sigh, inaccessible boot device stop error :(

[Felix]

Im getting fairly suspicious that my ram isnt 100% fault free, so to confirm I borrowed someone elses and tried it with that.

I swap the sticks. When I put the new stick in at first, I didnt have it inserted properly into the slot, as I got a memory post error. So I had a look realised it wasnt in properly and reinserted it, after which it posted fine.

Although it posts fine, I got an Inaccessible_boot_device stop error while booting windows. I then tried various different things in bios. It got through a long post fine, but no matter what I changed I always got that stop error.

But then, when I put my ram back in, I got the same stop error! And again, tried things like loading setup defaults, last known good config, but no help. I even cleared cmos ram, and swapped the ram to another dimm slot, but still the stop error.

Ive googled the stop error, and what seems strange is that if it was a ram problem, it shouldnt be causing this stop error. If I just put in a new hard drive, thats the kind of stop error I would expect, but swapping ram?

The other ram I tried was 256mb A-data ddr266. System specs are:

athlon xp 1800
asus a7v333 mobo
256mb kingmax ddr333
leadtek gf4 ti4400
40gb seagate barracuda hd
ricoh cdrw
fdd
56k modem

[whetu]

check the devices you have set as boot devices, normally cdrom, hdd and fdd.

swap your ide cables.. they could be pooched.

try booting with just your hard drive plugged in.

try changing molex's around (random I know but strangely its worked for me in some instances *confused*)

*stops braindumping to sip some coke*

[Felix]

no luck :(

[Agent666]

fat32 or ntfs?

[Ragnor]

Ram faults can cause any error... all it takes is a couple of 1's instead of a 0's

I suggest you test with memtest86 v3.0
http://www.memtest86.com/

It's free, it creates a bootable floppy and will effectively test your ram and your cpu L1 and L2 cache.

[Felix]

Ntfs, with a 5gb fat32 partition that Im not using just now.

I have already ran memtest86, which found faults in the ram. But, while Im pretty sure those faults were causing 3d crashes (and occasionally in windows), before I swapped the ram I hadnt had any trouble booting into windows. And as Im getting the same error with two different sticks of ram, Im guessing getting another stick wouldnt help this particular error.

Altho, does anyone know if results from memtest86 are enough to get ram replaced on warranty, as the readme does say its possible for the program to find faults when theyre arent any?

[Antimatter]

I've seen that a couple of times when the FSB O/C is pushing the limits. ;)
Other than that it could be a corrupt/incorrect IDE driver or HDD problem... It often shows up on a mainboard swapover.
Try disabling UDMA mode for all channels in BIOS and if it boots successfully, reinstall the IDE drivers in windows b4 enabling UDMA in BIOS again.

[Agent666]

me thinks you fubared the install try a repair install and if it doesnt reckognise your win install you will need to do a fresh install

[Felix]

UDMA didnt work. Im gonna try a reinstall of windows.

[Deviant]

If the ram has errors, then you are entitled to a replacement under consumers guarentee act.

To be sure the shop doesn't have a problem with that, get a 9v batery and a couple of wires and fry the stick until it doesn't work at all.

I wouln't put up with the RAM.

[Felix]

The "shop" also happen to be my employers :p So I wont be using the battery method. But yeah Ill get it replaced.

[Joshsti_NZ]

Originally posted by Deviant
To be sure the shop doesn't have a problem with that, get a 9v batery and a couple of wires and fry the stick until it doesn't work at all.

Lol, thats a helpful idea!!