This is completely maddening! Please help!

[ddeder]

I put the standoffs in the case and then installed the mobo. When I powered the computer on the first time, the PSU turned on but my monitor just showed a test pattern. I powered down and tried again. Same thing. I powered down and loosened some screws on the mobo (and by the way, I did use washers with the screws). I powered up again and this time I got a message DISK BOOT FAILURE - INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER. At this point I just hit enter. I did not insert a system disk. The computer then proceded to load Windows 98 from the HD without a problem. Then I click on Start, Shutdown, and mark restart and press OK. The computer gives me the DISK BOOT FAILURE message again. I am running a clean copy of Windows 98 SE that I just loaded last night.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[ddeder]

I did another restart and this time my monitor just went blank after Windows shut down and stayed blank. I powered down and then powered back on. The computer booted to the BOOT DISK FAILURE message.

 

[shathal]

Hrm - sounds as if somehow the boot-information of the HD is screwed.

A few things you ought to check.

1: Does the HDD get detected by the BIOS (I'll assume yes)?

<I hope you have a bootable disk with the necessary utiles for the stuff below>

2: via boot-disk, run FDISK and check the partition information on the HDD - is it still there?

3: If the partition information *IS* still there, then your MBR might be screwed. Check if you can access the HDD - simply by entering &quot;C:&quot; to go to your C:\ drive. *IF* it says &quot;device failed&quot; or something to that degree, then the MBR (Master Boot Record) of your HDD has been fragged.
In such a case, I would recommend to (just to be thorough) low-level format the HDD &amp; re-create the partitions. You might have somehow gotten a nasty virus (did you surf the www or have installed some potentially infected software?). Then, re-create the partitions &amp; re-install Windows.

If your MBR *HAS* gone missing, then something odd is afoot. I would also recommend doing a health-check on the HDD in such a case.

4: If your PARTITION table information is gone (i.e.: FDISK doesn't show any partitions), then this is even more suspicious &amp; there might be something VERY wrong with the HDD.

... I'll assume that you've done the usual steps to un-plug &amp; re-plug the IDE-cable at both ends (HDD and mobo), as well as the Power-cable of HD.

Any more infos on what you have done would be handy ... .

Hope this helps you somewhat.

 

[ddeder]

Thanks for the help. I am in the process of formatting my HD right now. When that is complete, I will load DOS 6.22 and then Windows 95 from a Windows 95 disk that came with a Gateway system. Once that is loaded, I will load Windows 98 SE from an upgrade CD.

Also, I think I may have a problem with my mobo. Half of the time when I reboot, I can hear the HD working but my monitor remains blank. If I loosen the screws on the mobo, things start working again. I have standoffs in place and I used washers on the screws. Somehow, I think it is still getting grounded to the case.

By the way, the mobo is a Biostar M7VKL.

 

[shathal]

Hrm - that is somewhat odd, I'll agree.

Your case shouldn't stress/bend the board ... but such things could potentially damage/corrupt data-lines which could result in problems with (not only) the HDD.

It's a bit odd.

Hrm - well, you're pretty much using the longest possible way to get to W98 SE, so my *comfs* to you in that respect. Best of luck - hope that it was just a one-off.

Do try to run a few system checks though - stress the I/O &amp; check for corruption - also check the HDD for errors - most manufacturers have some sort of diagnostic tool.

Hope this helps .

 

[HotWire]

I agree about the longest way.....Just load Windows 98 S.E. and when it asks for the &quot;Full&quot; version just put the win 95 cd into the cd rom and browse it to the the Win 95 folder so it reads the info for the full up version...then put the 98 S.E. cd back in when it asks for it. Also did you have your bios set to load &quot;C&quot; only after you installed the operating system?

 

[warmachine]

Hi Ddeder Isee u've made some more progress I think ur prob is the bios settings. U need to set up a few thins in bios to get this thing going I dont recomend loading it,OS the way U are. Do this Boot from dos floppy then enter bios (del) make sure it detects ur HD then set the boot device 1st dev. floppy, 2nd dev. cdrom 3rd dev. ide 0 then set it to yes to boot other devices save settings and reboot this time dont use floppy just put win 95 cd in it should boot from that. It should promt U to ether install or give boot choices boot from hd default or boot from cdrom with or without cdrom support (make sure U have fresh fdisk and format on HD). If it promps to install easy if it gives other choice then select boot from cdrom with cdrom support it will finnish booting and U will be at A:\ type cd D:\win95 and enter. Then type, setup and enter that should start install.

 

[warmachine]

Oops do what hotwire says to insted of using 95 boot with 98 cd

 

[ddeder]

I think all of my problems come down to one thing:

The mobo is somehow grounding itself to the case even though the standoff are in place.

I loosened the screws on the mobo so that there is a gap between them and the mobo. I then loaded DOS and rebooted - no problem. Loaded Windows 95 and rebooted - no problem. Snugged the screws on the mobo and rebooted. Computer refuses to boot. Loosened screws again and rebooted - no problem. Loaded Windows 98 and rebooted - no problem. Installed CD audio cable which meant I had to press down on the mobo - computer refuses to boot. &quot;Tugged&quot; on mobo to pull it away from the case and rebooted - no problem.

Did I install the standoffs properly? I inserted a plastic thingy into 3 corners of the mobo from the bottom (flat side is beneath the mobo). The fourth corner of the mobo does not have an insertion point. I screwed multiple copper standoff screws into the case and laid the mobo on top and then screwed the mobo into the standoff screws. Should there only be standoff screws where there is a 'hole' in the mobo allowing for a screw or should there be standoffs even where there is no 'hole' to help support the mobo? I hope that made sense. In other words, should there be standoffs beneath the mobo that the mobo is not screwed into?

 

[warmachine]

only put standoffs where a screw will go through MB. Its the ones where there is no screw that are shorting

 

[GregMal]

Many people don't use them but I do....washers, plastic or cardboard.
Not between the standoff and MB, but between the head of the screw
and the MB.
Try it...it could be a cheap fix...........
Greg

 

[ddeder]

I did have an extra standoff that the bottom of the mobo was resting on. I removed it and snugged the mobo screws and rebooted to Windows 98 w/o a problem. Thanks for the help.

Now to install the modem. This is the last time I buy a bargain case. The metal strips that covers the PCI slots are practically welded on. Looks like I may need to remove the mobo in order to get the damn things off.

It's a miracle that I haven't fried the mobo yet...

 

[warmachine]

You got that right, but Im glad u did'nt. Look at it this way the next one will be a snap right. anyhoo glad to help. those pieces can be removed by this, take a screw driver set it against the strip furthest point from MB from out side of case hold with one hand hit with other just enough to get it started then bend back and forth to get it out. Cya