Just built new system, got a couple of problems, need help! Edit: Doh more problems!

[CrazyDiamond]

Hey guys, i just built my system... for some reason when i boot up my computer, the floppy drive light is on and won't go off, as if it's reading something from a disk even though there's no disk inside...

When i put a boot disk, it makes a weird noise, but it reads the disk.

I haven't done anything yet, but since i have a new harddrive, i have to fdisk when i get into DOS right?

It gives me a weird message: Can't fdisk, no disk (or something like that)...

anyone got any ideas? Thanks.

***************************************

UPDATE: Ok got the floppy disk thing fixed (i think!), but i got new problems now (sigh, this is a real learning experience)...

When i boot up, the harddrive light remains lit when i'm in the bios. And yes i checked the IDE cables, i don't think it's possible mix up the install on this one...

Also, when i try to use the boot disk in the a: drive, i get a weird message saying I/O error or something and it won't read it (i got this boot disk from the web, btw)...

Also, the HD should be connected to IDE channel 1 while the cd-rom should be connected to IDE channel 2 right?

Thanks again

 

[CrazyDiamond]

bump

 

[LarsEirik]

you got the floppy cable turned wrong. flip the end that connects to the floppy

 

[CrazyDiamond]

ah ok thanks, durr, stupid me

 

[Yzzim]

hehe, having the cable flipped is probably THE easiest thing to do when building a new system if you're not paying attention to what you're doing Happens to me probably once a week

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Haha,
I've never done that!

 

[CrazyDiamond]

Bump

 

[LarsEirik]

bump?

is that the sound u get every time u run your head into the wall?

 

[CrazyDiamond]

Haha, sorry guys, i really need help, this is my first system that i've ever built

 

[stingbandel]

Check the HD cables are you sure it's corrected already? And you can set up the in the BIOS so it starts from the CD Rom. With this you don't need the floopy to install O/S. Later on you can create a boot disk once you through the installation. Hope that help.

Darno

add: check also the wires that connect from the case to the mobo. You might put it in a wrong place.

 

[CrazyDiamond]

I can't start it from the CD-ROM unfortunately I have not fdisked my drive yet...

I'm pretty sure my IDE cables are correct because they prevent you from putting them in the wrong way, and the BIOS acknowledges the presence of my Quantum HD as well as the disk size...

I think i might have downloaded a bad boot disk, does anyone know where i can get one (for some reason i can't create one on these NT machines)? All this running back and forth from the computer lab to my room is tiring

 

[NforSa]

hmm... if its newer than like a pentium like 100mhz or something you should be able to boot from CD rom no probs, just go into 'advanced bios settings' and set first boot device to CDrom, and make sure u have bootable CDrom in there (ie the windows 98SE cd)

what is the actual error Fdisk gives?

 

[CrazyDiamond]

Well, when i boot up from the windows cd-rom it says there's no partition to install it on or something like that...

the fdisk error i get is when i try to boot from disk... gah, i'm going to have to write these errors down when i get back to my room, BRB.

 

[LarsEirik]

bump


* get urself a decent boot-disk

If the IDE-indicator is constantly on, It most probably is that you have placed the IDE-led on the Motherboard wrong way (yes it matters). but it dont affect the harddrive


U can put both HD and Cd-rom on IDE-0 if the HD is 'Master' and CD is set to 'slave'

U can mix up to 4 harddrives/cd-roms on IDE-0/IDE-1 , two on each

* remember to set the c:\ to active when u are in Fdisk

 

[smp]

I thought you could make a boot disk in command prompt like so;
format a:/s
but it turns out you can't.. (on NT anyways.. don't know other 9x or whatever) go to a freind's house that has 9x and just right click on a: in my comp and do a format and "copy system files" that'll make youa boot disk that has fdisk and crap on it..
I hope you know someone that has a 9x system.. I just realized trying to make a boot disk here on this NT machine that I didn't know how to do it.. damn.. someone know how to do it on a NT machine?

 

[stingbandel]

Since you have not formatted your HD then I guess you need the boot disk. Ask your friend who has it then boot from the floopy. I think the HD is fine cause it's detected in the BIOS. What you need is a boot disk. Check your email, I send you one. It's Win ME version but it should be the same for Win 98. What you need to do is unzip it and then you will need to put that on your floopy. Don't forget to insert just the files only. I put it in a folder cause I need to zip it. Hope that help.