Odd XP dual boot problem

hc25036 · 02-08-2006, 13:06

Long story, but I'm setting up a dual boot XP system (ie both are XP installations). Got the well-known hal.dll problem stopping the dual boot process, but the solution was wierd. MB is an Asus A8N-E and it has 2 WD Caviar SATA2 250Gb hard drives - one XP installation on each drive.

After much head scratching and trying all known solutions for the hal.dll issue, I noticed that when the PC is booting one drive is picked up as LBA and the second (the one that doesn't work) as "CHS". If I change the settings in BIOS for that drive from auto detect to LRG (from memory - it's the only manual option) everything works. Instinctively I don't like that and also not knowing what the problem is. Any ideas?

pedantic · 02-08-2006, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by hc25036

Long story, but I'm setting up a dual boot XP system (ie both are XP installations). Got the well-known hal.dll problem stopping the dual boot process, but the solution was wierd. MB is an Asus A8N-E and it has 2 WD Caviar SATA2 250Gb hard drives - one XP installation on each drive.

After much head scratching and trying all known solutions for the hal.dll issue, I noticed that when the PC is booting one drive is picked up as LBA and the second (the one that doesn't work) as "CHS". If I change the settings in BIOS for that drive from auto detect to LRG (from memory - it's the only manual option) everything works. Instinctively I don't like that and also not knowing what the problem is. Any ideas?

I know you say you have tried all known hal.dll solutions, but there is an article here.

It may be of some help, or lead to some information you may have overlooked. It's worth a try anyway.

Cobbydaler · 02-08-2006, 14:09

CHS won't work as it's designed for older drives.

LRG is presumably Large mode which is the same as ECHS (Extended CHS).

How are the drives connected? Both masters, master/slave?

Don't really know why one would be picked as LBA & the other incorrectly as CHS.

hc25036 · 02-08-2006, 16:09

Thanks guys - I found the Kellys site and tried everything. I'm sure it's the BIOS detection of the drive. SATA drives don't have jumpers - they are all pre-configured as master. There's nothing on the ASUS web site either. May be just one of those mysteries....