[RESOLVED] Reboot and select a proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device a

I recently built a new computer, I installed a sata hard drive and put windows XP on it with out problems. I have been using the computer for a few days now and I just started running into this problem. When I try to restart the computer, I get the message "Reboot and select a proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press any key". I have tried powering off the computer and one out of about five times it will boot normally. Every other time I get this error message. I have checked all the cables and everything seems to be ok. I have set the bios to default and nothing changes. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Boot up with the WinXP CD in the drive, and go to the Recovery Console. At the command prompt, type "Fixboot", then type "Fixmbr", then "Bootcfg /rebuild" all without the quotes.

thanks for the reply, I will post back soon with the results.

I did everything you said and after I typed bootcfg /rebuild, I was asked a few more questions. "Add installation to boot list? Enter load identifyer. and one other question. I figured out what that all meant after I rebooted. However I am still having the same problem, One out of every 5 times my pc will boot to windows, and I still get that message. hmmm......I am beginning to think it might be a setting in my BIOS that needs to be changed. Not sure. My MoBo is an ASROCK 939dual-sata, chipset uli1695 if that helps.

Hello GammaMan :)

Do you have an external drive connected to your computer?

If so make sure that the drive is switched off whenever you start or restart the computer.

Change the order of the boot devices in the BIOS so that the external drive is listed after the hard drive, or remove it from the list of bootable devices altogether.

Elaine

Check your BIOS for a setting "onboard RAID enable" or something to that effect. If that's enabled, your OS is looking for a RAID configuration of two or more SATA drives that you don't have. If it's there and enabled, disable it.

I have tried all of the solutions stated above and I am still having the issue. I have decided to replace the SATA drive with an IDE that I removed from my old PC and now my machine isn't having any issues. Therefore it was directly related to the SATA drive and/or MOBO settings. Thanks for the replies.

i had the same problem just now, i tried everything, replacing cables power supply and i feel so imbarrased, but i figure if it helps somebody else its worth it, eventually i found that my computer was trying to boot off my usb, after i had wasted over an hour fiddleing with everything inside and out.:mad:

https://discussions.virtualdr.com/im.../2012/05/2.png

Sometimes it's the simple things that get you! As you say, hopefully someone else will learn from you experience anyway :)

I've had that too!
I hope they put a disable USB boot option in BIOS

Not me, it comes in handy with usb sticks adn burners.

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Originally Posted by Rodney M

I've had that too!
I hope they put a disable USB boot option in BIOS

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One way to disable USB boot is to move your USB device(s) down in your Boot Device Priority list to below (after) your hard drive.

Hey,

I need help with my new computer.
I build my own computer and when i was done.
I started it with out problem on till the screen camed up

"Reboot and select proper Boot device or insert Boot media in selected Boot device and press a key"

I whent in to the bios and change so the Cd was first on the boot device list but no. no It camed up again when i rebooted.

Reboot and select.......

Whant shall i do ???

I'd try your boot CD in another computer. If it boots from the CD then we know that the CD itself is okay.

Just 10 minutes ago, my computer was running fine.... but the usual error i get is when my graphics card messes up (tried looking for solutions but to no avail) and usually ill either ctl+alt+delete and tab back in and it will be fine, or ill have to restart cpu ( which is what i did in this situation) and when i started up the message occurred ( missing operating system ) so i was like wtf?! so i restarted it again ( same message, checked cords etc. ) and restarted again, and now this message pops up and this is my brothers computer who is now enlisted in the air force, and gave his computer to me... but i cant seem to find any disks of his he used. or anything. im not very computer savy so you have to be patient with me, but i cant get rid of this message and start up the computer normally....

PLEASE HELP!! - Sincerly,

Spudvik

The previous operating system he had was a cracked version of Windows 7, which worked FINE no problems whatsoever... been on the computer for about a year with no issues. he has 2 Nvidia 9800 GTX+ graphics cards and a NVIDIA Motherboard. i recently (yesterday or the day before ) updated the drivers. so the drivers are up to date.

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Originally Posted by Spudvik

... and when i started up the message occurred ( missing operating system )

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You can remove and replace the hard drive cables a few times in an attempt to clean the connectors but, that message usually means the hard drive has died and needs to be replaced.

(All mechanical hard drives WILL die).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spudvik

... cracked version of Windows 7, ...

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Sorry but, we can't help with a 'cracked' version of anything on this site.