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Well it seems I've run into some issues here. I was watching tv with my capture card last night when it locked. I didn't think much of it so I just rebooted my system like anyone would normally think. When my computer started back up though something apparently went wrong. Now when I start up I get a list of stuff one my computer (USB slots etc) and theres a message saying Verifying DMI Pool Data.....
GRUB with a blinking underscore but I can't type anything.
After doing a little research apparently GRUB is some type of bootloader but I have no idea of how to get past it and how to get rid of it. I'm completely lost and I have no idea how to fix this. Any of the bright minds here have any ideas as to what is wrong?

Grub is a boot loader usually used with linux. Do you have a dual boot system?

No, thats what has me so confused. I've read that it's associated with Linux and other various OS's. I have no clue though as how to get past the bootloader or how it got onto my computer. I've never run anything other than XP for an operating system and haven't ever needed to switch. All I know is I haven't made a backup in a while and I'm scared it's going to come back and bite me

Three things come to mind.

1. Boot from the windows installation cd and attempt a repair. Do not let it format the drive.


2. A program like Spinrite might fix it. http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm


3. Clear the system bios and see what happens. You'd need the motherboard manual for that.

It almost sounds like you have a bootable floppy and/or CD in one of your drives. Many bootable disks use some kind of Linux as a bootloader. If you have your bios set to boot first from floppy and/or CD it could be trying to load the OS off of one of them.

Strange that your computer suddenly acts this way. It almost sounds as if there's a virus on your computer. I can't think of much else that can make your computer dual bootable.

[edit]
I found this (taken from here:

Issue:
Computer stops at verifying dmi pool data...

Cause:
This issue can be caused by any of the below reasons.

- Corrupt boot files on the computer.
- Settings for hard disk drive are not correct.
- Floppy diskette or CD in computer causing issue.
- Boot devices not set properly.
- BIOS corrupt or misc. setting not set properly.
- Connections loose or disconnected.
- Bad Hard disk drive or other bad hardware.

I've tried my windows install cd but I got no where with that. I might have to try Spinrite but I'll have to read into what all it does and how it works. Hopefully I can get past this and not lose any of my work.

Well after several hours of chin scratching and cursing my computer I've gotten my regular c-drive back after I installed windows on a different hard drive and then re-installed my motherboard's drivers but now I've run into a new issue. I can't seem get reconnected to the internet now. I have a Linksys WMP11 (I think thats right) card to connect to the internet wirelessly with my Linksys router and for some reason I can't get connected at all. I've re-installed my drivers for the WMP11 and I've tried going through the setup process several time but with no avail. Anyone have any idea as whats going on?

If it was me, I think since you have access to the drive I'd start backing up the files I don't want to lose - either to cd or another drive. After I've done that, then I would put the drives in the computer the way I want them, and install windows to the c drive - with a clean format. Once that's done, you'll probably have better luck with the hook up.

If you don't want to, or can't, do that, then you'd have to say something about your isp and what kind of hook up they use. You know, directly to the internet, through proxies and what not.

is the wireless card not connecting with the router? or the router not conncting to internet?
i had recently had the same issue. moved my wireless card so that i could get more airflow through the pc. i have the router security set to mac address. when i moved it the mac changed.

make sure u have a solid signal to the router and that your security is letting u in.as for from router to internet, it shoudnt have changed.

haven't figured out why my card isn't working but basically I'm gonna take Phin's advice and back up all my important things and start with a clean format. That'll probably work out for the best right now. need to clear off a bunch of crap anyways

Hate to dig up an old topic but it seems once things get back to normal something else goes haywire. Last night I was watching tv on my computer talking to someone over AIM when suddenly my computer rebooted on it's own and when it went to start windows again the computer restarted again. So now something is obviously wrong here and I'm not sure whats going on. I tried starting up again and it gave me the prompt to start windows normally, last known good configuration and the safe mode's but not one works. I've also gotten an error one time saying the power connection for my graphics card wasn't connected but it was the whole time. So once again I'm sitting here puzzled as now I fear I've got a power supply problem or some little virus has gotten into my computer. I think I'm going to find a friend who has a computer that supports SATA drives and see if it's something with the drives themselves or if it's something else in my computer. Anyone have any idea as to whats goin wrong now