Master Boot Record.......

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archangel

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Mike
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This is a continuation of my previous thread when my pc stopped booting after moving it....... Having tried 2 other Motherboards ( same model ) it still refuses to boot up......fans go and all the usual lights come on...... now it has started to Beep... and according to the manual the 1 long beep and 2 short beeps indicate a master boot record is missing then it powers down suddenly ....... now the funny thing is that I have it in another machine on a temporary basis and it boots fine...... Tried the usual google sites but they havent really enlightened me any...... :grumpy:
 
Do you have your Windows set up disc?
 
Are you sure that beep code is for the MBR? 1 long and 2 short normally would indicate an issue with the video card. A lack of or damaged MBR shouldn't stop the BIOS from showing.
 
I have disc but the system won't boot up to let me do a repair.... I thought maybe needing to reflash Rom but surely it wouldn't need flashed on all the boards I have tried.....
 
Last edited:
The system should POST without a hard drive installed. If you aren't getting the BIOS POST screen up, then it's certainly not getting as far as looking for an MBR, it hasn't even started looking for a hard drive at that point. While you might need a Windows install disc at some point, it's not going to help with a machine that won't POST.

If you have been dismantling it and replacing the motherboard, have you tried replacing other items, for example, an alternate GPU, or use built in graphics on the motherboard if it has it, using the minimum amount of memory, ensuring all drives are disconnected (they are not needed to get as far as the BIOS screen) etc.
 
according to HP:

402-Monochrome
Adapter Failure
1L,2S* Monochrome display
controller.
Replace the Monochrome
display controller

or:

501-Display
Adapter Failure
1L, 2S* Graphics display
controller.
1. Reseat the graphics card
(if applicable).
2. Clear CMOS.
3. Verify monitor is attached
and turned on.
4. Replace the graphics
controller.

(IS THE CAPS KEY FLASHING TOO?)

or:

1998-Master Boot
Record has
been lost.
1L, 2S* The previously saved
copy of the MBR has
been corrupted.
Run Computer Setup and
save the MBR of the current
bootable disk.

or:

2000-Master Boot
Record Hard Drive
has changed.
1L, 2S* The current bootable
hard drive is not the
same as the one that
was present when MBR
Security was enabled.
Run Computer Setup and
either disable MBR security or
save the MBR of the current
bootable disk.

Appendix A-6, A-7 and A-12:

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.BINARYPORTLET/public/kb/docDisplay/resource.process/?spf_p.tpst=kbDocDisplay_ws_BI&spf_p.rid_kbDocDisplay=docDisplayResURL&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&spf_p.rst_kbDocDisplay=wsrp-resourceState=docId%3Demr_na-lpv38731-1%7CdocLocale%3Den_GB&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken
 
Last edited:
onomatopoeia said:
The system should POST without a hard drive installed. If you aren't getting the BIOS POST screen up, then it's certainly not getting as far as looking for an MBR, it hasn't even started looking for a hard drive at that point. While you might need a Windows install disc at some point, it's not going to help with a machine that won't POST.

If you have been dismantling it and replacing the motherboard, have you tried replacing other items, for example, an alternate GPU, or use built in graphics on the motherboard if it has it, using the minimum amount of memory, ensuring all drives are disconnected (they are not needed to get as far as the BIOS screen) etc.
Click to expand...


I have stripped it down.... used different cards......memory......even changed the processors......but to no avail :mad:
 
onomatopoeia said:
The system should POST without a hard drive installed. If you aren't getting the BIOS POST screen up, then it's certainly not getting as far as looking for an MBR, it hasn't even started looking for a hard drive at that point. While you might need a Windows install disc at some point, it's not going to help with a machine that won't POST.

If you have been dismantling it and replacing the motherboard, have you tried replacing other items, for example, an alternate GPU, or use built in graphics on the motherboard if it has it, using the minimum amount of memory, ensuring all drives are disconnected (they are not needed to get as far as the BIOS screen) etc.
Click to expand...

This, absolutely. If it's not even POSTing, it's a fundamental hardware issue. Have you transferred all components over from the old motherboard to the new? What caused you to initially replace the motherboard? It may well be a duff component and that's why it still carries the issue.

