In news:Xns9C35B0B54E08jebouchard451yahooca@8.17.249. 161,
Jacques E. Bouchard typed on 25 Jun 2009 05:05:09 GMT:
> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote in news:h1tspp$j1j$1@news.eternal-
> september.org:
>
>> As for why the internal HDD (hard drive) isn't working and that
>> error. That error sounds like the MBR (main boot record) is corrupt.
>> They are many ways to build a new one. There are some free utilities
>> out there that can do this. Also a real Windows install disk or even
>> a Windows 9x Startup floppy.
>>
>> If that fixes it, something is corrupting the MBR. If it doesn't, the
>> IDE controller is likely shot. Or something in the BIOS setup is set
>> wrong. I would create a new MBR first. There are no boot managers or
>> other OS installed right? Or any of those programs that hooks in that
>> allows the computer to see larger HDD, right? If not to either, you
>> are okay to recreate a new MBR.
>
> I thought about the MBR, but a clean install of WinXP would take care
> of that (dring the installation process I created a new partition and
> formatted it), as well as restoring the disk image from the original
> CDs.

Yes a clean install does recreate a new MBR. But something could be
modifying it. As it seems to stick for awhile and then poof, right?

> I reset the BIOS to its defaults at one point to make sure that wasn't
> the problem, but it made no difference.

Most BIOS uses flash memory. And sometimes flash fails. Thus either the
settings won't stick very long or not at all. A weak RTC battery can
also cause similar symptoms, but it is rare it does.

I just worked on an EeePC 702 that couldn't read the SSD (solid state
drive). And I couldn't flash the BIOS either. Pulled the SSD out and
popped a new one and everything worked again. I could even flash the
BIOS. Weird that the BIOS needs a working drive just to flash the BIOS.
Who would have guessed that one?

> Considering that two drives (one old, one brand new) both behaved the
> same way, I too tend to suspect the IDE controller.

Yup, you are probably right. Although I wouldn't write it off yet. ;-)

--
Bill
Windows XP Home SP3 (5.1.2600)
Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC