PB Dead HDD need help with new sys install

[unkrun]

I know this might be off the wall for here but I need help trying to reinstall the system from the master cd on an OLD 1996 Packard Bell computer, the old hdd is compleatly dead so there isn't any info comming from that area.
From what I could see on the PB foram site is that there is a code on the old drive that the PB reinstall floppy looks for before it will tell the master cd to redo the system, if the code or whatever does not match from the hdd then the reinstall is stopped.
If anyone has an idea or two i'm ready, yes I know why mess with a Jurassic system like this, but when a friend comes around with a dead drive and little money you give him a hand.
I will post the info I have on this PB if anyone thinks they can help, model, descr, ser. # etc.
:confused: RoN

[stevec.iliff]

Win 95?

[bassman]

OK, so you want to reinstall your system; I suppose you don't want to perform a clean OS install. Anyway, if the code is on the old HDD, you can try to get it back with a proper tool such as Ontrack's EasyRecovery (if it doesn't work at all, you got a problem). Otherwise, you should expose your problem to PB and see what they have to say. I still believe that a clean install would end your headache.


PS: Suppose you were to format your HD completely and then reinstall it; the floppy would scan that code from the disk. But if you formatted the drive and the code is still there, it must be kept on the HD's boot sector (don't think so...) Anyway, suppose that a boot sector virus like Angelina struck your PC and screwed your HD's boot sector; when you clena it, it'll be empty and the floppy can't read from there; PB must have a solution for this...

[rextex]

Post away!List as much about the system as you can dig up.I for one will try to research it.

[unkrun]

It's a friends Packard Bell ,running win95, model LG 1520 SUPR ,Ser # N460061425 , Hard Drive Format # 556074.SCR , Pent. 133 , Hard Drive ST3127A , I have installed an WD 2.4 GB in place of the old Seagate, GW scan would not or could not see the old Seagate, tried the Seagate in another computer and same thing, said no HDD .
The WD 2.4 was seen and recorded in the bios of the PB , Then I tried the PB restore disk BPCS# 142589-02 verson 3.1W then it went on and the PB master cd system diagnostics program came up with a menu asking what I wanted to do , ( I had also put the master CD before startup ) it's number is 170586-02 .
The menu had 3 choises ,Test your sys., Fix and restore your sys., and EXIT , I picked fix and restore, now it went to another menu with 4 items I picked #1 format and restore your hard disk, it then went to what I think was a DOS window with the message at the top " NULL POINTER ASSIGNMENT" also in the middle was the warning about all data being erased, and at the bottom was the "DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED (Y/N) warning, I said yes and it went to another screen with "invalled drive installed, then it went on to the PB restore window asking for "SELECT FORMAT NUMBER" I entered the HDD format from the SYSTEM CREDTIALS sheet and it said invalied format number would I like to restore to a generic format, I said ok , then it said Unable to creat directory C:\ on drive C: Possible out of space on drive C:
Then the only thing it left to do was cancel.. I hope this give you some idea about this Ron

[Kiierun]

Ok first things first on this one. Head back to pb and get the latest possible bios update. It may be that you are getting errors cause by the 2.x gig hd. PB always had the worst problems with hard drive sizes. Next, boot from a floppy and fdisk it into 2 partitions. one of less than 1 gig. and the other one for the data partition. Retry to install. What size hd did it have previously?

[unkrun]

Hi kiierun
I just got home from work and didn't have time yet to try what you said, I don't beleave that the bios is the prob. I had fdisked the HDD before I installed it but with one large drive, also I it was done in 32 bit!???.
This brings something else to mind, Could the HDD need to be done in 16 instead of 32 bit ???
It was running Win95 , The old Seagate drive was an 1.2 GB.
I have to play around with this PB and see what I can find out tonight, :confused: RoN

[unkrun]

kiierun
Packard Bell does not sell or repair any of their computers in the USA anymore they turned it over to an outfit called Priority ONE, and for a call to them for info or repair it's $2. + a minute!
They also have a forum that I just received my password for today. Ron

[stevec.iliff]

Do you have the WD EZ BIOS overlay that comes with WD drives? If you are willing to do a build from scratch, this may help resolve the possible BIOS difficulties. It isn't a great permanent fix, but it will tell you if you are looking at a registry pain or not. If the new HD can be formatted with EZ BIOS in another system, then transplanted to the PB, the PB system build will skip the drive ID step, since it will alreaady be formatted. This is sort of a last resort, and depends on if you have the overlay floppy...

[unkrun]

stevec.iliff
At this time I am running GWSCAN and zeroing the WD drive, no I don't have WD EZ overlay, the drive I put into the PB was a good used one that was fdisked and formated 32 bit. My plan is to fdisk and reformat in 16 bit.
Do you know where online I could download that WD EZ overlay? always like to have utilities around to try! RoN

[SPEEDO]

Before you fdisk and format try running the restore and see if it will do it from the restore disk.

SPEEDO

[rextex]

Well I've been searching and cannot find that model number as a packard bell listing.Will keep looking.

[rextex]

You will need Easy Drive or other because that old bios will probaly not see above the @500MB bios limits or use LBA.

[rextex]

Here's link to site that looks good and might have the info:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/pbsite/

Here's link to where i got that link:

http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/pb/pbidx.htm

[stevec.iliff]

Western Digital offers this as a download at their site:

http://support.wdc.com/download/

It's a little messy to do, but it sure is a lot easier than genning a new BIOS. Some bugs do exist within Windows with some overlays. For example, the "my computer" disk pie chart for drive space may be hosed. The space is there, and with a bit of work, the utilities can be fixed, but the overlay doesn't fix all issues on it's own.

[unkrun]

SPEEDO
Too late, I went back to 16 bit ! When it ask about fdisking to large drive I said no , then I went through the normal fdisk (1) (1) yes and restarted , then I formated C: and restarted with the restore floppy and master cd in , The Packard Bell restore menu came up and I picked the format and restore , this time it formated the HDD and went on through with the restore with out a hitch. The one good thing was that my friend had all the paper work from when it was new and I had the HDD format number to input during the restore.
:o I feel bad that it turned out to be something so simple as remembering that Win 95 was a 16 bit system, It's been awhile since I messed with Win95.
I want to thank all of you for all the time and help you gave to me . RoN