can't boot to A: drive

[goombaz]

I bought a 75mh pentium at garage sale. I messed with setup and now A: drive won't boot. A windows file is missing so win95 won't start up and I can't reinstall windows cause I can't get it to recognize the A: drive where I could put in the missing cdrom drivers, too. Ugh!! Please help. I do so enjoy playing with these things and learning about them-but I have played enough and now need help or a bigger trash can http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif Thanks!!

[goombaz]

did all that--and even tried several different drives/cables-is there something else in the Bios I messed up. It says it is installed--but on the boot--i get a message--A:drive error-- and when I ask for it after the computer has come up to the c: prompt i get --seek drive error--more help please http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif thanks.

[800XL]

Forgive me if I go over the basics here, but they usually work.

cable/drive:
If the drive light stays on all the time, ribbon cable is on backwards.

BIOS:
In the standard setup, make sure the drive is setup correctly. I assume this is a 3.5" 1.44MB drive, so that is what drive a should be set to. That would cause the error you are getting. In the advanced setup, or under boot options, make sure the boot order has the a: drive before the c: drive. That won't cause that type of error, but it will keep you from booting to the a: drive.

You might try scratching the entire bios setup and starting over. There is likely a "Load defaults" option in the setup somewhere. Use that, then check the above things again.

[goombaz]

Thanks--did all that, too. No luck http://www.sysopt.com/forum/frown.gif

If anyone thinks of something else, please share. I'll try the load defaults--again--just in case I really didn't do it--and I think it is a "FAIL-SAFE" option. Will be back for more. What a wonderful place to get help. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Stan]

Hi

Check the BIOS, and the boot sequence. Make sure it is set up to boot with A:\ first.

Also, if you have opened the cae, make sure that everything is correctly plugged.

If it does not help, try another floppy disk in the PC. Maybe it is dead ???

Good luck

Stan

[Stan]

Hi

One last thing: I remember playing with my FDD and I fried the controller of the mobo. Fortunately, the mobo was still under warranty and I got a new one.

So, if you have another PC, try the FDD and the cable from your 1st PC. If it works, then you floppy controller is dead...

Stan

[goombaz]

If the the FDD works in my other computer then do I need another floppy drive controller or a new mother board? Thanks, again http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Stan]

Well, the FDD controller is built-in the mobo.
I am sure it is possible to give your mobo to be repaired, but considering the price for a new one, it is not worth the hassle...

Stan

[goombaz]

thanks a bunch for your help--one last thing while I have your attention--where would you reccommend getting a new mother board--and since I have all the other components, can I get a 200 mhz board or will the other components not work?

[Stan]

Humm.. such thing as a "200MHz board" does not exist. A mobo is not rated in MHz, but more in the chipset built in: TX, LX, BX, ALI, ...

I am not going to give you an entire course on mobo.
Be carful in what you are going to buy.
Check some web site:
1) www.intel.com for an history about chipset
2) www.tomshardware.com for reviews
3) www.bxboards.com, reviews, benchmarks

Well there are thousands of these kind of web sites.

Bear in mind that you have quite an old CPU (Pentium 75), which is, I believe socket 5 mobo.

It is not going to be easy and cheap to replace your system.
If you buy an new mobo (for pentium II, BX chipset), your memory will need to be replaced also. Forget about good old EDO RAM (simms), time is now for SDRam (dimms). These are totally different types !!!

You will be able to use your old video card, sound card, hard disk, floppy disk.
But changing your mobo will mean changing your cpu and memory.
Unless, of course, you find an old mobo for pentium 75 from another garage sale !

Good luck

Stan

[800XL]

One more thing. Check your bios setup for a peripheral configuration page. Look for a place where the floppy controller can be enabled or disabled. You may have gotten it set to disabled somehow and it won't twiddle back.

[BBA]

BTW: I just bought 2 working Intel socket 5 mb's at a flea market for $5.00 total!

Just because I wanted something that would work with PCI NIC's for making a router. (My socket 7 via chipset boards would not work with the PCI NIC).

You can get lucky!

BBA

[Ed_S]

One basic I didn't see anyone mention is the cabling. Floppy cable has 2 connectors, then the "twist, then two more connectors. The two nearest the MB are for "B" drive, after the twist is for "A" drive. If this is wrong, you got no floppy. Some bios' have option "swap floppy drive" which changes the order on the cable.

[goombaz]

I will try some of this-including short course on mobos and chipset--darn!! I was hoping to get away with knowing less than that. It is fun--and will watch the garage sales, too. - thank you all so much http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[goombaz]

Wow, I have an A: and a C: drive--not exactly sure why--but some mess in the bios cased my headaches and I managed to get past it with all your help and support. I learned somethings and got luscky at others http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif Anyway, I did manage to get the cdrom going, too. Hooray!!!! Now I am having a bit of a struggle with installing windows 95 but, I see so is someone else and will use that advice (anti-virus disable in bios) first to see if that does it.
You all are all amazing in your time and efforts to help each other out. Many more thanks--as my husband laughs at me and my endless hours on the $10 machine. I am having fun, and he is taking up all the time on this machine. If I get it up and running, I can work at same time http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif Great Day to you all!!

[800XL]

Excellent. You know, the strangest part of all this: By the time you are done installing Win95, you will know enough to work in the computer support field. If you are looking for a career change... http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

Glad to hear all is working again. Keep hanging out here and the next thing you know you will be overclocking that P75 and talking in Mhz, fps, and whetstones. There is a wealth of information in the minds that frequent this forum just waiting to be absorbed.

[goombaz]

I am sure I know more than most I talk with--thanks for the boost. I del treed the old windows and reinstalled. It is up and running--but it is not running some of my software--like kids games--. I will try more, but I'll be back for more info--cause this is exciting to be with people who actually know something about computers. I know very little--but so much more than most. I am willing to take bigger risks--like buying a ten dollar computer and making it work Hooooray!!!! Thanks again.

[Susan]

This is why this place is great.

Darn...did I say that again?? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif