[Brains?]

Computer failed to boot up, hanging after second screen listing drives etc. I took the computer to some Asian gentlemen ( not that nationality matters, just that most Asian and Indian Gentlemen are very switched on for solving computer problems) who said there was no DOS and nothing on the hard drives and both probably were faulty.
Having played/worked with computers, Sonar and Missile, Atari, IBM Compatable etc. from 1958 I could not accept this.

A long time ago I had listed all the settings in every screen in setup, for this computer, I am so glad I did.
I pressed delete during booting and entered setup, I then checked all these setting and altered any which had changed. After many hours of experimenting I found that if I Disabled Boot up floppy seek, the computer would boot up and I could use most things on drives C & D.
I now have a three problems.
The floppy drive does not work.
The scanner drivers are missing, and I cannot reload because they are a 3.5" disk, and no floppy drive.
I cannot get onto the internet (Dial Up) It would seem because there is no IRQ assigned to the modem according to device manager. I have tried deleting it and windows finds it on start up but assigns memory but no IRQ and says it is working properly. IE and Outlook express cannot find it.

Any help or suggestions gratefully received, thank you.
Brian.

[Advertisements]

Hi Brian
Lets try a quick and easy. Boot the computer whilst holding down the control key. This should give you a menu option
Choose dos At the prompt type scanreg /restore(note the space between scanreg and /) this should give a list of the
the last 5 restarts pick a restore - try number 1 or 2
A properly working registry has the word "Started" next to the date.
When you receive notification that you restored a properly working registry, press ENTER to restart your computer.
Does this help ?
Cheers
Peterm

[peterm]

Hi Brian
Lets try a quick and easy. Boot the computer whilst holding down the control key. This should give you a menu option
Choose dos At the prompt type scanreg /restore(note the space between scanreg and /) this should give a list of the
the last 5 restarts pick a restore - try number 1 or 2
A properly working registry has the word "Started" next to the date.
When you receive notification that you restored a properly working registry, press ENTER to restart your computer.
Does this help ?
Cheers
Peterm

[Brains?]

Hi! peterm, many thanks for yor reply and trying to help.
Holding down control during Boot, brought up MS Windows 98 Start up menu.

No DOS, Hmm! What now?
Selected 5 Command Prompt only
Pressed enter
Computer starts Loading
Stops a C:\>
Typed scanreg /restore
Pressed enter
Microsoft Registry Cecker screen comes up and starts checking
Shows as follows
04/03/07 Started rb003, cab
04/02/07 Started rb002, cab
03/24/07 Started rb001, cab
03/20/07 Started rb000, cab

Selected rb001,cab
pressed Enter to start Restore
computer restarted, Restoring
Then said You have restored a good registry.
Pressed enter to restart computer.
Computer restarted still have the problems I origionally posted.
Device manager says the Modem is working properly, although it has no IRQ assigned to it? I think it should have. I deleted the Modem and on re-booting Windows found it, but still did not allocate an IRQ.
Trying to get on IE results in No modem found it may need reinstalling or be in use by someone else.
At a loss what to do next?
Do not want to format C & D hard drives too much genealogy info on them. No CD writer & No 3.5" drive so cannot record no internet so cannot email info, no USB and printer packed a sad and does not work anymore.

[peterm]

Hi Brian
Did you add any new hardware or software before this happened ?
I need to drag out a dial modem and check some things. If you go to the modem settings in control panel it has a query modem option, I think under advanced or under properties then advanced ( thats why I need to drag one out to be sure)
Cheers
Peterm

[Brains?]

Hi! peterm
Did not add any new hardware or software.
Took two tries to boot one day the next failed to boot hung on second screen listing drives etc. And there it stayed until I disabled 3.5" boot floppy seek. Then booted dozens of programmes working on two hard drives, just have the 3 problems.
Modem

General
HSP56 Micro modem
Com 3
Max speed 115200

Com 2 & 4 listed in device manager not 3 does that matter?

Input/Output range
B800 - B83F
Driver PCtel
Date 4-25-2001

No IRQ Assigned
About allthe info I can find on Modem

Cheers Brian
Connection

Connection preference
Data bits 8
Parity none
Stop bits 1

Call preferences
Ticked Wait for dialtone before dialing
Ticked Cancel the call if not connected within 60 secs
Unticked Disconnect a call if idle for more than 30 mins

Port Settings
Ticked Use FIFO buffers (requires 16550 compatable UART)

Advanced
Ticked Use error control
Unticked Required to connect
Ticked Compress data

Ticked use flow control
Selected Hardware (RTS/CTS)
Deselected Software (XON/XOFF)

Modulation Type
Standard

[peterm]

Hi Brian
I will dig out modem and try.
Do you have 98 cd and cd key.
Cheers
peterm
ps read my rule 3

Edited by peterm, 13 April 2007 - 06:26 AM.

[Brains?]

Hi! peterm
Have a CD and Key.

Rule 3 noted did you see in my second post how I did not want to reformat due to geneaology info etc. However C drive has windows 98SE on it and not that much in the way of important info and probably could be reformated without too much weeping and wailing. D drive has lots of important info and I would not like to wipe it. Asking for a CD and Key is that your thinking?
About 2 years ago we had computer trouble and the guy fixing it put in another hard drive making it C and making the old or existing drive which was C now D. We were running windows 95 and he could not sort out the problems any other way only trouble is we have a scanner HP 5P wich has a scuzzi card and uses Paperport, but Paperport does not work with Win 98SE. And HP have not put out an upgrade, choosing to offer a discounted new scanner instead.
D drive still has Win 95 on it and I still have the CD and key. Have found another way to use scanner without paperport but not as convenient. D drive has some bad sectors but every programme on it works.

Have got hold of a ZIP drive so if I can get onto the Internet I can download the IOMEGA programme to run it and download all my important info. onto discs.

Am going into Hospital for a leg operation Monday. Have to have blood flow to feet re-routed or wiill lose feet. be in about a week. Left leg first if that works, back in for right leg. so wiill be out of touch for a week at least.
Regards Brian

[peterm]

Hi Brian
No reformat is not one of my options.We can uninstall 98 and reinstall without reformatting or loss of Data.
Good luck with the op.
Cheers
Peterm

Edited by peterm, 14 April 2007 - 03:03 PM.

[Brains?]

Hi! peterm
No reformat! SIGHS OF RELIEF. Will stop this exchange for about a week due to calls from concerned visitors and prepping for Hospital tommorrow. Please look for a post in about a week. Tnks for your help to date.
Regards Brian.

[Brains?]

Hi! peterm.
I am back have an 18 inch cut down inside of leg and 80 metal staples. Foot is a good colour.Had to get over a post op infection before I could get out. They took a good vein from above the knee to use as a bypass to the lower leg then closed off the swollen and partly blocked vein behind the knee. All looks good, no blood flow to foot means cut off foot. Good flow now.
Am able to take your instructions to try and fix the desktop computer
Regards Brian

[peterm]

Hi Brian
Glad to here the good news ( what better day then ANZAC day).
Please click on start then run type in sfc ok
on the screen that opens make sure scan for altered files is marked. Click on settings.
On the settings tab tick check for changed files check for deleted files click ok then click start.
If it shows changed files or deleted and wants to replace them then put your cd in and let it fix the files.
Cheers
Peterm