VECTRA 486/33 M boot problems

Mark Taylor

unread,

Jan 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM1/2/99

to

I just aquired a Vectra 486/33M - yes I know its a bit old but it'll do for
a five year old for now. Problem is the thing won't boot. This is rundown of
what happens.

HP System Hardware Test
HP VECTRA PC

System BIOS SV.04.07

etc.
etc.

System OK

ROM BIOS (c) Copyright Hewlett-Packard 1985 - 1994
Compatibility Software (c) 1985, 1986, 1987 Phoenix Technology Ltd.
Version SV.04.07 Special Release A Release 7 HP VECTRA PC

...PC then emits two beeps, the screen clears and all that is left is a
flashing underline cursor. There is no further activity - the machine
doesn't appear to attempt to read the boot sector from either the floppy or
the hard disk. Searching the Phoenix BIOS beep codes seems to indicate a
memory problem. I have replace the memory with SIMMS from another machine
and have bought new SIMMs as well - neither has any effect. I am just left
with two beeps and a dead PC.

I have an update to flash the BIOS to V04.09 but I can't get the damn thing
to even boot from the floppy ! Anyone have any ideas ??

Mark T.

ma...@aice.freeserve.co.uk

RT

unread,

Jan 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM1/2/99

to

After the machine finishes POST, the last line on the screen will display
something like:
"Press F2 for Setup"
You've only got a couple of seconds to do this before the message
disappears.

Once in Setup, check the settings for the floppy disk (boot
enabled) and the hard disk (detected, boot enabled, etc). Then
Save and Exit and see what happens. You may need to play around
with these and similar settings as I don't recall exactly what they are.

Good luck,

Robert

Mark Taylor wrote in message <76lb7u$lvi$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>...

William McLaughlin

unread,

Jan 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM1/2/99

to

On Sat, 2 Jan 1999 14:40:15 -0000, "Mark Taylor"
<ma...@aice.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

>I just aquired a Vectra 486/33M - yes I know its a bit old but it'll do for
>a five year old for now. Problem is the thing won't boot. This is rundown of
>what happens.
>

SNIP

>
>I have an update to flash the BIOS to V04.09 but I can't get the damn thing
>to even boot from the floppy ! Anyone have any ideas ??
>
>Mark T.
>
>ma...@aice.freeserve.co.uk
>
>
>
>

Hi there,
I've bought one of those from Maplin. There's a technical note about
it on the page advertising the system.

The note suggests using a zeroed hard disk, i.e. all sectors contain
zeroes, and then booting from a floppy disk. Unfortunately I haven't
had any success with this, so if anyone else has any suggestions I'd
much appreciate them.

The tech note mentions the V.04.07 bios so maybe the SV.04.07 bios is
different. It seems to be a well made machine and since I have a job
for it I'd be really pleased to get it going.

BTW, you can obtain parts for these (floppy mounting rails and HD
cradle kits from www.partsfirst.co.uk). The part numbers are available
on the HP Vectra support site.

Joel Michael Sturm

unread,

Jan 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM1/3/99

to

On my inlaw's 486/33MI the problem was a faulty hard drive.

Happy New Year and good luck.

Joel Sturm

Mark Taylor

unread,

Jan 4, 1999, 3:00:00 AM1/4/99

to

Finally got it fixed - it appeared that the 'special version BIOS' SV4.07
was waiting for an absolutely blank unformatted C drive (that's what I think
anyway). It wouldn't boot from the floppy at all - even if I disconnected
the IDE cable to the C drive.

I low level formatted and the machine booted from the A: drive that allowed
me to flash upgrade the BIOS to V04.09 - from thereon it worked just like
any PC. I've now got Windows 95 installed and it works a treat.

Thanks for the help.

Mark T.
ma...@aice.freeserve.co.uk