# Windows won't start after BIOS update



## sugarcube (Oct 10, 2004)

Here is my problem:
I started (for my first time for my A7N8X-E Deluxe) a BIOS update, with ASUS UPDATE (under WinXP, SP2). It all seemed to be OK, but when it restarted, the windows wouldn't load. Post said, that all's ok... I thought, that it could be, that the BIOS isn't installed properly, so I downloaded it and tried it with the awardflash. But again, no problems but still the same problem, windows doesn't start. Just when the windows screen with the load tab shows up, a blue screen pops up from above and the computer restarts. I managed to make a photo of it, and it somehow show, that "maybe a virus is on the computer, blablabla", and "check your harddrives". I had some viruses on my computer, but I always exterminated them, so it can't be the viruses. And the harddrives... I've got 2 Maxtor 80 GB SATA drives, but they're new and I haven't got any problems with them. And I also installed the drivers...
Is there a way, to see if the BIOS is updated? Because, I haven't seen any changes, when I entered the BIOS.
Do I have to re-install windows? Maybe the problem is caused by the service pack 2, a friend of mine also had a problem with sp2.
Please help me!!!


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## sugarcube (Oct 10, 2004)

Bloody hell!!! :redface: 
I started the Windows fix-setup, you can choose as an option when you want to install windows. But it said, no harddisk detected, I was so relieved!!! I downloaded the new SATA driver and installed it with F6 from the win cd. Installation successful, and I tried again the fix-setup, for a chkdsk. And again: no problems displayed. I thought, that everything is ok now, but the windows won't start, like before...


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

try pressing f8 when booting and choose 
last known good configuration
if no good boot to the recovery console and try
fixboot
or
fixmbr


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## ScubaDiverVideo (Sep 20, 2004)

Since a bios upgrade does not change the OS, I would take a closer look at your bios settings. Is SATA drives found in the bios settings?


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## sugarcube (Oct 10, 2004)

Hm, what excactly does fixboot and fixmbr do? Cause I don't want to format the HD because i've got important stuff on it...
And what BIOS settings are useful? I tried to look for settings, but there aren't any, I think... I've got a striped set (of 2 HD's), so what do I need 2 do? Is it true, that the BIOS can't detect the HD's as first boot device and stuff, but afterwards it loads the HD's? After starting the comp. it shows "sill striped set" (i think it should mean "still striped set").
And what's up with raid and co? I'm a bit nooby with BIOS, so I need 2 now where I should change stuff.

P.S.: I remarked, that the BIOS-settings haven't changed or renewed when I updated it. Is this normal?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

one repairs the master boot record
the other writes a new one
when you update the bios,i think it sets it at default settings and you have to optimise it again


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## idtent (Aug 13, 2003)

What you could try:

Go download the old bios you were using and reflash the mobo. If it boots successfully look at the FAQs(or look there first maybe) on the asus site.

Maybe there is a conflict and you need to update the drivers for the motherboard first. From what I can recall it has something to do with SP2 and nvidia drivers.


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## sugarcube (Oct 10, 2004)

I couldn't find anything... And the fixboot and old bios didn't work either...
Blast! hm, maybe it's the best to re-install windows... WITHOUT SP2!!! Anyway, SP2 is unnecessary when you got a good firewall+antivir prog.
Just a last question... It's a bit embarassing... When I re-install windows, does the data get lost? I mean, the programms don't work afterwards, thats for sure, but I got photos and music on my HD, all lost?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

if you do a repair you will not lose anything,if your windows installation is on it's own partition,you can format it and reinstall without losing them.
if everything is on the same partition and you format you will lose the lot


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## sugarcube (Oct 10, 2004)

****, the windows is on the same partition... And the fix doesn't work. Maybe I should buy an external HD, so I can startup windows with the external HD.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

do a repair
boot from the xp cd and choose install
ignore the first repair option and continue with install
when windows finds the previous installation
then repair
this will leave all of your files intact,but you will have to reinstall any ms updates,just install sp2


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## sugarcube (Oct 10, 2004)

OMG!
Thanks so much! The thing with fix windows did work. I thought the menu with fixboot was the only windows fix option... I think I'm pretty ok with computerstuff, but I did never had something to do with BIOS...
Thanks again!


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

we are all learning all of the time,glad to hear your up and running


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