As per Mark's advice, strip it down to the bare minimum, motherboard, processor, ram, and whatever video output, be it a card or onboard. If you have two sticks of ram, just put one in, and then alternate them and see if it alleviates the problem. Check everything mounts securely and properly in your case too.
 
neil_g said:
according to HP:

402-Monochrome
Adapter Failure
1L,2S* Monochrome display
controller.
Replace the Monochrome
display controller

or:

501-Display
Adapter Failure
1L, 2S* Graphics display
controller.
1. Reseat the graphics card
(if applicable).
2. Clear CMOS.
3. Verify monitor is attached
and turned on.
4. Replace the graphics
controller.

(IS THE CAPS KEY FLASHING TOO?)

or:

1998-Master Boot
Record has
been lost.
1L, 2S* The previously saved
copy of the MBR has
been corrupted.
Run Computer Setup and
save the MBR of the current
bootable disk.

or:

2000-Master Boot
Record Hard Drive
has changed.
1L, 2S* The current bootable
hard drive is not the
same as the one that
was present when MBR
Security was enabled.
Run Computer Setup and
either disable MBR security or
save the MBR of the current
bootable disk.

Appendix A-6, A-7 and A-12:

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.BINARYPORTLET/public/kb/docDisplay/resource.process/?spf_p.tpst=kbDocDisplay_ws_BI&spf_p.rid_kbDocDisplay=docDisplayResURL&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&spf_p.rst_kbDocDisplay=wsrp-resourceState=docId%3Demr_na-lpv38731-1%7CdocLocale%3Den_GB&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken
Click to expand...


I read that all last night.....still none the feckin wiser... :confused:
 
bcjames said:
This, absolutely. If it's not even POSTing, it's a fundamental hardware issue. Have you transferred all components over from the old motherboard to the new? What caused you to initially replace the motherboard? It may well be a duff component and that's why it still carries the issue.

As per Mark's advice, strip it down to the bare minimum, motherboard, processor, ram, and whatever video output, be it a card or onboard. If you have two sticks of ram, just put one in, and then alternate them and see if it alleviates the problem. Check everything mounts securely and properly in your case too.
Click to expand...


It has been totally stripped.......3 graphics cards, different ram, different processors and a new psu...... not to mention the other motherboards.
 
If it won't even recognise your rescue disk, I'd consider replacing the CD drive.
Can you access system BIOS during POST?
Usually accessed by holding down "Delete" or one of the F keys during power-up.
You need to make sure in BIOS that the CD/DVD drive is one (preferably the first) device to boot from.
 
does the machine post with no drive connected?

2000-Master Boot
Record Hard Drive
has changed.
1L, 2S* The current bootable
hard drive is not the
same as the one that
was present when MBR
Security was enabled.
Run Computer Setup and
either disable MBR security or
save the MBR of the current
bootable disk.

might be that if the MBR has changed and MBR security is enabled??
 
It doesn't even boot to CD...... and cant see anything on monitor as it doesn't initialize the graphics card out hard drive......
 
neil_g said:
does the machine post with no drive connected?

2000-Master Boot
Record Hard Drive
has changed.
1L, 2S* The current bootable
hard drive is not the
same as the one that
was present when MBR
Security was enabled.
Run Computer Setup and
either disable MBR security or
save the MBR of the current
bootable disk.

might be that if the MBR has changed and MBR security is enabled??
Click to expand...


Nope......no post with any drive.....I have just tried a new blank hard drive to do an install but nothing but fecking beeps...... solid green light on front of base unit and then she shuts down...... time for bin me thinks
 
2 nvidia cards and I think the other is a mattox brand.....not in office at the moment so can't check till later
 
Potentially one thing it could be is an issue with the case, something I came across once where the case reset button was stuck/shorting and so preventing the system from starting. Remove all the case connections (power sw, reset sw, leds) from the motherboard and use a screw driver to short the power pins on the motherboard to switch it on.
Unlikely but worth a shot if you've tried everything else.
 
At last the mystery has been solved.....after 10 attempts of ram change, 2 motherboards and 3 graphics cards......

It turned out that it was the graphics card after all...... the 3 ones we used were out of other machines in the office so on a whim I went our and bought a new one today and hey pesto....:D
 
Well done mate. It shows that perseverance pays off and you had it by the bucket load. :clap:
 
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