Booting issues - Maybe solved but anyone have more insight?

[Guest]

[fmillion]

So I decided to dump the stock XP install on my OQO and load my own copy. I've always been against OEM installations - they always seem to have issues of some kind. OQO is running SOOO much better with the fresh clean install. Loaded the latest drivers, updated Windows, etc. No more strange errors. (In the past I was getting delayed write failures, random lockups, and frequent lag not to mention poor performance in general.)

Well suddenly I get out my OQO and try to boot it up. No go. One of three things would happen over like maybe 10 tries:

1. Black screen after the OQO logo. Nothing happens
2. Windows starts booting but reports random errors (hal.dll missing/corrupt, hibernation data corrupt, can't find NTLDR, etc.)
3. No boot device R for reboot or S for setup.

I went into the BIOS and looked around. Everything seemed OK. But I did notice that the C4 CPU mode was "Enabled" and so was the TPM. These were not enabled when I first got my OQO. Not sure how these got enabled but i did run an OQO BIOS update so maybe that did it somehow. I disabled both of them and since then booting seems to be OK. But pulling out the unit and getting those boot errors kind of freaked me - I want to know that what I did TRULY fixed it so I won't come up on some surprise someday, when I really need my OQO and it suddenly won't boot again.

Do either of these - the CPU C4 mode or the TPM chip - have a bearing on the boot process? I could imagine possibly the TPM chip having something to do with it. I don't have a need myself for it so I don't mind disabling it (I use software encryption like Truecrypt anyway).

Just looking for some technical insight on if this actually was my problem or if I can expect more weird behavior in my future...

Also, I get REALLY nervous about that tiny 1.8" spinning drive in there... as soon as I get the cash to blow I might grab an SSD and replace the drive. I know the drives are similar to those used in iPods, but iPods only run the drive for maybe 30 seconds to fill the RAM buffer then keep it off most of the time, and I even remember Apple making a statement that they do not guarantee the drive will be OK if run constantly for a long period of time (this was back in the OS 9 days when people would drop a System folder on their iPod and boot other Macs from it.) I am completely sold on SSD's and if they weren't expensive I'd have them as boot drives in ALL my systems.

-F

[megacrazy]

Sounds to me like the MBR/windows install might be corrupt. All the errors you described are windows errors. It might also be that the drive is on its way out seeing how you're not getting the same error all the time.

To give you an example, when I was installing XP from a USB drive, I ran into all sorts of problems getting in to boot from the hard disk inside the OQO. The errors I was getting were:

1. Stuck at OQO logo
2. No boot device, R to restart S for setup

After restoring the MBR, the unit worked normally.

I've activated both settings you described and the units boots normally with them ON or OFF.

[fmillion]

Strange. The install is fresh and I ran a read-only surface test on the drive with zero errors and I monitored it for abnormal clicking - heard nothing. Ever since I shut off those settings, NO problems booting. The OQO is the type of machine that when you're out in the field you will be powering it on and off a lot (standby or hibernate) - I've been hibernating and it's coming out of hibernate and rebooting every time with no problems. Still don't get it but I guess as long as it works, I won't complain. Don't need TPM and don't fully understand the C4 CPU state, but with them off no trouble and battery life is fine so I guess I'll just leave things and see what happens. Also will be making backups regularly

-F