[bamakodaker]

The strange noises mentioned earlier turned out to be the computer searching for the floppy or CD drive or something like that. I'm not concerned about that now. Thanks though.

[Advertisements]

OK, boot up with the 98 floppy again to go into the command prompt like you were before. Type in:

fdisk /status

and hit Enter. Then type in:

fdisk /CMBR number

where number is the number it displayed when you typed in that fdisk /status command.

Restart (ctrl+alt+del) and take out floppy. See if it works now. If not, try the fdisk /mbr command you did earlier to see if it still says "the master boot code has NOT been updated".

[greyknight17]

OK, boot up with the 98 floppy again to go into the command prompt like you were before. Type in:

fdisk /status

and hit Enter. Then type in:

fdisk /CMBR number

where number is the number it displayed when you typed in that fdisk /status command.

Restart (ctrl+alt+del) and take out floppy. See if it works now. If not, try the fdisk /mbr command you did earlier to see if it still says "the master boot code has NOT been updated".

[bamakodaker]

Thanks for the advice. I can't see anything of jumpers around the motherboard so I'm going to put it back together and try your advice. I'll report right back.

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

The first command brought up I guess info on Disk 1
That was what I used in the number.
A:\>fdisk /CMBR1
That brought up Invalid Switch - /CMBR1
Any suggestion?
bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

rebooted w/o floppy, stopped at blinking cursor.
Started making that periodic noise. With the case off I could tell it was the floppy drive making the noise. After restart it takes a while, with the noise, before you can hear the floppy working and I will then get the first screen.

I'm going to try the fdisk /mbr

After it gives the notice of not containing a valid FAT or FAT32 partition -
the fdisk command gets - master boot code has NOT been updated.

Any further suggestions?

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

shard92 advised that GoBack could have control of the master boot record and if so, the boot disks won't get me anywhere. They advised getting some data recovery software.

My wife got tired of me playing with the computer and got a friend to come over with a hard drive. By itself the newer drive (master) would work fine. Whenever we powered up the old drive (slave) it seemed to take control - no matter where it was plugged in on the ribbon cable or whether it was slave or master!? His conclusion was that the slave (old drive) was bad.

I still want to try the data recovery program to see if all in information I SHOULD have saved elsewhere, can be recovered. You don't think about it until you've lost it but how will I recover ALL my Email addresses even! Forget about family records and ALL the encypted passwords for all the forums and everything else I've signed on to! Oh PLEASE forget those risque honeymoon pictures that are on the hard drive!! arrggggg! Let someone else recover the data! I don't THINK so! - well, at least until I've exhausted my personal efforts! Live and LEARN! SAVE/BACKUP your data!!

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

Before I take the next step

It sounds like no matter what, I've got to have another HD to go anywhere. I have a new HD. Do I need to follow the instructions at the start of the Win 98 forum for How to install Win 98?

This will bring up new problems. The original 4 GB HD was replaced with a Maxtor 40 GB drive. I don't remember what I did to get it working with the larger HD, but I did. I now have a 120 GB Seagate Barracuda ATA HD. It was the least expensive way to get by! My finances say I need to go at least through the first of next year before buying another computer! I will check around here. Somewhere I found the information I need to do the Master check the Slave setup.

I just want to make sure I start the right way - installing Win98. What about partitioning? Shouldn't I wait till later to ask about upgrading to Win XP?? (someone said it was more stable and more easily handled larger HD's)

I await a resonse!

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

OK, I understand how GoBack controls the boot sector. Yes, I did the fdisk /mbr, so it has messed up something. I'll now try to reload GoBack from it's original disk.

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

Well - to try and release by master boot record, because it was controlled by a messed up GoBack, I thought I could reinstall GoBack - I used my Nortons SystemWorks CD and my computer goes to Win98 startup menu -
1 - norton antivirus emergency disk program
2 - normal startup
3 - view more info
at bottom I have
F5 - safe mode
SHIFT + F5 - command prompt
SHIFT + F8 - step by step confirmation

If I do nothing it goes to the emergency virus repair and says it can't do anything until I disable GoBack.

Any suggestions?
bamakodaker

[shard92]

at this point it sounds to me, taking into account the disks and resources you have, your best bet would be to get a recovery program and recover as much as you can. I've run into several similiar situations with Go-back and the recovery as troublesome as it can be is far less troublesome than trying to deal with go-back. the other alternative is contact Norton and see if they can give you any support ( good luck )

[bamakodaker]

I do appreciate all the help and advice. I have just about given up on the old HD. I have an Email sent to Norton/GoBack - just depends on how long I can wait!

Now to get the new HD installed!

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

I just can't give it up!
Used some of the Norton Utility disks - tried to do some type of scan and it said something about CMOS unreadable or something. I did the test again but skipped checking the CMOS and it says the Marter Partition Table is unreadable/ physically damaged. Should I allow the program to correct the problem? I'd still LOVE to recover the data on this HD.

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

Opps, let me be honest. I just double checked to see where my friend left the old HD after testing things the other night - it was left in Slave jumper setting.
I put it to Master (it is on end of ribbon) and with the Norton's Basic Rescue Boot Disk I'm now getting a 1782 - Disk Controller Failure (in the first window - Compaq logo showing). It also has F1 Boot window at lower left, and F10 Computer Setup window at lower right.
I'm not able to get anywhere with this but wondered if it might reveal something useful.

bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

Ahhhh, it reveals what a dummy I am!
The HD case seemed to indicate the jumper was to go far right for Master.
An online search found a picture showing the far LEFT was the setting for Master!

RESEARCH first!

With this setting the HD whirred and clicked repeatedly and I now see
Non-System disk or disk error
replace and strick any key when ready

Any suggestions?
bamakodaker

[bamakodaker]

Also with Norton's Disk Doctor when I get to Restore Rescue Information and it tries to restore boot information I get "Error restoring to hard disk".

Is the repeated clicking and whirring an indication the HD has not Boot Record and it's just searching for that so it can start somewhere? (meaning I should give up trying to get this old HD going myself?)

Anything helpful here?

bamakodaker