MSI 1722 won't boot into XP

I, like many others, jumped at the opportunity for such a good deal on a solid notebook. I ordered my MSI 1722 off ebay, got a p8600, 4gb ocz ram, optiarc drive and a WD hdd off newegg.

I install everything without a problem, disable AHCI and get windows on it with no issues. I grabbed some drivers from MSI's website, ran windows update once I had internet, and everything was working smoothly.

One thing that really bugged me was how when typing, my palm would touch the trackpad and mess it up. I decided to use the P1 button as a toggle for turning the trackpad on and off, so I went to the website and grabbed their utility for doing programming the button. While I was there, I figured I might as well update the bios to the newest version, which I found was 1.0S (1.0H came stock).

I run the batch for the bios, it goes fine. I run the batch for the utility, and it tells me I need to restart my computer. So I go to restart, and I'm getting a non responsive program which happens to be the batch I just ran for the utility. I click end task in hopes that it will close and I'll reboot successfully. Well, no such luck. I end up having to shut down through the task manager after windows freezes.

I boot back up, and when it comes to the windows loading screen, it just loads. Nothing happens, even after a good 20 minutes. I turn it off and back on, and get the 'Windows did not shut down properly' thing. No matter what variant of safe mode I choose, I get a hang at mup.sys. When choosing start normally or with last known working settings, I get the perpetual loading screen.

I decided I'd do a repair install from my XP disc. I stick it in, boot from it, and after loading all the drivers and various other files, it hangs on 'Setup is loading Windows'. I tried several times, waiting a good 20 minutes, and I get nothing.

I decided it was maybe a bad bios flash, so I go into the bios only to see that it wasn't updated, and I still have 1.0H. I reseated the cmos battery, ram, and hard drive with no luck.

I'm really running out of ideas. The only thing I could think of is maybe the bios was messed up somehow (even though I'm able to get into it?) and I could reflash it to stock through a USB, but I have my doubts of it working.

 

Hmm i dont think it could be bios if its working to a certain point, Prehaps get a program like partition splitter and reformat the hdd.

If not, try the stock bios, prehaps it was there for a reason but it shouldn't be problematic like that.

 

Try loading into DOS via USB.

I think u messed up the BIOS.

Did u use the MSI flashing utility?

 

http://www.earthv.com/tips_detail.asp?TipID=63

This poster suggests its one of the PCI cards so prehaps a component isn't properly installed?

 

I'm at school currently, and that link is blocked. But this is what I'm thinking as well, so I'm working on disconnecting the bluetooth and quicklaunch buttons from the mobo. I have the bluetooth chip and wifi card taken out, but I'm wary of pulling out plugs trying to find which might be the quicklaunch buttons. I'm thinking of taking them out considering the utility to install them was what froze my computer up.

Also, yes, I installed using the flash utility from MSi's site.

What other PCI cards are on the mobo besides the one open for wifi? I haven't installed anything else, would something come stock installed into a PCI port?

 

TV Tuner, turbo memory prehaps?

Or is it just blue and wifi you have.

 

Just bluetooth and wifi. Pulled them both out and had no luck

I guess I'll just put partition magic on a disc and wipe my installation and start over.

 

Okay, now I'm frustrated.

I formatted with my Ubuntu 8.10 cd. I wiped my old installation, got Ubuntu on there, and everything went fine. Wireless driers worked right away, and I downloaded all the updates. After installing the updates, it prompted for a restart,

After restarting and loading grub, it goes to boot and hangs at 'Starting up...'

I figured some update was screwy, so I go to format with my XP disc. Except I'm getting the same error as before, a hang at "Setup is loading Windows'. Even with a freshly formatted drive and no Windows partition on there.

Could this be a bios problem then? Would reflashing it do anything?

 

From above it sounds like you ran the bios & firmware updates within windows?

If so that is part of your problem, the bios & firmware must be updated in DOS mode. Directions can be found here:

http://www.msi.com/html/pdf/How_to_flash_MSI_Notebook_BIOS_under_DOS_mode.pdf

 

You should have pressed the function key and F2, it turns off the track pad.

 

I downloaded and installed the HP Drive Key Boot utility to try and make a bootable USB stick. I'm pretty sure it worked, and it told me to put the files into the 'components' folder, so I downloaded the 1.0s bios and copied the files into the folder.

When I boot from it, I type 'flash.bat' but it tells me it's an invalid kernal image. Am I doing something wrong here?

And yes, I previously tried to flash from Windows, which is probably why it won't boot anything now.

 

Not sure what HP uses, the update has to be run in a true DOS enviorment.

 

@ omgzwth,
WOW! You really messed up your laptop...
Now you didn't mentioned anywhere what version of MS-1722 you have. I suppose you have ID1 (black and silver one). I think that you downloaded BIOS and EC files from MSI's GX 720 model and this is the main reason of your problem, because EC is for ID2 model. They use same BIOS, but different firmware. So make your USB flash drive and make sure you upload right files for you laptop. See HERE.
One more thing, after you flash both BIOS and Firmware, shut down, disconnect all power (remove battery), press and hold power button for 5 sec., put your battery back, connect your power back, start your computer and Enjoy it.

 

Alright, I got the bios and firmware flashed to the latest versions following directions on MSI's site. Unfortunately, I still get a hang at 'Setup is loading Windows' when booting from the XP disk. Even when I pull out the hard drive and let it boot, it hangs, so I'm sure it's not the hard drive that's giving me problems.

I'm out of ideas here I haven't tried pulling the PCI cards out and trying yet, I may do that in a bit.

Any input?

Also, I put the ID1 firmware on here, but I'm not sure which mine is. All it tells me in the BIOS is that it's a GX720. How do I tell?

 

Well, I've tried both XP and Windows 7 now. neither work. A guy suggested to me that since Microsoft says it's a 'PCI error', the PCI bus controller firmware might be messed up or something. That would mean I need to reflash it, using something from MSI's site, but I really don't know what to look for.

I just wanna put Windows on here and play some games someone help me out?

 

Perhaps it's time to send it in for repair?

 

what is the simplest way of making a bootable flash drive for a bios update?

 

That would be here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=246530

 

What is exact model of your notebook: MS-1722 ID1 (black) or MS-1722 ID2 (Black & Red)?
Go to this link: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=386778
and download correct version of BIOS and firmware ( MS-1722 ID1 black version or MS-1722ID2 red & black). When, using USB bootable flash drive, flash BIOS from DOS. Don't forget to turn of notebook and take battery off after updating BIOS. When put battery back and go to BIOS again, load default setting and save them and reboot machine. After that go back to BIOS and change AHCI to IDE, save setting and load windows. If you experience the same problem, try to take one of RAM modules off and reboot machine. If this didn't work, replace RAM module by module you took off machine before and try boot windows again.

 

I did all of that, except when I flashed the bios, I didn't take out the battery and purge the system :/ would that have an effect on it? When I enter the bios, it says that I have the newest version that I just flashed to. As for changing AHCI to IDE and swapping ram, I will try that, although my system says it's recognizing all 4 gigs.