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Q124795: Cannot Start Windows NT on Notebook with Docking Station

Article: Q124795
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

After you install Windows NT on a notebook computer outside of the docking
station and place the notebook computer in the docking station, the following
error message may appear:

  The system did not load because it cannot find the following file:
  <systemroot>\SYSTEM32\NTOSKRNL.EXE
  Please reinstall a copy of the above file.
  Boot failed.

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs due the limitation of the computer BIOS. The docking station
may have another hard disk controller and hard disk which may be set as the
master hard disk. If the docking station equipped notebook computer is placed in
the station, the hard disk on the notebook computer may be assigned as a slave
hard disk. When the notebook computer is placed in the docking station, the boot
sector read is the one on the notebook computer, and the ARC path specified in
its BOOT.INI file is the first hard disk (hard disk on the docking station).

RESOLUTION
==========

In the CMOS setup of the notebook computer, set the hard disk controller from
Internal/Docking Station to Internal Only. This disables the access to the hard
disk on the docking station and reads the hard disk on the notebook computer.

Additional query words: prodnt 3.10 rom rdisk ntldr

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW310 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS310 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNTS350search kbWinNTS310search kbWinNT310Search kbWinNTW310Search

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