Dear reader,

Good day. When I turn on my p.c. it does not boot and it displays the following message as shown: DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER. It does this most of the times I attempt to turn it on, but a few times it does start up after a long wait. Can someone please tell me what I can do to fix this? I bought the computer about 5 or 6 years ago at Walmart, and I do not think that I have a boot disk. Thank you for your time and attention. Have a great day!

Signed,

Frustrated

THANK YOU

Run hard drive diagnostics: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp. (or Hard Drive Installation and Diagnostic Tools)
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: The Official ImgBurn Website to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

Hello,

Thank you for your response. I have two hard drives on my pc with the problem. One is the C drive which came originally with my Compaq brand pc and the other is the I Drive which I had installed about 9 or 10 months ago. Which one should I download what you told me for? Unfortunately, I do not know what brand either of the hard drives is. Is there a method for me to know what brand is my hard drive. Should I look for a Compaq brand for the download?
The one I recently added seemed like a generic 500 gig hard drive. I do not know what brand it is. I purchased it at Tiger Direct/ COMP USA. Sorry for my computer improficiency. Please help. I want to be able to turn my pc on all the time rather than once in a while as it has recently.

THANK YOU.

You have to test C drive, which is a drive, where Windows is installed.
If you're able by any chance to boot, you can go to Device Manager, which should tell you what brand of hard drive it is.
If you can't boot, you'll have to open the case and take a look at the drive.

Dear Broni,

Hello and thank you for your help. How do I test the C drive? Also, I looked in the device manager but I don't know how to find the brand of my hard drive. What should I click on? Furthermore, once I make the disk will I always need it to boot up or will it fix my problem so that I can boot up as I used to? Thanks again. Have a great day!

You should see something similar to my Device Manager:

Furthermore, once I make the disk will I always need it to boot up or will it fix my problem so that I can boot up as I used to?

After creating the CD, you'll have to boot from it.
Don't hold your breath, because I suspect your hard drive being dead, but that's why we want to check it out by running test CD.

Dear Broni,

Thanks again. Sorry I keep bugging you. I burned a cd. My drive said ST 3400 ISA which I believe is Sea Gate so I burned a cd from that. Next time I get the disk boot failure message should I put in the cd? How do I test my drive with the cd? I wonder if this would help me, what order should I have boot options in the CMOS? 1. CD Drive 2. Hard drive 3. Floppy Drive is this the right order? If not what is the right order? In response to my drive being dead, would it still boot occasionally? I am scared of losing all my documents, pictures, and other priceless files. Is this what I'm desitened for? How can I save my files? Will info on my new I: Drive still be accesible if C drive is dead? What happens if my drive is dead, do I need to get a new drive? I hope I haven't been too much of a head ache for you. You are trully an awesome person. Thank you.

In response to my drive being dead, would it still boot occasionally?

Apparently, I was too harsh () in my wording. It may be dying.
If I were you, I'd back up your data immediately.
Your best option would be to create an image of your drive. If you do so, you won't lose anything and if your drive dies, you can be up and running with a new drive in a matter of an hour.
Your choices:
Acronis True Image: Backup and disaster recovery software for Windows, server backup solutions for both Windows and Linux - not free, but the best

Free alternatives:
- Macrium Reflect: Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download (highly recommended)
- DriveImage XML: DriveImage XML Backup Software - Data Recovery Product
- SelfImage: http://www.excelcia.org/modules.php?...article&sid=21
- Paragon Drive Backup: Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Overview

How do I test my drive with the cd?

I believe, Seagate provides one tool, which you can run from within Windows (while you still can boot) and another one, which creates bootable CD. Then..

what order should I have boot options in the CMOS? 1. CD Drive 2. Hard drive 3. Floppy Drive is this the right order?

Yes.

I'd run those test now.

...and no, you're not a pain

Hi Broni,

I'm starting to think I'm going to have to pay someone to fix my computer, but I always think that if someone repairs it that they could say that there is more wrong with it than there actually is. This sounds like it could be an expensive repair. What do you think?

When you say run the tests, do you mean for me to insert the cd I made from the 1st website you guided me to with the segate download? I hope I did it right. Sorry that I'm so computer iliterate. Thanks again Broni for your time and patience.

I believe I backed up my c drive to a few dvds. I think I will try to back it up on my I drive as well.

Most likely, is my c drive (hard drive) busted? Is that what's causing all this, or could it be something else like my motherboard? Can I just run off my I drive by changing a few settings or is this a comlicated process? I believe my Window XP office edition is on my c drive, can I transfer it or copy it to my I DRIVE all long with everything else?

Is it possible for you to help me with this through remote assistance?

BRONI FOR PRESIDENT! BRONI IS #1!

Hehehehe....

When you say run the tests, do you mean for me to insert the cd I made from the 1st website you guided me to with the segate download?

It depends on which testing program you created. One will run from within Windows, another one will create bootable CD.

Most likely, is my c drive (hard drive) busted?

I believe so, or it's getting close to being busted.

Can I just run off my I drive

If you can make it bootable by installing Windows on it, then yes.
What is that I drive anyway?

I believe my Window XP office edition is on my c drive, can I transfer it or copy it to my I DRIVE all long with everything else?

No, because programs have to be reinstalled. You can move data only.