugged it back in. Since then, multiple attempts at re-booting have failed.

The error message is: "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key"



Check the cable itself, the bit on the ends, and the port on the MB and the connection on the HDD.
I have seen that, and it has been broken.
If it's the cable, no worries, swap it out, if it's the board...well um, new port?
If it's the drive, I fixed one temporarily once with electrical tape until they backed up and got a new drive.

They are quite flimsy compared with molex.
Although molex had it's own issues....
piroska (17583)
1463647 2019-09-08 01:10:00 Thanks for your replies.

The mobo is an ASRock FM2A55M-DGS.

I can't seem to access the BIOS, now.

Aha! The plastic guide tongue of one HDD SATA socket is broken off in the plug. (I've prised it out of the SATA plug with a pin.) Probably some non-existent HDD contacts implicated, as a consequence.

I get a random choice of error messages, now.

Disk read error occurred
Press Ctl+Alt+Del to restart


Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll
Please reinstall a copy of the above file.

At least the fix on the PSU fan worked - inaudible, now. :devil

My muttering can be heard, instead.
Perry (4966)
1463648 2019-09-08 01:22:00 I've had problems like you are getting with "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll
Please reinstall a copy of the above file".

Generally I found that it was caused by leaving non essential HDDs attached when installing or upgrading the OS. From what I can figure out, and I might be wrong, When the OS goes in it reads the attached HDDs as well, Making them part of the setup. Remove one and you get the message you now have. Someone here will know how to proceed or you could pose a question on Google. I've forgotten how I resolved it.

If you have a XP install disk, you might be able to disconnect the extraneous HDDs and then do a repair to the XP OS.
Bryan (147)
1463649 2019-09-08 01:30:00 Whoa! I see that you are missing the hal.dll file - sorry I misread the error. You just need to find a hal.dll file, save it to a usb drive and then add it to Windows>system32.

Read this www.lifewire.com
Bryan (147)
1463650 2019-09-08 01:40:00 If you have a XP install disk, you might be able to disconnect the extraneous HDDs and then do a repair to the XP OS.
I did try that, but the admin password would not work at root level.
Same when I could access the BIOS - I don't have the password.

The error message did say the file was missing OR corrupt, so I don't think you mis-read it, Bryan.
Perry (4966)
1463651 2019-09-08 03:37:00 Right - I've taken the drive out (1Tb WD) and with the aid of lots of sticky tape and jury rigging, I've managed to get to the BIOS splash screen. But no password. So it's Wainuitech's plan, next.

But, I find that resetting the CMOS isn't that simple / might be simple / has a condition.

NOTE: password, date, time, etc., will be cleared only if the CMOS battery is removed.
Does that mean removing the battery when the computer is OFF is all that's necessary to clear the CMOS?

Or does it mean that - to work - clearing the CMOS needs both the jumper reset and battery removal?

First time I've needed to do this, so I'm clueless.

PS
Is UEFI Setup Utility actually the BIOS?
Perry (4966)
1463652 2019-09-08 06:09:00 Does that mean removing the battery when the computer is OFF is all that's necessary to clear the CMOS?

Or does it mean that - to work - clearing the CMOS needs both the jumper reset and battery removal?

First time I've needed to do this, so I'm clueless.

PS
Is UEFI Setup Utility actually the BIOS?

Looked up the manual, found the appropriate pages, The CMOS jumper is #29 Instructions on how to clear it - Reset to factory defaults.

9997

9998
wainuitech (129)
1463653 2019-09-08 07:05:00 Aha! The plastic guide tongue of one HDD SATA socket is broken off in the plug. (I've prised it out of the SATA plug with a pin.) Probably some non-existent HDD contacts implicated, as a consequence.
.

Probably some important ones.
piroska (17583)
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