[dunnjt]

How can I restore the bios to a Pent III computer running win 98? Pressing F2 or DEL keys during boot up do not display the bios settings. Booting from a CD restoration disk tells me that there is no hard drive recognized and the restoration can not continue.
Is there another way to get to the bios so that I could reestablish the default bios settings or enter them manually. I don't seem to be able to get anywhere with this problem. If I boot up and let the boot cycle run I get an error message that the "Operating system cannot be found". Can any one make a suggestion? I am open for anything that might help.
Thank you,
Jerry D.

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Tell us how this all started. What kind of symptoms were you having and what kind of system do you have?

Have you checked your CMOS battery to see that it is OK? The voltage should be just above 3 volts and steady. How about the power supply voltages?

When you go into setup the display is VGA mode and some newer monitors don't handle it.

[Tyger]

Tell us how this all started. What kind of symptoms were you having and what kind of system do you have?

Have you checked your CMOS battery to see that it is OK? The voltage should be just above 3 volts and steady. How about the power supply voltages?

When you go into setup the display is VGA mode and some newer monitors don't handle it.

[dunnjt]

Tygert asked for more infor --This is my sister-in law's computer. It is a Pentium III, 500 MGh with a 13 G Hard drive, 128 Meg of Ram. I have suggested that it is time, long overdue for a new computer. SO far my suggestion has fallen on deaf ears.
My sister in law was having a problem with the tray on the CD drive sticking. However,before she had me look at her computer to see what I could do, she decided to "clean up" her computer.
All I know is that she deleted some "stuff".
Currently, On boot up, F8 will not bring up a "safe mode". F2 or DEL will not bring up the Bios setup. The error message is "Operating system could not be found".
When I use the restoration disk that came with the computer, the result is that the computer says it can not find a hard drive and the restoratiopn is terminated.
I tried another hard drive (took it from another computer and I know it works)the results was the same. The computer can not find the hard drive.
The Bios that "Isn't there", is Ultra66, version 1.12
I hope this infomation helps Can anyone make a suggestion what I might try now? I'm still in favor of a new computer but there seems to be some sort of sentimental attachment to this first computer. Must be like owning a 57 Chevy.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you,
Jery D.

[Tyger]

From what I can find the Ultra66 is a PCI card for IDE drives. Does the computer have IDE1 and 2 connectors on the motherboard and can you try the dirve on one of them? Apparently the BIOS lost was the software for the card. You can probably download it to a floppy from some site and may be able to reinstall it. You might want to try it without the card and with the IDE1 connector and see if the drive is visible. I'm curious as to why someone installed an IDE card on a machine that has only one drive.

[dunnjt]

"Does the computer have IDE1 and 2 connectors on the motherboard and can you try the dirve on one of them? "

Can you tell me what to look for to determine if the MB has IDE1 or 2 connectors? I'm sure I can follow your instructions to try the drive on one of the connectors.

"You can probably download it to a floppy from some site and may be able to reinstall it. You might want to try it without the card and with the IDE1 connector and see if the drive is visible. "

I was able to locate the Ultra66 driver and download it to a floppy. However, the computer will not boot up so it can't make use of the driver on the floppy. I need to somehow get the computer to complete the boot up, whihc as yet, I have not been able to do.

How do I recognize the card so I can try booting up without the card? I assume you want the card removed or disconnected and then try to boot the computer ?

I don't know why a controller was installed on this computer. I do know the quality seal was not broken. I broke it when I opened the case. The condition of this computer now is the way it came from the factory.

Thank you very much for your help. I very much hope we are successful getting this machine back into service.
Thank You !
Jerry D.

[Tyger]

The hard drive flat cable should connect directly to the controller's IDE connector. If the connector is on the motherboard then it will be IDE1. If it's on a separate card, then look on the motherboard for an identical connector and it may say IDE1 next to it.

Have you tried booting from a emergency boot disk floppy yet?

What brand and model of computer is this, does the motherboard have a name and part number? Without this information we're pretty much shooting in the dark.

If you have a brand and part number you may be able to download a manual. Google for

brand +partnumber filetyp:pdf

or

brand +partnumber +manual

[dunnjt]

I just tried connecting the ribbon directly to a connector on the MB. It originally was connected to a card. There is no difference in the results. It still is looking for the Ultra66 Bios and says it is not installed.

I have tried booting from a floppy, from a CD, from the Restoration disk and from the Windows installation disk. This stubborn machine just won't boot - yet! F2,F8,DEL do not display the safe mode or the Bios.

I will see what I cna find out about the model, numbers etc.

Thank you,
Jerry D.

[Tyger]

It will continue to look for the drivers as long as th card is physically in the machine and also in Device Manager. It will need to be removed from both places before the motherboard will see the drive. However, you may be able to boot the machine with a floppy, you can make it with any '98 machine, look in control Pannel, open Add/Remove Programs. Then you may be able to put the BIOS floppy in to install it. See if you can't find the card maker's website for instructions.

[dunnjt]

Do you think I should remove the card and connect the ribbon directly to the mother board? How/where do I remove the device from the device manager? Control Panel?
Am I correct in connecting the ribbon directly to the motherboard after the card is removed?

Thank you very much for being so patient.

[dunnjt]

The card that the ribbon was connected to is now out. It is an Ultra ATA/66 from Promise technologies.

If the computer will not display anything, how can this card be removed from the device manager?

Hope this info helps.

I'd be ecstatic to see a windows screen return!

Jerry D.

[Tyger]

The card that the ribbon was connected to is now out.  It is an Ultra ATA/66 from Promise technologies. 

If the computer will not display anything, how can this card be removed from the device manager? 

Hope this info helps.

I'd be ecstatic to see a windows screen return!

Jerry D.

You still haven't provided any information about the brand and model of computer or motherboard. I can't be of any more help until I know that information.