Eliminating the "Insert Bootable Media" Error Message

Description of problem: The error message "Insert Bootable Media" appears as the system is booting after trying to load the Intel Bus Mastering drivers on a system with a Thor, Tiger-eye, Venus, Mailman, or Aurora system board.

Hardware/Software affected: SWRDSX065AAUS and SWRDSX065ABUS bus mastering drivers, all revisions of BBS bus mastering files, and all Thor, Tiger-eye, Mailman, Venus and Aurora systemboards. The following chart contains the Gateway part number, which is located on the invoice received with the computer, and the Reference name of the systemboard. For the sake of simplicity, the rest of this document uses the Reference name of the systemboard when necessary.

Gateway part #	Reference name
MBDSAC032AAWW, MBDSAC032ABWW, MBDSAC033AAWW, MBDSAC033ABWW, MBDSAC035AAWW, MBDSAC035ABWW, MBDSAC036AAWW, MBDSAC036ABWW, MBDSAC037AAWW, MBDSAC037ABWW, MBDSAC056AAWW MBDSAC057AAWW	Tiger-eye
MBDSAC020AAWW, MBDSAC020ACWW, MBDSAC021ABWW, MBDSAC021ACWW	Aurora
MBDSAC016AAWW, MBDSAC016ABWW, MBDSAC017AAWW, MBDSAC017ABWW, MBDSAC019AAWW, MBDSAC019ABWW, MBDSAC023AAWW, MBDSAC023ABWW, MBDSAC024AAWW, MBDSAC024ABWW, MBDSAC024ACWW, MBDSAC027AAWW, MBDSAC027ABWW, MBDSAC028AAWW, MBDSAC028ABWW, MBDSAC029AAWW, MBDSAC029ABWW, MBDSAC030AAWW, MBDSAC030ABWW, MBDSAC044AAWW, MBDSAC044ABWW, MBDSAC045AAWW, MBDSAC045ABWW, MBDSAC046AAWW, MBDSAC046ABWW, MBDSAC047AAWW, MBDSAC047ABWW	Thor
MBDSAC026AAWW, MBDSAC026ABWW, MBDSAC038AAWW, MBDSAC038ABWW, MBDSAC067AAWW	Venus
MBDSAC050AAWW, MBDSAC051AAWW, MBDSAC052AAWW, MBDSAC049AAWW, MBDSAC053AAWW, MBDSAC054AAWW, MBDSAC055AAWW, MBDSAC056AAWW, MBDSAC058AAWW, MBDSAC059AAWW, MBDSAC060AAWW, MBDSAC061AAWW, MBDSAC062AAWW, MBDSAC063AAWW, MBDSAC064AAWW	Mailman

Solution: The error message meant the non-existence of a bootable disk or diskette. However, one or more of the following reasons also generates this message:

Reason 1 - The installation of the bus mastering drivers failed.

Reason 2 - The IDE devices are configured improperly on the MAIN screen of the BIOS or CMOS.

Reason 3 - The controllers are set to Disabled on the PERIPHERAL CONFIGURATION screen in the BIOS or CMOS.

Reason 4 - The BOOT OPTIONS settings on the MAIN screen of the BIOS or CMOS are set incorrectly.

Reason 5 - The hard drive DOES NOT have a BOOTABLE partition created on it.

Refer to the corresponding section in this document to resolve your difficulties.

Reason 1 - The installation of the bus mastering drivers failed.

Most of the time, repeated attempts to load the bus mastering drivers result in both controllers being disabled. This happens even though the IDE controllers are set to Enabled on the PERIPHERAL CONFIGURATION screen in the BIOS or CMOS. To reset the IDE controllers to a useable state, the CLRNVS utility must be run.

Refer to FaxBack^® document 3163 for complete instructions on creating and using the CLRNVS utility.

Reason 2 - The IDE devices are configured improperly on the MAIN screen of the BIOS or CMOS

If any of the four IDE devices are configured improperly on the MAIN screen of the BIOS or CMOS, this error message is generated. Other possible consequences of these devices being improperly configured include the possibility of the bus mastering drivers not loading, the CD-ROM not being recognized in Device Manager, and the CD-ROM not being recognized by the computer.

In order to perform the following steps, you need to know what IDE devices are in the computer and where these devices are attached to the systemboard. Reference the Userís Guides that came with the computer to identify the IDE components in the computer as well as the location that these devices attach to the systemboard.

The four IDE devices on the Main screen of the BIOS or CMOS are properly configured according to the following instructions.

1. Enter the BIOS or CMOS screens by pressing "F1" at boot as the system counts the memory in the computer.
2. If there is an IDE device, such as a hard drive or CD-ROM, attached to the Primary Master controller on the systemboard, this entry must be set to AUTO CONFIGURE. Note: The system may become unstable if the Primary Master device is not a hard drive.

   If an IDE device is attached to the Primary Master controller on the systemboard, use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either PRIMARY IDE MASTER or HARD DISK C: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Highlight AUTO CONFIGURE on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

   If an IDE device is NOT attached to the Primary Master controller on the systemboard, this setting MUST be set to DISABLED. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either PRIMARY IDE MASTER or HARD DISK C: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Use the arrow keys to highlight DISABLED on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

3. If there is an IDE device attached to the Primary Slave, set it to AUTO CONFIGURE. If nothing is attached, it MUST be set to DISABLED or problems loading the bus mastering driver will definitely occur.

