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cannot boot computer


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#16
Retired Tech

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I have asked the Hardware Moderator to take a look at this, he is offline at the moment

It can be that the BIOS isn't recognising the CD ROM Drive as the secondary master
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#17
wannabe1

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Hello Ellie 2...

There are three possible causes for the problem you are having. What's happening is the machine can't find a boot source. It's looking first at the floppy, then at the cd, and then for a network boot...not finding them, it hangs.
  • The BIOS is configured for network boot
  • The cd-rom is connected incorrectly, configured incorrectly (master/slave), or has failed.
  • The Hard Drive has failed.
First, check the BIOS by tapping the F1 or Delete key right after powering on. (watch the bottom of the first splash screen for the prompt: Press [key] to enter setup and press the key it refers to. Find the Boot Priority section...it is usually under the heading "Boot" and set the boot priority as follows:
  • CD-ROM
  • HDD
  • Floppy
Then look around in there for a way to disable network boot. If it isn't obvious, but you find something close and are unsure...ask before changing it.

Save any settings when you exit BIOS setup by pressing F10.

If you have not been inside the case, the CD-ROM configuration should be correct, as should the connections. We'll see if it has failed in a bit.

The HDD is pretty tough to check at this stage...if it is detected as the machine starts, it may be ok...or not. We'll have to check a little further on this as well.

Do you have a floppy drive on both the machine you are using now and the problem machine?

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#18
Ellie 2

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HI I have pressed f2 to change boot priority pressed f10 to save and exit. I have floppy drives on both machines
Elaine
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#19
wannabe1

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Cool! The floppy drives will be very handy... :whistling:

Download this Win98SE Startup Disk...save the file to your desktop. Double click the downloaded file to run it. Put a new, formatted floppy diskette into the floppy drive when you are prompted to do so by the boot disk application. This will create a startup disk we can use to check the cd-rom and have a look at the HDD.

Boot the problem machine with this startup disk in the drive...it should find boot instructions and boot to an options screen. Select the option to "Start with cd-rom support" and press "Enter". The machine should load the cd-rom drivers and take you to the command prompt A:\.

Let me know if you are able to get to this point.
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#20
Ellie 2

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Hi got to that point.
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#21
wannabe1

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At the A:\ prompt, type c: and press "Enter". Do you get an C:\ prompt or an "invalid drive specification" error?

If you get the C:\ prompt, type dir and press "Enter". You should get a list of files/folders on that volume. Do you get this list? Is "Windows" in the list?
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#22
Ellie 2

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Hi
Windows isn't on that list.
Elaine
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#23
wannabe1

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Is it a fairly long list?

Put the XP installation cd into the cd-rom drive. At the C:\ prompt (or A:\ if you start over to do this), type e: and press "Enter". Do you get an E:\ prompt or an "invalid drive specification" error?

If you get the E:\ prompt, type dir /p and press "Enter". Is there a file in the list named "Setup"?
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#24
Ellie 2

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If I press enter it gives me a list of files
Error in Flashpt 2 line 12
missing or corrupted files ASP18US SYS

drive c does not contain a valid FAT or FAT32 partition
There are some other files missing or corrupted too
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#25
wannabe1

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Were you able to get to the E:\ prompt without a drive specification error?
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#26
Ellie 2

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No I got that list before any time I type in C or or E I get bad command or file name
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#27
wannabe1

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Well, at least we got a peak at the HDD... :whistling: I'm still not so sure the cd-rom is working.

Download the WinXP Bootdisk set for your installed operating system (links about half way down the page) and save the file to your desktop. Double click the downloaded file and put a floppy diskette in the floppy drive when prompted to do so. This will require 6 formatted floppy diskettes.

Boot the problem machine with diskette #1 in the drive and keep feeding it disks until all 6 have loaded. Put the WinXP cd in the cd-rom drive. Let me know when you completed these steps and what it says on the top of the screen you are on.
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#28
Ellie 2

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where do I find the WinXP Bootdisk
Thanks Elaine
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#29
wannabe1

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:blink: Sorry about that :whistling: ...Boot Disk Set
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#30
Ellie 2

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Hi
I have done this now what do I do enter, repair or quit,
Thanks
Elaine

Edited by Ellie 2, 17 June 2006 - 03:26 PM.

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