Too many damn computer problems....

[JohnS.]

Problem 1:
Okay I'm getting sick of this... Every time I turn my computer on, before the windows loading bar screen shows up, I get an NTLDR is missing error and it won't boot past that. I can sit there and restart all day long and it won't go past that error. I can fix it by (I have no idea why this fixes it either) putting in my CD-ROM from my motherboard. wtf? Why does that fix it?

Anyways... I've googled it and it seems to be a common problem. I've tried windows repair. I've tried manually copying the NTLDR file from windows CD into my main hard drive windows folder. Nothing has worked so far. I have 2 different hard drives, one with Vista and one with XP. I use the XP one and my BIOS is set so thats my primary drive. At least I'm pretty sure. I don't know jack s**t about BIOS and don't dare to play with the settings. I mean the basic stuff I get but I try not to change anything.

Problem 2:
My computer beeps at me during start up. Sometimes, it'll make 1 long beep during the windows loading screen. Sometimes, it'll beep once for a second, pause, and then beep again but for like 3-6 seconds. It's random. What the hell is this? I tried googling it and I know it's some error but what?

Problem 3:
My computer fails to find a driver for a "PCI Device" (according to device manager) every single time I boot up. I don't know what driver it's missing. But it gives me driver update window every time I log on and I hate having to click cancel every time. How do I find out what driver I'm missing? All device manager tells me is that there is a yellow exclamation next to "PCI Device". I've tried updating that and it does nothing. It says nothing was found.

Paging Mr. Jolly.

 

[darkdanny2009]

Problem 1:
Could be a corrupted NTDLR file(Sounds very likeable). Or You have a non bootable floppy or cd in the computer when you startup. You can try following the steps on this site http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm.
Problem 2:
1 beep: Memory related problem or could be actual motherboard.
2 beeps: Memory parity error, the parity circuit isn't working correctly
Problem 3: Sounds like a graphics card driver missing, or another PCI interface. Make sure the graphic drivers are updated, or try another graphics card.

This is all i can think of off the top of my head, im not an expert so i could be wrong, however this is the field im currently studying. I hope this helps, and alot of internet reading can sometimes lead you in the right direction. Try some computer tech forums.

 

[reichbc]

Problem 1:
Okay I'm getting sick of this... Every time I turn my computer on, before the windows loading bar screen shows up, I get an NTLDR is missing error and it won't boot past that. I can sit there and restart all day long and it won't go past that error. I can fix it by (I have no idea why this fixes it either) putting in my CD-ROM from my motherboard. wtf? Why does that fix it?

Anyways... I've googled it and it seems to be a common problem. I've tried windows repair. I've tried manually copying the NTLDR file from windows CD into my main hard drive windows folder. Nothing has worked so far. I have 2 different hard drives, one with Vista and one with XP. I use the XP one and my BIOS is set so thats my primary drive. At least I'm pretty sure. I don't know jack s**t about BIOS and don't dare to play with the settings. I mean the basic stuff I get but I try not to change anything.'

NTLDR = Windows NT Loader. this is the process **REQUIRED** by Windows to load the OS. Without it, you're pretty much out of luck. What does your motherboard CD make the computer do when you put it in and boot?

Do both XP *AND* vista do this? Or just one? Try disconnecting one drive at a time and seeing which one causes the problem. Whichever it is, backup the drive and reinstall the OS.



Problem 2:
My computer beeps at me during start up. Sometimes, it'll make 1 long beep during the windows loading screen. Sometimes, it'll beep once for a second, pause, and then beep again but for like 3-6 seconds. It's random. What the hell is this? I tried googling it and I know it's some error but what?

Beeps like that are usually indicators of errors. What motherboard do you have? Check the troubleshooting section of the manual to try and determine what the beeps mean.

Problem 3:
My computer fails to find a driver for a "PCI Device" (according to device manager) every single time I boot up. I don't know what driver it's missing. But it gives me driver update window every time I log on and I hate having to click cancel every time. How do I find out what driver I'm missing? All device manager tells me is that there is a yellow exclamation next to "PCI Device". I've tried updating that and it does nothing. It says nothing was found.

Motherboards have what are called "North Bridges" and "South Bridges". These are the chips on the board responsible for handling all the aspects of interface devices, i.e. video cards, soundcards, mice, keyboards, etc. A missing PCI device driver is an indication that the chipset drivers (north and south bridge drivers) are not installed. Go to the OFFICIAL website of your board manufacturer and download the applicable chipset drivers and other miscellaneous drivers.

Good Luck.

 

[DeathLens]

I had the same exact problem with mine. and my friend told me that its corrupted.

All I did was booted it from my windows xp cd and fixed it. all my files were gone though

 

[JohnS.]

It's weird.. Because these problems started after I re-did my hard drive 3-5 months ago. But it was completely fine before. My computer was getting slow so I copied what I could fit onto my Vista hard drive and then I re-installed XP. Then the problems started. I didn't touch any hardware. I just reformatted and the problems started.

Graphics drivers are up to date. I did all my drivers when I first reformatted. That's always the first thing I do.

 

[boosted to 26ps]

Had the same problems on my old set up.....until...I updated all the drivers an BIOS firmware. Also wiped one drive did a clean install on a hd...set that as main an not cable select. Then added the others an wiped then....I just figured its a conflicting issue in the system...especially when 2 OS are on the system....or after a serious crash. It took care of the problem.

