Fatal error after boot post, but works perfectly (please read on)

Having a problem with my free pc

I just updated the bios and gave win7 a go on it.

after it posts, I get this error:
Fatal error: failed to locate necessary table(s) to make adjustments
press any key to continue

after wards the machine boots up and works perfectly

but this freaks out other users of the pc, so does anyone know what this means or how to get rid of it

the machine is a HP Compaq D530 small form factor,
P4 2.8 ghz, 1 gig of ram, and ATI 9250 graphics

thank you,
-Tyler

 

mmmkay, could any of this software be effecting my machine just after it powers on and loads the bios?

because that's when the error appears

btw just loaded some third party drivers for the radeon and now the machine shuts down without a blue screen

 

I've tried a few bios configurations and from what I can tell when I booted it up with a full boot I don't get an error message

however quick boot gives me this fatal error message

I'm wondering if I mess with the hardware installed then maybe I can get a different result, it could be the bootloader

thanks so far,
-Tyler

 

@DomLuc: Problem lies in the bootup process, not windows. Troubleshooting startup programs are unnecessary in this case.

@Auto123: So you flashed the BIOS before installing windows 7?

Did you have any particular reason for doing this?

 

@DomLuc: Problem lies in the bootup process, not windows. Troubleshooting startup programs are unnecessary in this case.

@Auto123: So you flashed the BIOS before installing windows 7?

Did you have any particular reason for doing this?

 

well, I upgraded the the cpu from a 2.6 to 2.8 ghz p4 about a month ago, and it would always load up an error message saying the cpu lacked a microcode update.

thanks to google I found that this problem was fixed with a new version of the bios, and viola, microcode update message disappears then I start getting this message after about 3 blue screens caused by the ati drivers on shutdown.

fixed the driver and now it boots and shuts down fine, but after even more testing this message only pops up when I restart the machine.

if I shut down the computer and turn it on the next day it boots without the message (2 times in a row now) and it seems this message only displays on reboot.

it's confusing me in the least, and I am still doing some more tests.

mem test and hdd tests shows everything is fine and working, so I'm lost,
-Tyler

oh and I flashed from bios ver 1.11 to 2.44, not sure if that info is needed but there you go

 

upon further testing this message is only displayed when I select restart in win 7

when I select shut down the message does not appear.

I will also try this with my primary win xp installation and see if I get similar results,
-Tyler

 

same result with win 7 and xp

this only happens when the restart option is selected

anyone got a clue what's going on here?
-Tyler

 

just going to make a guess, but have you checked your boot.ini file for any unusual entries?

 

no I have not, how do I check it and what should I look for?

have never actually worked on a boot file before...
-Tyler

 

your boot.ini file would be located under c:\boot.ini and to see it, you need to go to tools > folder options > and uncheck the option to hide hidden files and folders, and protected system files then click apply and ok...

Once you see the boot.ini file, make a copy of it and copy it to another location and rename the copied one to another file name like boot.ini.test as you do not want to screw up the boot.ini file otherwise your system will have even bigger problems with not being able to boot up at all.

Next thing i would do is post what your boot.ini.test shows. Not sure if you will have any problems, but that maybe something to check for since you are having problems with rebooting your system.

 

In isn't in your boot.ini file that is only used for Windows XP and as already stated this is a BIOS/setup problem.

Not sure what the problem is yet. Just letting you know boot.ini isn't involved.

Just for clarification full boot versus quick boot. Full boot works OK even from restart?

 

Actually, I'm wrong. It may have nothing to do with BIOS/setup. Blackcivic may be onto something. (Sorry! blackcivic)

I think it may have to do with the Windows 7 loader but I don't know enough about it to give you any direction. http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=o...+necessary"&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&fp=be5ffa94030d2d34

 

no worries sach2, every option should always be explored... who knows, i still maybe wrong though

 

looked over on xp and 7 and the boot.ini in C: won't show up

I would guess it's using the win 7 loader as win 7 was installed second and looks like the loader used by vista on my laptop

still confused, and thanks so far,
-Tyler

 

I have to ask is your Win7 legit software? Most of the links on that google search point to warez boot loader software.

Did you test this?

 

yes it's legit
I DL'd it from here and it's not activated
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428068&
(trying it before I put down money on software)

and yes it shows the error after a restart with a full boot

I think we're getting somewhere,
-Tyler

 

Did you get your BIOS update from Compaq? Just trying to rule things in and out since many people with that error also recently updated BIOS. For clarity you updated your BIOS before installing WIN7, correct?

I don't know much about the Win7 bootloader or why people would need different ones. I just switched from XP to Win7 and skipped Vista altogether so all I can do is google and see if something comes up that looks like it might help.

 

well after some digging around, i found a post about another user that was able resolve his problem with restarting windows xp and 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/6634-windows-7-restarting-problem.html

"I had to set my other partition active, and let the repair function of the 7 redo the startup. Now its working great"

that's from the link above...

give this a try and see what happens

 

Found the boot file thanks to easyBCD

Windows/system32/winload.exe

umm, what should I check or fix?
-Tyler

also the bios are from HP.com and from their support section, and they were installed just after I loaded win 7 if my memory serves me well

 

Do you have the fle ntbtlog.txt in the Windows directory? That is a boot log. If it exists do you see anything at the beginning that looks like an error?

 

I've been thinking about this I believe the scarcity of this problem is because of serveral factors. An unactivatied copy, upgrading BIOS after Win7 was installed and an older machine built for XP not Vista.

I think has something to do with the way Activation passes information to/from BIOS. That it only happens on Restart probably has something to do with the boot loader remaining in memory with discrepancies between the information Windows has about the PC and the information BIOS has about the machine.

I don't know how important the Win7 partition you have is but you may want to try a repair or a reinstallation.

My basic point is that I think it is not a problem with your machine running Win7 just a problem with this particular installation. IF you are seriously considering keeping Win7 then I would try to fix the boot files and see if it runs OK. If it doesn't run OK then try a reinstallation and test before purchasing. Since it will be installing with the current BIOS there should be no discrepancies.

 

all I got to say is wow. that did it.

I can restart my computer worry free

thanks Sach2 and Black Civic,
-Tyler

 

I've made this account just to say thank you!
I had same problem and your advice fixed it. I love you!