Boot to CD only when HDD removed

[computertech775]

This is a new experience for me... I'm working on a Toshiba A105 series laptop that gives a lsass.exe error right before the desktop appears, and Windows loads no further. Same symptoms in Safe Mode.

I tried to boot to my diagnostic CDs - none are recognized and eventually it defaults to booting from the HDD. I changed the boot order in BIOS, as well as manually selected the CD-ROM via F12 - but it still bypasses the CD and boots to the HDD. I'm initially thinking the CD drive isn't reading disks.

I've brought the laptop to my office for further troubleshooting with help of being to read the drive from another computer via a SATA to USB adapter. I can see the drive and files fine from the other computer. I then ran MiniPE from the other PC so I can run some tools. No virus activity noticeable, and the lsass.exe file is a legit Windows version. Hard drive diagnostics show no problems. I tried several restore points using the Registry Restore Wizard, but when I put the HDD back in the laptop, now I'm getting regsitry errors.

Convinced I'm going to need to do a re-install - but wondered how if it will not recognize the CD Drive? I decided to run a MemTest 86+ WITH THE HDD OUT - and it booted and ran fine (no errors). I tried other Boot CD's, and THEY ALL WORKED - but only when the HDD is not present.

So I'm now wondering why I can't boot to a CD with the HDD present?

My next step will be to run an MBR fix - but that shouldn't matter since the BIOS and manual methods have it booting to the CD first.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[computertech775]

Update: I was finally able to boot to a CD with the HDD installed, but only if I press "1" then "Enter" on the F12 boot selection screen. If I just highlight the #1 Boot device (CD-ROM) then press "Enter", it still just boots to the HDD.

 

[computertech775]

Update: Found a 10KB .fil dated about a week ago in the AVG virus vault folder. Must be required for lsass.exe to run.

Looks like a re-install. Still curious why booting to a CD is so hard on this laptop?

 

[Mr I]

first of all, Toshiba sucks!
have you tried flashing the BIOS?
have you tried with a different CD Drive (if you have one)?

 

[computertech775]

^^ Couldn't flash the BIOS if I wanted to because there's no floppy or CD to run the flash from. External CD drive via USB wouldn't boot either.

Was able to load AVG onto another computer & move the virus vault folder from the non-booting laptop drive to see what AVG had found when the laptop was still working. It was just a tracking cookie, found about a week ago. Then I ran a full drive scan which found some likely false positives in the MS Works folder.

Ended up ordering Recovery DVD from Toshiba - will take 5-10 business days, no FedEx option available Will just have to remember to press "1" before selecting CD drive as the boot option, even though it's already highlighted.

 

[Jake77444]

first of all, Toshiba sucks!
have you tried flashing the BIOS?
have you tried with a different CD Drive (if you have one)?

You don't do much laptop repair I take it? Toshiba is probably the most reliable laptop I see.

 

[greggh]

You don't do much laptop repair I take it? Toshiba is probably the most reliable laptop I see.

Definitely with you there.

computertech775, you might look into getting a Reimage account. http://www.reimage.com. It has fixed this and many other problems for me. Way better than a repair-install for these instances.