VERY old computer. With problems.

[TagDaze]

Hi,

I am trying to fix a very old computer for a friend.
It tells me to insert a boot disk. I know, I should go into the BIOS, and tell it to search for C: first, but here comes the twist: I don't know how to get there.

When I turn it on, it does a memcheck (wow, 16384 kb) and then it clears the screen and tells me to put in the boot disk.

So I don't know how to get in the BIOS, and I can't take a look on the mobo, since half of the darn thing is covered up.
How can I find out what kind of mobo it is or how can I get into the BIOS? The front says it's a Compaq 386s/20 model.

[dyurdz]

hmmm... for COMPAQs, i think you have to hit f10 during POST to get into the BIOS setup. I'm not sure with their old models though.

[TagDaze]

Thanks, I got in the BIOS, and turned "Floppy Boot" off. (no boot sequence but floppy boot... hehehe)
Still asked for a system disk. Maybe if I installed Windows 98 or something...

[TagDaze]

Okay, the CD-ROM player is the next obstacle. The CD-ROM player is attached as the Primary Slave. I can't set that in the BIOS though. All it has is:
Primary Fixed Disk 1
Primary Fixed Disk 2
Secondary Fixed Disk 1
Secondary Fixed Disk 2

Looks like Primary/Secondary Master/Slave, but I can only select harddisks (_Fixed_ Disks...)

What to do now? I have to at least reinstall Windows, because the computer keeps asking for a System Disk...
In the meantime, I'll try some drivers of my old CD-ROM player. I don't have much hope but hey, it's better then throwing the freak out of the window... I think.

[rmanet]

go to www.bootdisk.com and get a boot disk for the OS you want to install - it will have the cdrom drivers on it

some of the older systems actually will "see" the cdrom drive even if the bios doesn't - try setting it to "none" and see if that works

and be careful - Compaqs usually use a hidden system partition on their HDD - you won't see it but it's there because you actually got into setup - so whatever you do don't use fdisk, etc. to reformnat the drive as you'll wipe out that partition

Try the bootdisk and install your OS (try w98SE, best bet to detect the cdrom and to get other drivers - you might have problems finding some of the original drivers because the system is so old)

[TagDaze]

go to www.bootdisk.com and get a boot disk for the OS you want to install - it will have the cdrom drivers on it.

Will do that, tnx.

some of the older systems actually will "see" the cdrom drive even if the bios doesn't - try setting it to "none" and see if that works.

I don't have an option to turn the CD-ROM player on/off.

and be careful - Compaqs usually use a hidden system partition on their HDD - you won't see it but it's there because you actually got into setup - so whatever you do don't use fdisk, etc. to reformnat the drive as you'll wipe out that partition.

Good thing you told me, I was planning on using format c: as soon as the command was available to me.

Try the bootdisk and install your OS (try w98SE, best bet to detect the cdrom and to get other drivers - you might have problems finding some of the original drivers because the system is so old)

Yes, I tried installing my own standard CD-drivers from back in the good old days a 16x was called superfast.

Thanks, you'll hear more from me.

[BipolarBill]

Originally posted by TagDaze
I don't have an option to turn the CD-ROM player on/off.He means to set the IDE position for the CD drive in Standard CMOS setup to None instead of Auto.

[TagDaze]

I mean that I don't have any control over the CD-ROM drive through the BIOS.

[rusty4x4]

Wow! A 386-20. Tha's ancient alright.

BIOS settings might not be explicit about whether a device is a CD-ROM or a HD. Have you tried putting the CD-ROM as Master in one IDE channel, and the HD as Master on the other channel?

It might also be looking for some kind of COMPAQ floppy that came with the original docs/software. May be useful to check with COMPAQ support (yeah, I know, big laugh) for any documentation on the model... man, I just browsed by the old COMPAQ.com. It's not looking good for what I just suggested.

[TagDaze]

I'm not messing around with the IDE cables. It has worked before this way.
My own diskettes are all f***ed up, so I had to borrow one from the kid who owns the PC. Wait no. He borrowed it from me... I just... got em back... ugh... Well anyways, I'm gonna try fixing again tonight.

[zepper]

On the older cpqs, you can get into the setup when you see the white block in the upper right hand corner. When you see the block, press F10.
. If the hidden system partition is lost, you can go to the HP/Cpq site and downlaod a file to make the diskette that is used to create it's called a ROMpaq utility disk or something like that.
. The BIOS does not control CD ROMs, they are ATAPI devices and are controlled by drivers. You just set the drive type as None in the secondary position. Use a DOS generic CD ROM driver to get started and install Win. Once you're thru the install, Win should recognize the drive and supply the driver internally.
.bh.
:t

[TagDaze]

It doesn't work. The drivers are working, but he doesn't seem to see the CD-ROM player... *sigh*
I think I'll just give up... Thanks anyways, peoples.

[rmanet]

sorry, what I was saying is that the BIOS won't see it, but the OS will - so when you enter BIOS just make sure that, if the CD drive is a slave on the primary, as an example, set the bios for that to "none" for primary disk 2

and some older machines will only accept a CD drive on its own IDE channel, try cabling it that way by installing it on the second IDE connector, set the Secondary Disk 1 to "none" in the BIOS, then try the floppy again

and make sure the cd drive is jumpered correctly either way :t

[TagDaze]

It's a MIRACLE!!!
I turned on the PC, and the CD-ROM player actually worked!
But when I tried to install Windows 98, it told me I needed a 80486... *sigh* This is just sad. I feel like a caveman, messing around with his prehistoric machine. Time to ask around if someone has Win95 somewhere, lol.
Thanks peoples, you have been helping me a lot!

[rmanet]

yes you can

go here (http://www.dictacomm.com/98HELP/95_98_SETUP_SWITCHES.HTM) and use a w98 setup switch to tell it to ignore the "too old of a system problem"

you'll need 32 megs, better that you have 64 megs, but that old mobo probably uses simms and may be limited to, say 16 or 32 - ask around here in the forum, some guys have boxes full of 'em

[TagDaze]

a 386 with 16 MB RAM... Thanks, but no thanks, I'm gonna play it the politically correct way this time. (That isn't like me, believe me. :D)

[ukulele]

Win 98 was never intended to be used on that computer. For that matter win95 is really beyound it's scope. End of story. Load DOS or win 3.1 and be prepared to do some serious searching for the drivers. :rolleyes:

[zepper]

A few years ago I had played around some with an integrated graphical environment that would run well on your old machine. It was a new version of what was once Geo Works. The product was being developed by a touchy-feely company with the idea of bringing more modern computing to the great unwashed by recycling old machines like yours (which they would rescue from closets at no cost) and sell with the graphical environment for enough to make it worthwhile. It included a brace of typical office apps (wp, ss, draw, etc.).
. Of course, it died rather quickly. But you may still be able to find a copy of it out there. It was called New Way or New Day or some such utopian twaddle.
. They were attempting to develop a browser for it at the time, but it was so slow and incompetent at rendering web pages that I held out little hope for its success.
. There were also graphical browsers for DOS being developed but I don't know what's become of those projects. good luck...
.bh.
:t