Installing windows on reformatted drive

Was given an ACER computer that had been reformatted to remove drive content.
At startup, is checking memory and giving a flashing cursor. (a: drive
lights up w/ a startup disk in it, but does not execute. ) Not showing drive
check or drivers of any kind executing..... nothing after memory checks but
flashing cursor. Has a Western Digital 64AA IDE hard drive.

Who can tell me what to do to install Windows 98SE from my CD?

You need to go into BIOS and see that the "Boot Order" is correct.
Getting into BIOS (Setup) on your system is *probably* done using the
Delete key, but it may be F1, F2, F10, or even some other keystroke.
There is usually a message on the very first screen telling you what key
to use to "Enter Setup."

The Boot Order (or whatever your BIOS calls it) is usually a series of
two, three or four items, listed numerically, showing what drive is
first scanned for a bootable partition. My preference is to set Floppy
first, CDROM second, and HDD0 third. If offered, "Additional boot
devices" should be fourth.

If the boot order is correct, but the startup disk doesn't work, you
should try with another startup disk. If you still have no luck, post
back.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Was given an ACER computer that had been reformatted to remove drive
content.
At startup, is checking memory and giving a flashing cursor. (a:
drive
lights up w/ a startup disk in it, but does not execute. ) Not showing
drive
check or drivers of any kind executing..... nothing after memory
checks but
flashing cursor. Has a Western Digital 64AA IDE hard drive.

Who can tell me what to do to install Windows 98SE from my CD?

Think I've now tried all keys and am not getting to BIOS. It never leaves
the first screen. Not going anywhere past memory checks....... I think it
is hitting a: because light comes on, just not executing startup disk. I've
tried a Win95, Win98, and WinMe startup disk downloaded from www.bootdisk.com.



"Gary S. Terhune" wrote:

You need to go into BIOS and see that the "Boot Order" is correct.
Getting into BIOS (Setup) on your system is *probably* done using the
Delete key, but it may be F1, F2, F10, or even some other keystroke.
There is usually a message on the very first screen telling you what key
to use to "Enter Setup."

The Boot Order (or whatever your BIOS calls it) is usually a series of
two, three or four items, listed numerically, showing what drive is
first scanned for a bootable partition. My preference is to set Floppy
first, CDROM second, and HDD0 third. If offered, "Additional boot
devices" should be fourth.

If the boot order is correct, but the startup disk doesn't work, you
should try with another startup disk. If you still have no luck, post
back.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Was given an ACER computer that had been reformatted to remove drive
content.
At startup, is checking memory and giving a flashing cursor. (a:
drive
lights up w/ a startup disk in it, but does not execute. ) Not showing
drive
check or drivers of any kind executing..... nothing after memory
checks but
flashing cursor. Has a Western Digital 64AA IDE hard drive.

Who can tell me what to do to install Windows 98SE from my CD?

Nothing on that screen tells you what to press to enter Setup?

My apologies, I didn't read your previous closely enough--your problem
isn't with the floppy drive or the disk or the boot order. Sounds more
like a serious hardware problem if POST isn't even enumerating the
drives. Time to open that case and check all connections, jumpers, etc.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Think I've now tried all keys and am not getting to BIOS. It never
leaves
the first screen. Not going anywhere past memory checks....... I
think it
is hitting a: because light comes on, just not executing startup disk.
I've
tried a Win95, Win98, and WinMe startup disk downloaded from
www.bootdisk.com.



"Gary S. Terhune" wrote:

You need to go into BIOS and see that the "Boot Order" is correct.
Getting into BIOS (Setup) on your system is *probably* done using
the
Delete key, but it may be F1, F2, F10, or even some other keystroke.
There is usually a message on the very first screen telling you what
key
to use to "Enter Setup."

The Boot Order (or whatever your BIOS calls it) is usually a series
of
two, three or four items, listed numerically, showing what drive is
first scanned for a bootable partition. My preference is to set
Floppy
first, CDROM second, and HDD0 third. If offered, "Additional boot
devices" should be fourth.

If the boot order is correct, but the startup disk doesn't work, you
should try with another startup disk. If you still have no luck,
post
back.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Was given an ACER computer that had been reformatted to remove
drive
content.
At startup, is checking memory and giving a flashing cursor. (a:
drive
lights up w/ a startup disk in it, but does not execute. ) Not
showing
drive
check or drivers of any kind executing..... nothing after memory
checks but
flashing cursor. Has a Western Digital 64AA IDE hard drive.

Who can tell me what to do to install Windows 98SE from my CD?

