Quote:
Originally Posted by lumberjim
closed that window, and after a pause, this came up:
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In order to boot Windows, it must first load some critical drivers unique to HAL. HAL is a software layer that interfaces standard Windows to unique hardware. The error message says your system is Intel based; not AMD based. Correct?
IASTOR.sys is software written by Intel to setup and then talk to their disk drive hardware interface (transistors inside the south bridge). If that driver does not load or execute properly, then the error (...00221) is an undefined hardware error.
Not understood is whether this is a southbridge problem or a problem in the disk drive's computer. But this much you do know. Windows did not boot. Windows failed apparently when configuring for your hardware.
Execute the disk drive diagnostic unique for your disk drive manufacturer (as probably found in Ultimate Boot CD web page). A worst case alternative is continued destruction of data on the disk. Diagnostics do not and will not destroy data - only test, collect fact, and report hardware status.
That error message might be from defective hardware - or many other problems. Best is always to determine if hardware is good before trying to fix anything. Nothing done previously ever said or even implied hardware is good. This error message implies what was suspected; an intermittent hardware problem exists.