[HELPME93]

hello last night I was talking to someone at the chat room we were fixing a computer of mine they asked how many beeps I heard but they were fast we were having trouble with my monitor cause it would not show anything but it works now, now I get an error stating Boot from ATAPI CD-ROM : failure invalid system disk please insert disk then press enter I've put in the 98 disks floppy and CD both at same time AND press enter, but it pops up still the computer is old what do I do ?

Edited by HELPME93, 28 January 2008 - 03:46 PM.

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Welcome to G2G

The first thing to check is the boot order in the bios. To do this, you'll need to get into the bios to start with. This is normally done by pressing one of the following keys (DEL, F2 or F1 and in some cases CTRL+ALT+ESC or ESC or if it's an Compaq, then try F10)

You need to power the system on and watch the monitor LED. As soon as the LED changes from amber to green, press one of the above keys. Press it several times with 1 second intervals between each key press. Start by trying the DEL key as this is the most common one. If that doesn't work, then repeat the proceedure but try F1 key instead, and so on.

You may find that it actually tells you on screen which key you need to press, so check for that as well. This may be referred to as 'system setup' or similar on screen.

If you have problems getting into the bios, then let me know which make of computer you have (eg HP, Dell, Gateway etc) and I can probably tell you which key to press.

Once you've managed to get into the bios, let me know and I'll guide you through the next step

[Samm]

Welcome to G2G

The first thing to check is the boot order in the bios. To do this, you'll need to get into the bios to start with. This is normally done by pressing one of the following keys (DEL, F2 or F1 and in some cases CTRL+ALT+ESC or ESC or if it's an Compaq, then try F10)

You need to power the system on and watch the monitor LED. As soon as the LED changes from amber to green, press one of the above keys. Press it several times with 1 second intervals between each key press. Start by trying the DEL key as this is the most common one. If that doesn't work, then repeat the proceedure but try F1 key instead, and so on.

You may find that it actually tells you on screen which key you need to press, so check for that as well. This may be referred to as 'system setup' or similar on screen.

If you have problems getting into the bios, then let me know which make of computer you have (eg HP, Dell, Gateway etc) and I can probably tell you which key to press.

Once you've managed to get into the bios, let me know and I'll guide you through the next step

[HELPME93]

I get floppy disk fail (40) also and get to bios ok

Edited by HELPME93, 28 January 2008 - 04:19 PM.

[Samm]

OK, thanks - the floppy disk error explains why you can't boot from the floppy then. We'll come back to that in a minute...

Now that you've gained entry to the bios, I want you to check the following:

Somewhere in the bios (usually on the first page or main page) you should see your IDE devices listed. i.e your hard drive etc. This will often look something like this:
Primary Master:
Primary Slave:
Secondary Master:
Secondary Slave:

Your hard drive should be listed as the primary master (let me know if it's not). Also look to see if there's any mention of the CDROM drive there. This may be listed as an ATAPI device or as a CDROM.

Next you'll need to find the boot sequence. This could be anywhere but if you have a menu/page marked 'boot', then try this first. When you find it, it should something like this:
First boot device:
Second boot device:
Third boot device:

Can you let me know what the 1st, 2nd & 3rd boot devices are please & the order in which they are listed. The boot device are obviously things such as your hard drive (or IDE 0), floppy, CDROM etc.

As for the floppy drive, can you check the LED on the front of the floppy drive? Is it lit up permanently? If not, when you try to boot up with the floppy inserted, does it attempt to read the floppy disk? i.e. does the LED light up at all?

[HELPME93]

wait ....this is under BIOS Setup correct ? sorry for the trouble

[Samm]

Yes, sorry, all of the above should be in the bios setup

[Samm]

Hi

Referring to the message you sent me:
What I meant by PRIMARY MASTER etc, is that you need to try and find the bit in the bios setup that lists your drives. Often this will look like the list I gave above, with 4 entries (PRI MASTER, SEC MASTER, PRI SLAVE, SEC SLAVE). BUT they might not be worded that way, that was just one example.

Can you find anything like that in the bios? If not, can you tell me exactly what computer you have there? i.e Brand name/model number.

Also, can answer my question about the floppy drive LED please...

[HELPME93]

Primary Master:
Primary Slave:
Secondary Master:
Secondary Slave:
is shown on the startup screen I've looked in Bios this is not shown
As for the floppy it stays on I've fliped the cables around but then it does not come on, I here something turn but it doesn't read it

Edited by HELPME93, 29 January 2008 - 07:37 PM.

[HELPME93]

got to go be back tomorrow just reply get back to you hopefully

[Samm]

OK.

When that PRI MASTER etc, appears on screen, is there anything written next to any of the entries? i.e:
PRI MASTER: Hard drive (This may be the hard drive manufacturers name/model)
Let me know if any of the 4 entries have anything written next to them.


