• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Please help troubleshoot very strange floppy problem

D

darrenford

Member
I am trying to reinstall Win95 on my dad's old P-90.

I can not get it to boot from a setup disk. I have the BIOS set to boot from A:, and the floppy drive is recognized at bootup, but I always get a data read error when I try to accss the disk.

I of course tried different disks. I also tried 3 different floppy drives (after verifying them in another machine). I also tried different (again verified) cables.

I am positive that the disk, cable and drive are good. I am also positive that I have used the correct orientation and twist. It just will not work.

Any ideas?
 
This may sound stupid but make sure the floppy cable isn't backwards, I did this and it really seemed like some weird problem till I figured it out.
 
Bios is set to 1.44MB for the floppy drive size?
Read and Write option is set..(if available)?
 
Just a suggestion, copy this boot-disk onto another floppy disk and try that.

Another thing with old boards like yours is they had an old DOS setting that allocated the base 640 memory to full 640, or 520(was close to this don't remember exactly). Change this value so it says 640 availible not the 540.

This error usually gives an error that there is not enough memory, but who knows that could be what your board is trying to report.

 
Thanks guys.

1. Cable is definitely not backwards. Not only did I pull everything out and examine with a flashlight to make absolutely sure, I even tried opposite in case something was mismarked. I even researched the twist, after 14 years of working with PCs, I finally knew what the twist was for. (But don't ask me now).

2. BIOS is set for 3 1/2 inch, 1.44MB. I did not see a read/write option (genuine intel motherboard, not many options).

3. I've tried at least 3 different boot disks. Each verified to work in another computer.

4. I will look at the base memory. I've never seen one set to anything other than 640, but I will check.

Thanks everyone! Any more ideas? BTW, I have also removed everything non essential. No extra cards, CD, or harddrive.

 
Have you tried just reading a floppy instead of booting ??. If it wont read, then I suspect that your FDD controller is fritzed. BTW the twist is there so that drive B can be addressed, no master/slave pins on floppies.
 
Since early on in the game IBM shipped all their floppy drives with the same jumper settings. They put the twist in the cable so the machine could tell drive 0 from drive 1. They decided this would make it simpler for the average bear to change out drives and still keep the ID straight.
 
I too have a strange floppy problem. The floppy "works", but when it is scanned or something it takes 5x longer than my friend's floppy, and if I'm in Win98 setup and it scans it (always does at the same place), it will NOT continue, it just sits there with the floppy light on, until I feed it a disk.. it doesn't do anything with it, it just wants a disk in there and then it continues!... it is really annoying soemtimes.

My CDROM doesn't work properly either, hmm..
 


<< genuine Intel motherboard... >>



Is this a proprietary system, e.g., Compaq, Packard Bell, Sony, etc? If it is you may need a restore disk specific to that manufacturer to get you going.
 
Again, thanks for all the suggestions.

1. Read floppy instead of booting. At first I thought, &quot;I can't do that, there is no OS on the harddrive&quot;. But I COULD format the harddrive in another computer, boot from it, then try to read the floppy. Good suggestion, I'll try it!

1b. I think the floppy died before the system was wiped. My dad had an extra one in it. I think he bought another floppy drive thinking that was the problem.

2. This is the motherboard from a system I built about 5 years ago. It is an Intel motherboard (not just chipset). I don't allow proprietary brands into my sight!

2b. I'm not only trying to boot with the setup disk, I'm also just trying to boot from a DOS floppy.

I think its the floppy controller. I've just _never_ heard of that going out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top