Master Boot Record Error

I am building a new system and I am stuck. trying to take it step by step and here is what I have so far:

ASUS P4PE MOBO with a P4 3.0 482 socket cpu and 1 stick of 256 ddr RAM. I booted into BIOS and updated it the old bios from 1001 to 1007. This was the part I was worrie about but it went fine.

My next step was to take a working HD from my old rig with XP home edition and try and boot into it. The bios sees my CPU, RAM and HD fine but I cannot boot with a MBR error.

I know I am missing something here and I am hoping it is something simple ???

Thanks for any advice

 

What is the error?

 

I am wondering if I should clear my CMOS and try again ?

 

Post the boot.ini file for your XP.

Some were security tied to a specific hardware.

 

still in DOS after going through the system recognition.. I get a 'Master Boot Error' hit any key to restart. wash and repeat.

 

Have you considered trying formatting the drive and starting over?

i can pretty much assure you that you won't be booting a preinstalled XP from another computer on this one.

Alternately, you could boot to the recovery console and run fixmbr.

 

Would love too but I am not sure I can break into a DOS prompt, bios sees the master HD correctly.

 

ugh Adry, I was afraid you were going to say that

 

I guess what I am hearing is a new drive with a clean copy of XP ?

 

Well I was looking at it from the philosophy of what if I am upgrading the MOBO and CPU on my current rig. I should be able to stick my old HD on the new mobo and cpu and at least boot ??

 

Whenever you upgrade the motherboard, your chances of booting that OS again are slim. The reason is that the IDE/SATA controllers, depending on what you are using, require specific drivers. While they might be built into XP, they cannot be easily changed once its installed. So with the wrong controller drivers installed--No booting.

A repair can fix it, but has its own hidden dangers. Likewise, if third party drivers are required, sometimes that will work too.

 

What I am not clear about is are you 'repairing' an existing or are you building the totally new?
Would the old system still function if you put the old hard drive back?
You could then read and edit boot.ini if necessary.

Do you eventually want to return the old hard drive to the old system with your XP licence. Or do you want to use it to run you 'repaired' pc?

If a repair you can usually boot the XP CD to a repair install with a new motherboard and processor and memory. I have done it lots of times.
Depending upon the type of Windows CD you may have to reactivate you may not. If you have to explain to M$ just explain that you are repairing and the old mobo etc are no longer available they will understand and gice you an activation code.

You obviously can't go back to the old once you have done this.
This will obviously preclude you keeping the old setup.

 

I think I am just going to throw a new HD in the new rig and put on a clean copy of XP.. Thanks for all of the advice from everyone