 

[Daddy_Digital]

i think u should reformat the computer and start from scratch.

 

[Mr. Jollypants]

i think u should reformat the computer and start from scratch.

Typical answer from inexperienced computer user.

If it works when your CD is in, your hard drive may be the culprit. Have you tried using a Live Boot CD of Ubuntu to see if the hard drive is accessible?

 

[JiuJitsu_greg]

 

[JohnS.]

Typical answer from inexperienced computer user.

If it works when your CD is in, your hard drive may be the culprit. Have you tried using a Live Boot CD of Ubuntu to see if the hard drive is accessible?

What is Ubuntu? lol

 

[JiuJitsu_greg]

^^^linux

 

[JohnS.]

Ah. I don't have access to a CD.

I just right clicked > properties on my computer and it says I have 3.25 GB of RAM. I have 2x 2GB sticks and I thought it normally read 4. Is this normal? I went to my mobo manufacturer's website and it didn't say anything about 1 short, 1 long beep, but it did have similar beep patterns and they said it would be memory related.

 

[Mr. Jollypants]

Ah. I don't have access to a CD.

I just right clicked > properties on my computer and it says I have 3.25 GB of RAM. I have 2x 2GB sticks and I thought it normally read 4. Is this normal? I went to my mobo manufacturer's website and it didn't say anything about 1 short, 1 long beep, but it did have similar beep patterns and they said it would be memory related.

A computer reading less than what you have installed is completely normal, I'd be worried if it listed 2GB of RAM.

Who is the manufacturer of the motherboard?

 

[JohnS.]

Gigabyte:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128407

 

[Mr. Jollypants]

Have more than 1 hard drive?

 

[JohnS.]

Yeah 2. They're both hooked up.

 

[Mr. Jollypants]

Yeah 2. They're both hooked up.

Unplug the secondary drive, the drive WITHOUT Windows.

 

[JohnS.]

They both have Windows. They both work. Before I reformatted my XP drive, I switched the cables on my hard drives and logged onto my Vista drive and did some stuff on there. Switched the cables again and went back onto my XP drive. I don't know how to choose which drive to load off of so that's why I switched the cables. But it automatically loads my XP one as it sits right now.

But I might end up throwing out the Vista hard drive since it's old and slow and buy a new internal hard drive, install XP on it again, and use it as a back-up. I don't know if I want an internal or external for back-up. Is there a difference or is it just preference? I never have to move data from computer to computer. I have a ton of blank CD's and DVD's to use if I do.

edit - will this work?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

The only difference between that one and the one I have now is that mine is SATA 3.0GB/s vs. SATA 6.0GB/s and mine is 32MB cache vs. 64MB cache. Otherwise it's the same 7200RPM and form factor. I'm just not sure wtf the difference is b/t the interface, if there is one.

 

[Mr. Jollypants]

They both have Windows. They both work. Before I reformatted my XP drive, I switched the cables on my hard drives and logged onto my Vista drive and did some stuff on there. Switched the cables again and went back onto my XP drive. I don't know how to choose which drive to load off of so that's why I switched the cables. But it automatically loads my XP one as it sits right now.

But I might end up throwing out the Vista hard drive since it's old and slow and buy a new internal hard drive, install XP on it again, and use it as a back-up. I don't know if I want an internal or external for back-up. Is there a difference or is it just preference? I never have to move data from computer to computer. I have a ton of blank CD's and DVD's to use if I do.

edit - will this work?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

The only difference between that one and the one I have now is that mine is SATA 3.0GB/s vs. SATA 6.0GB/s and mine is 32MB cache vs. 64MB cache. Otherwise it's the same 7200RPM and form factor. I'm just not sure wtf the difference is b/t the interface, if there is one.

SATA 6 has faster transfer rates.

Did you try unplugging the secondary drive, or either one and seeing if it worked?

 

[JohnS.]

Okay I tried every scenario possible:

1. Unplugged the SATA and power cables from the Vista HDD (back-up). I got the NTLDR error.

2. Swapped SATA cables on the HDD's. It said windows could not boot up due to some hardware problem. I think the Vista HDD is bad. But what's weird is that I can access the files on the HDD if I boot up on the XP HDD.

3. Unplugged the Vista SATA cable from the mobo and the power cable from the Vista HDD and tried booting up. NTLDR is missing again. I thought maybe since the SATA cable was plugged in, it was trying to detect something that wasn't there. Figured it was worth a shot.

4. Left the 2nd SATA cable out, unplugged the power cable from the XP HDD, plugged in a SATA cable to the Vista HDD. Same hardware malfunction error.

I tried booting up without the mobo CD in when I got the NTLDR error.

I went into BIOS and it detects both HDD's and their capacities. I put in my XP CD and copied the NTLDR and NTDETECT file from the XP CD onto my main XP HDD in the windows folder and it didn't help. I don't want try windows recovery atm because if it f**ks something up, I won't have a working HDD and my Vista HDD doesn't have enough space to back up all my s**t.

And if my XP is corrupted, I really don't want to shell out ~$200 for Windows 7. I tried looking on newegg and 7 seems to be the only OS you can buy.