Can you check the floppy cable again - you were right to flip it round if the LED stayed on, but you may have flipped the wrong end! Floppy cables aren't always as easy to work out as IDE ones. Basically, if you pull the floppy drive out and have a look on the back where the pins are, you should see one or both of the following:

1) There may be a number '1' printed at one end (and possibly a '34' at the other). The '1' obviously denotes 'pin 1'

2) if there's no numbers then look for the missing pin. This should the second pin in on one end (not in the middle).
The end with the missing pin, is the 'pin 1' end.

Once you've identified pin 1, then make sure the floppy cable is connected so that the red stripe on the side of the cable, is aligned with 'pin 1'

The same applies at the opposite end of the cable where it plugs into the motherboard. The motherboard pins should have a '1' printed at one end so show you which way round to place the cable.

Double check these connections and also double check the power connector to the floppy drive - it's really easy to get this wrong as it's often difficult to see the back of the floppy drive clearly once it's inside the case.

[HELPME93]

There is a number '1' printed at one end it is on the motherboard Iput it has the red line on the #1 end as for the PRI MASTER: it says the manufacturers name/model "seagate/medalist". I aslo have 2 power cables
how do Iknow which is which i know which little one goes to floppy one is in Hard drive other is CDROM

[Samm]

You said in your message:

"There is a number '1' printed at one end it is on the motherboard Iput it has the red line on the #1 end as for the PRI MASTER: it says the manufacturers name/model seagate/medalist. I aslo have 2 power cables
how do Iknow which is which i know which little one goes to floppy one is in Hard drive other is CDROM"

Sounds like the hard drive is being detected ok in that case.

I'm sure what you mean when you say ask 'how do I know which is which'. In order to save time though, rather than wait for your reply, I'm going to try and give you a detailed description of all the drive cabling. Hopefully your question will be answered in the following description....

The hard drive/CDROM drive:

Like I said, it sounds like the hard disk is being detected correctly, so I suggest you try not to disturb or change the cabling to that.
Ideally, the CDROM drive should be on it's own ribbon cable. If it is, then it should be configured as a Master (using the jumper cap on the rear of the drive).
Again the ribbon cable must be connected so that the red stripe is aligned with pin 1 on both the drive and the motherboard. Pin 1 on a CDROM drive or a hard drive is always the pin nearest the power connector.

If you are using 80 wire IDE cables for either the hard drive or the CDROM (these will normally have 3 connectors on each cable but only one connector will be blue), then the blue connector/plug MUST be the one that connects to the motherboard. This does not apply to floppy drive cables.

If you only have one device on the ribbon cable (ie hard drive OR cdrom), then this device must be connected to the plug on the other end of the ribbon cable (i.e. not the middle connecter).

If you have 2 devices on the ribbon cable (i.e. hard drive & cdrom sharing the same cable) then they should be figured as follows:
Hard drive should set as the Master (which yours is by the looks of it), and connected to the end connector on the ribbon cable (as described above). The cdrom must be set as a SLAVE using the jumper on the rear of the drive and connected to the middle plug on the ribbon cable.

Both the hard drive and the cdrom drive use standard 4 pin molex power connectors. You can use any molex connector thats available.

NB The floppy cable - forgot to mention this last time...
You may notice that the floppy ribbon cable has a twist at one end. The end with twist must connect to the floppy drive. i.e:
(X denotes the twist)......

Connect................................Connect this end
to M/B..................................to floppy drive
||...........................||..........||
||...........................||......X..||
||...........................||..........||
Ribbon cable for floppy

[HELPME93]

I have no floppy now it will not light up at all , I have tried another computer with floppy drive so I changed some things in BIOS no more floppy disk fail 40 just Invalid System Disk I have all cables in correctly is it asking for system disk or is something fried ? if system disk were can I get one?

[Samm]

A system disk is simply a bootable disk - this can be a CD/Floppy or hard drive.

I suggest you try the following:
Disconnect the power lead from the rear of the computer. Open the case up and disconnect the main (20 wire) power cable that connects the power supply to the motherboard.
Next locate the bios battery - this is usually a flat round silver battery, often in the lower right corner of the board. Remove the battery - it will be held in place by a spring clip - you may need to push the clip in to release it.

Leave the battery out for a few minutes, then replace it. Make sure you replace it the right way up!


Check the power connector to the back of the floppy drive and check that both ends of the ribbon cable are securely seated. If one of the plugs on the ribbon cable is unevenly inserted into the socket (ie raised at one side), then it will obviously cause problems, so press each side of the plug down firmly.

Check the other connections as well.

Reconnect the internal power cable, then the external power lead. Insert a bootable floppy disk into the drive and power the system on.

Let me know:
if the floppy drive LED lights up at all.
if the floppy drive makes a whirring noise as it attempts to read the disk
if the CDROM drive is listed (may be listed as an ATAPI device or a CDROM) on screen i.e. when the PRI MASTER etc entries are displayed.