Cannot install win95, formatted main drive.
BWP
didn't give enough detail about my problem.
I checked the battery the way you said and it seems fine. All wires appear
fine and seated. I don't ever get the message; "No system disk detected,
insert disk and press any key".
The PC gets to the Initialising Plug and Play cards and does one - my
audiodrive card - and then stops. I am then left with a flashing cursor and
nothing moves on no matter how long I wait.
In my efforts to find the original problem which was with my CD-ROM drive
not reading the Win95 and Win98 upgrade CDs, I slowly stepped back through
the history of my machine. I wanted to give it a fresh install of Windows
and remove everything else. So I've remove the secondary hard drive, SCSI
card and replacement video card.
I'm fairly sure that the motherboard is fine and the RAM certainly checks
out ok. The BIOS definitely is set to look at the A drive and then the C and
as I said the system checks and finds both the floppy and the CD - I just
never get to a point that I can read anything in them - no DOS prompts.
I do appreciate your ideas and help. Thanks in advance for any further
ideas?!
Cheers.
"Brian K. Pearcy" <pea...@gcstation.net> wrote in message
news:u6EKvzOpAHA.1892@tkmsftngp04...
> Hello,
>
> There could be several things wrong with the computer, but let's check
with
> the least costly: the battery. If the battery on the motherboard is
dead,
> then the BIOS won't remember your settings (such as hard drive, floppy,
> etc.). Go into your BIOS (you should see a prompt while it's recognizing
> the drives) and check to see that the time and date are correct. While
> there, also check to see if the option is set to load from the floppy
first
> (needed when booting with a floppy disk). To test the battery, set
> everything the way it should be (or the way you think it should be) set
and
> then save and close the BIOS. Let the computer sit for an hour and then
> restart and go back into the BIOS. Are your settings still the same? If
> they are the same (or if you didn't have to change anything), the next
thing
> to check is inside the computer.
>
> If you are receiving a message similar to "No system disk detected, insert
> disk and press any key", then the problem with your boot disk (the floppy)
> is that it is not being checked and you need to change the setting in the
> BIOS to check the floppy first during the boot up.
>
> Take a look at the ribbon cables connected to each drive. Look for any
> cracks, cuts, or exposed wires. Make sure they are fully seated.
>
> Depending on the age (you said "old") of your computer, it could be that
> your motherboard has bought the farm. It could also be another hardware
> issue, such as bad RAM or CPU.
>
> Hope this helps,
> --
> Brian
> Microsoft MVP -- DTS
> pea...@gcstation.net
> http://www.gcstation.net/~pearcyb/
> ------------------------------------
> "BWP" <b...@clara.net> wrote in message
> news:x5vo6.24194$vI.42...@nnrp3.clara.net...
> > I recently had v big problems with my old PC and it's CD-ROM drive.
> >
> > My PC doesn't start up anymore. It doesn't get beyond the plug and play
> > cards check. It finds the CD-ROM and floppy drive but doesn't ever get
to
> a
> > point where it can use/see the win95 boot floppy (because it doesn't get
> > into DOS ?). I've now re-formatted the main drive - no difference.
> > I cannot seem to re-install windows...
> >
> > Anyone know what I do next?!
> > Thanks.
BWP
When I turn PC on (with floppy in, and win95 CD in) it performs usual checks
reporting fine on disks and memory. It finds the CD-ROM drive - both the CD
and floppy buzz and those lights flicker briefly. The last thing I see is
that the only installed PnP card is ok (a basic factory fitted audio/visual
card). All this remains on the screen - no refresh - and the cursor then
simply sits and flashes away forever. (Yes I've left it on for a very long
time jus in case...). It doesn't freeze it flashes on and on.
So the system never meets an OS. I never get a loading Windows message and
it doesn't go back to fetching the floppy start up disk which is what I was
thinking it should do next. I'm guessing that something on the newly
formatted hard drive isn't all there? Something of a master boot record
nature that says "go get the system from the floppy".
I can enter BIOS by hitting DEL. In there I can see the BIOS finds and
correctly seems to recognise the HD. That's how I formatted the HD. All
cables seem firmly seated.
Hope this is exact enough?
Thanks for the ideas people... Still very stuck here!
Many thanks.
"Ron Badour" <bad...@flash.net> wrote in message
news:Ox08J1YpAHA.1708@tkmsftngp04...
> Have you tried making a new start up disk? What *exactly* happens when
you
> boot with the start up disk? Does the floppy drive even make any noise?
> Have you checked cable connections?
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Ron Badour, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
> Making good newsgroup posts:
> http://badour.freewebsites.com/assets/images/Gpost.zip
> Tips: http://badour.freewebsites.com/index.html
> Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/support/search/c.asp
> No email support please--post to the group where others can benefit
>
> "BWP" <b...@clara.net> wrote in message
> news:1sHo6.25714$vI.44...@nnrp3.clara.net...
> > Yeah - I have tried this. All cards are now out of the PC. Thanks but...
