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Weird BIOS/Drive Problem


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#1
unclefloyd

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I had an older XP machine that used to be my primary box that I now used primarily as a media server. The machine threw up a STOP BSOD and then would not boot. The machine was built for me and had a RAID 0 array, and I'm not that up on the working on RAID (being able to diagnose, etc) beyond the basics. I wouldn't care as much, except that I had loaded some vacation photos on there right before it died and did not have a chance to back them up yet.

Upon trying to boot the machine in any matter (safe mode, last known safe point, etc.), the RAID array identifies as healthy, the system checks out and starts booting to XP, and then one of four things happens:
- It gets to the XP load screen and hangs (this is a relatively new development)
- I get the BAD_POOL_CALLER STOP 0x000000c2 BSOD
- I get the STOP 0x000000024 NTFS.SB5 BSOD
- I get the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQL STOP 0x0000000A BSOD
- I get the STOP 0x0000007E BSOD

When I tried to throw in a new drive, I get disc errors whenever it tries to boot (I've switched off the array for this.) I only have one other box, and I don't want to throw the drives into it for data recovery until I'm sure what happened the first time.

I started to just re-seat all the components (why not?), and started with the RAM. For whatever reason, now I just get the system alert beep every four seconds, no matter what configuration I have the sticks.

I'm fairly well-versed with PCs, but this is beyond my ken. Any help is appreciated.
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#2
Hello71

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Do you have the original XP install disk?
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#3
unclefloyd

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Yes, but I get the same errors when I try to boot from DVD, if that's where you're going with this.
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#4
Broni

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It may be RAM problem.
Did you try to start the computer with 1 RAM stick at a time?
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#5
unclefloyd

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Yes. I started messing around with the RAM, and now, no matter what order or configuration I install the RAM cards, I keep getting nothing but a repeating system beep. That's with one RAM card slotted, all of them, a pair, etc, in any slotting.
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#6
Broni

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I stay away from RAID, as far, as possible, so I'm most likely of no use here :)
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#7
Spyderturbo007

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When I tried to throw in a new drive, I get disc errors whenever it tries to boot (I've switched off the array for this.)


Can I ask what exactly you did when "switching off" the array?
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#8
unclefloyd

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When I tried to throw in a new drive, I get disc errors whenever it tries to boot (I've switched off the array for this.)


Can I ask what exactly you did when "switching off" the array?


Went into the BIOS and switched to IDE drives.
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