   If an IDE device is attached to the Primary Slave controller on the systemboard, use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either PRIMARY IDE SLAVE or HARD DISK D: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Highlight AUTO CONFIGURE on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

   If an IDE device is NOT attached to the Primary Slave controller on the systemboard, this setting MUST be set to DISABLED. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either PRIMARY IDE SLAVE or HARD DISK D: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Use the arrow keys to highlight DISABLED on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

4. If there is an IDE device attached to the Secondary Master, set it to AUTO CONFIGURE. This is the normal location of the CD-ROM. For the Bus Mastering drivers to be properly loaded, this MUST be set to AUTO CONFIGURE so that the ATAPI device identification occurs during the Power On Self Test.

   If an IDE device is attached to the Secondary Master controller on the systemboard, use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either SECONDARY IDE MASTER or HARD DISK E: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Highlight AUTO CONFIGURE on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. No parameter are displayed for the CD-ROM drive. This is normal. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

   If an IDE device is NOT attached to the Secondary Master controller on the systemboard, this setting MUST be set to DISABLED. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either SECONDARY IDE MASTER or HARD DISK E: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Use the arrow keys to highlight DISABLED on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

5. If there is a IDE device attached to the Secondary Slave, set it to AUTO CONFIGURE. If nothing is attached, it MUST be set to DISABLED or problems loading the bus mastering driver will occur.

   If an IDE device is attached to the Secondary Slave controller on the systemboard, use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either SECONDARY IDE SLAVE or HARD DISK F: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Highlight AUTO CONFIGURE on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

   If an IDE device is NOT attached to the Secondary Slave controller on the systemboard, this setting MUST be set to DISABLED. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the first IDE device which should be either SECONDARY IDE SLAVE or HARD DISK F: and press Enter. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight IDE DEVICE CONFIGURATION or HARD DISK TYPE and press Enter. Use the arrow keys to highlight DISABLED on the next screen and press Enter to select this setting. Press the ESC key on the keyboard to return to the Main BIOS or CMOS screen.

6. Once any necessary changes are made, press the F10 key on the keyboard to save the changes, then press Enter to reboot the system.

Reason 3 - The controllers are set to disabled on the PERIPHERAL CONFIGURATION screen in the BIOS or CMOS

1. Enter the BIOS or CMOS screens by pressing F1 at boot as the system counts the memory in the computer.
2. Across the top of the screen are four menu options screens, Main, Advanced, Security, and Exit. Use the right arrow key on the keyboard to highlight ADVANCED and proceed to the Advanced CMOS or BIOS screen. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight PERIPHERAL CONFIGURATION and press Enter.
3. Make sure Primary PCI and Secondary PCI controller options are set to ENABLED.

   If the Primary PCI or Secondary PCI controller is set to DISABLED, use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight each of them. Once highlighted, press Enter to view the menu choices. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight ENABLED. Press Enter to select this option and return to the Advanced screen.

   If the Primary PCI or Secondary PCI controllers are ENABLED, check the status lines at the bottom of the screen.

4. If the status shows DISABLED and the setting shows ENABLED, an NVRAM clear operation MUST be performed to get them re-enabled in the ESCD range of the BIOS. This normally occurs with a failed installation of the bus mastering drivers. Follow the steps under Reason 1 to correct the problem.

Once any necessary changes are made, press the F10 key on the keyboard to save the changes, then press Enter to reboot the system.

Reason 4 - The BOOT OPTIONS settings on the MAIN screen of CMOS are set incorrectly.

Normally the error message created by this scenario is caused because the first boot device is set to CD-ROM and there is either a non-bootable or blank CD disc in the CD-ROM drive.

1. Enter the BIOS or CMOS screens by pressing F1 at boot as the system counts the memory in the computer.
2. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight BOOT OPTIONS on the MAIN page and press Enter to view this information.
3. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight each of the settings below, one at a time. Once the option is highlighted, press Enter to view the possible choices for each setting. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the preferred option, then press Enter to select it.

   First Boot Device - Floppy Drive Second Boot Device - Hard Drive Third Boot Device - Disabled Fourth Boot Device - Disabled.

4. Once any necessary changes are made, press the F10 key on the keyboard to save the changes, then press Enter to reboot the system.

   Reason 5 - The hard drive DOES NOT have a BOOTABLE partition created on it

   1. Using the System Diskette, boot to the "A" drive.
   2. Run FDISK and choose "Display partition information".
   3. Make sure that the PRIMARY PARTITION is set to ACTIVE (denoted by an "A" under status). If not, return to the main FDISK screen, choose Option 2 and set the primary partition to active.
   4. Make sure that the PRIMARY PARTITION has a system installed (i.e. FAT16 listed under the "System" heading). If not, exit FDISK and type "Format C:/S/U" in order to high level format and copy the system files to the hard drive.

   Warning: You will lose any information that exists on the drive if you format it. Make sure you have a backup of any pertinent information. If the system is installed, it is possible that the system files are missing, but you would normally receive a different error message if this were the case.
   
   The information in these articles is provided "as-is" without warranty of any kind, and all warranties are hereby disclaimed, whether express or implied, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Gateway 2000 will not be liable for any damages whatsoever, whether direct, special, indirect, incidental, or consequential (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of, or related to your use of, or inability to use the information in any such article, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some states and jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you. You may not further distribute, reproduce, rent, sell, transfer or license these articles.
   

   If our documentation hasn't helped you,
   this might be a good time to send
   an e-mail to Technical Support.

   
   Copyright © 1996 Gateway 2000 Inc. All rights reserved.
   Please see our Legal Information. Please send feedback to Webmaster Central.