> > ...what next? Erk. Still no boot, still not seeing the floppy.
> >
> >
> > "PattyL" <plab...@XXmailandnews.com> wrote in message
> > news:#36v9eSpAHA.1968@tkmsftngp04...
> > > It sounds like one of the cards may have failed. Try removing
> everything
> > > from the system except the floppy drive, hard drive, video card, cdrom
> > drive
> > > and mouse.
> > >
> > > If it boots now, then install Windows. After Windows is installed, add
> the
> > > other cards back one at a time, rebooting after each addition.
> > >
> > > PattyL
> > >
> > >
> > > "BWP" <b...@clara.net> wrote in message
> > > news:%syo6.28316$sB4.4...@nnrp4.clara.net...
Richard Beacham
You're probably going to find that the file A:\msdos.sys on your boot floppy has
been over-written and is pointing to the c: for the WinBootDir. Find a friend
that will let you examine the boot floppy on another machine to be sure it reads
[Path]
WinBootDir=A:
WinDir=A: (or else commented out)
[Path]
; WinBootDir=C:\Windows
; WinDir=C:\Windows
The file will be ReadOnly so set it to Archive in order to change and Save it.
Write Protect your floppy and try again.
HTH
K. Jeya
If any body has a similar problem. Check the memory first.
www.bootdisk.com another big help with virus program etc.
Jey.
"K. Jeya" wrote:
>
> I had almost the same problem. Some one suggested that it is my memory
> that troubles.
> I had two memory modules installed. I removed one at a time and tried.
> To my SURPRISE, the system works like a gem when one of the module is
> removed.
>
> If you have more than one modules try removing one at a time. If you
> don't buy a new module and see.
> Jey.
K. Jeya
that troubles.
I had two memory modules installed. I removed one at a time and tried.
To my SURPRISE, the system works like a gem when one of the module is
removed.
If you have more than one modules try removing one at a time. If you
don't buy a new module and see.
Jey.
BWP
:(
Still stuck here.
Thanks for the ideas again.
"K. Jeya" <je...@NOSPAM.iname.com> wrote in message
news:3AA63D02...@NOSPAM.iname.com...
Richard Beacham
your A:\msdos.sys file carefully as noted.
You're probably going to find that the file A:\msdos.sys on your boot
floppy has been over-written and is pointing to the c: for the WinBootDir.
Find a
friend that will let you examine the boot floppy on another machine to be
sure it
reads:
[Path]
WinBootDir=A:
WinDir=A: (or else commented out)
[Path]
; WinBootDir=C:\Windows
; WinDir=C:\Windows
The file will be ReadOnly so set it to Archive in order to change and Save
it.
Write Protect your floppy and try again.
HTH
BWP
I've examined all my various boot disks and their msdos.sys files.
My original supplied recovery disk has ONLY this in msdos.sys -
;FORMAT
A few boot disks I made and found have ONLY this in msdos.sys -
;W95EBD
I don't know what any of this means as I expected this file to perhaps read
more like this;
[Path]
WinBootDir=C:\Windows
WinDir=C:\Windows
etc.
So I copied in the following text which I found on another computer
msdos.sys file -
[Paths]
WinDir=A:\
WinBootDir=A:\
HostWinBootDrv=C
[Options]
BootMulti=0
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
BUT this didn't work either and the symptoms have remained the same
throughout. Any further hints or suggestions?
Ta.
"Richard Beacham" <rcbe...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3AA6A1A1...@mindspring.com...
Richard Beacham
too in old PCs. $14 and you may see action. (;<))
Craig Watts
lose. I had leaned on the keyboard and got a key stuck down.
Worth bringing up. Cause failed boot, safe mode and all grades
of stuff.
BWP
Yes I did the format because I couldn't get into DOS. In fact the symptons
are the same now as they where before I did the format. :(
I wanted to re-install Windows for a fresh system anyway and I thought I'd
also benefit from a "clean" HD. anyway..
I'll let you know...
"GeoffTheLad" <ge...@in2home.co.uk> wrote in message
news:98c0cs$17q$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
> I would suspect that there is a hardware problem causing the BIOS to
freeze,
> it sounds like the seek floppy is sucessful as I think you said the
floppys
> light flashes (make sure that you do not have swap floppy drive enabled in
> the BIOS) this will try to use a B drive although the BIOS should go A if
> there is no B (try and install the floppy to the B drive on the cable and
> enable swap floppy see if it will boot from B). If not I would disconnect
> the hard drive and the CD from the Motherboard and see if the floppy drive
> boots (set to A) from A and then B connections ,then bare essensials only
> memory keyboard floppy video if it still does not work you have less
things
> that can be causing the problem and if it starts up then you can add
removed
> items one by one booting each time to reveal the cause(s). You have done a
> Low Level format in the BIOS did you do this because you could not access
> DOS ?
>
> "BWP" <b...@clara.net> wrote in message
> news:5Txp6.448$g63....@nnrp3.clara.net...