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Think I've now tried all keys and am not getting to BIOS. It never leaves
the first screen. Not going anywhere past memory checks....... I think
it
is hitting a: because light comes on, just not executing startup disk.
I've
tried a Win95, Win98, and WinMe startup disk downloaded from
www.bootdisk.com.

To restore the ACER BIOS back to bootable settings
press and hold the F10 key as you turn on the computer.

You should hear two beeps indicating that the settings
have been restored.

Can't find any loose connections. I'll go to Western Digital site and verfiy
jumper settings for drive but don't imagine those would have been changed.
Let me know if you have any helps on troubleshooting POST failures.

Thanks!


"Gary S. Terhune" wrote:

Nothing on that screen tells you what to press to enter Setup?

My apologies, I didn't read your previous closely enough--your problem
isn't with the floppy drive or the disk or the boot order. Sounds more
like a serious hardware problem if POST isn't even enumerating the
drives. Time to open that case and check all connections, jumpers, etc.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Think I've now tried all keys and am not getting to BIOS. It never
leaves
the first screen. Not going anywhere past memory checks....... I
think it
is hitting a: because light comes on, just not executing startup disk.
I've
tried a Win95, Win98, and WinMe startup disk downloaded from
www.bootdisk.com.



"Gary S. Terhune" wrote:

You need to go into BIOS and see that the "Boot Order" is correct.
Getting into BIOS (Setup) on your system is *probably* done using
the
Delete key, but it may be F1, F2, F10, or even some other keystroke.
There is usually a message on the very first screen telling you what
key
to use to "Enter Setup."

The Boot Order (or whatever your BIOS calls it) is usually a series
of
two, three or four items, listed numerically, showing what drive is
first scanned for a bootable partition. My preference is to set
Floppy
first, CDROM second, and HDD0 third. If offered, "Additional boot
devices" should be fourth.

If the boot order is correct, but the startup disk doesn't work, you
should try with another startup disk. If you still have no luck,
post
back.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Was given an ACER computer that had been reformatted to remove
drive
content.
At startup, is checking memory and giving a flashing cursor. (a:
drive
lights up w/ a startup disk in it, but does not execute. ) Not
showing
drive
check or drivers of any kind executing..... nothing after memory
checks but
flashing cursor. Has a Western Digital 64AA IDE hard drive.

Who can tell me what to do to install Windows 98SE from my CD?

Held the F10 but didn't get anything different, not even the 2 beeps.

"Hugh Candlin" wrote:


"ssb" wrote in message
...
Think I've now tried all keys and am not getting to BIOS. It never leaves
the first screen. Not going anywhere past memory checks....... I think
it
is hitting a: because light comes on, just not executing startup disk.
I've
tried a Win95, Win98, and WinMe startup disk downloaded from
www.bootdisk.com.

To restore the ACER BIOS back to bootable settings
press and hold the F10 key as you turn on the computer.

You should hear two beeps indicating that the settings
have been restored.

Checked hard drive jumper settings. They are correct. I removed the jumper
and got an "invalid drive" message. Displayed basic system config with error
message. Couldn't make any changes but was able to see that hard, floppy
drive is setup.

"ssb" wrote:

Held the F10 but didn't get anything different, not even the 2 beeps.

"Hugh Candlin" wrote:


"ssb" wrote in message
...
Think I've now tried all keys and am not getting to BIOS. It never leaves
the first screen. Not going anywhere past memory checks....... I think
it
is hitting a: because light comes on, just not executing startup disk.
I've
tried a Win95, Win98, and WinMe startup disk downloaded from
www.bootdisk.com.

To restore the ACER BIOS back to bootable settings
press and hold the F10 key as you turn on the computer.

You should hear two beeps indicating that the settings
have been restored.

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Held the F10 but didn't get anything different, not even the 2 beeps.

Power it off.

Unplug the keyboard.

Power on again.

See if you get the infamous

"Keyboard not found. Press F1 to continue" message.

Think about installing a fresh CMOS backup battery.

Something that I like even better than unplugging the keyboard is to lay
your forearm across the keyboard pressing down several keys at once.
Generally (if the boot is getting that far), you will get a Keyboard error
message that tells you what key or key combination to press to enter setup
or F1 to continue. In this case, you actually can do it. g

PattyL


"Hugh Candlin" wrote in message
...

"ssb" wrote in message
...
Held the F10 but didn't get anything different, not even the 2 beeps.

Power it off.

Unplug the keyboard.

Power on again.

See if you get the infamous

"Keyboard not found. Press F1 to continue" message.

Think about installing a fresh CMOS backup battery.