Need Help - Machine Fails to Boot

Click Start Run, type in: command and press Enter=20
At the prompt type: fdisk and press Enter
Select Yes for large disk support and press Enter
Press 4 on the numeric keypad and press Enter

Does the Primary DOS partition show an A under status which makes it the =
Active partition?=20
Press the ESC key to back out of fdisk and get back to the prompt.
Type Exit and press Enter

If the answer to the above is no, the primary dos partition is not set =
as active:
Shut down
Put a boot disk in the FD
Startup and at the Prompt type: fdisk and press Enter
Select Yes for large disk support and press Enter
Press 2 on the numeric keypad and press Enter
Enter the number of the partition to make active and press Enter
Get out of fdisk and back to the prompt
Remove the boot disk and press ctrl+alt+del to reboot.

If when you run fdisk and you cannot see the drive/partitions, get a HD =
diagnostic disk from the manufacturer to check the integrity of the =
drive before doing anything else.

If you could see the drive/partitions and the primary partition was set =
as active, check the boot sequence in the BIOS.

If all of the above is as should be then:
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/comp/hdd/fail_Failure.htm

Scroll down on the left and click on:
The system hangs up while trying to boot the hard disk when it is first =
booted after turning it on, but will boot after a warm reset

Or start with the page and work your way thru.


--=20

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Douglas R. Hortvet, Jr." wrote in message =
...
Here is what I have done:
=20
- fdisk /mbr=20
- format c: /s=20
- install win98 to C:\windows
- Win98 is now working(?)
=20
Of course all is not completely well,
A lingering and perhaps fatal problem - every time the machine =
restarts - the msg: 'disk
not ready, insert boot diskette' is displayed.
=20
Although when I power off and start - the machine boots properly.
=20
When using Partition Magic to view things - there is no Boot Manager =
section displayed in
the apps main window.
=20
Any ideas what would cause this msg and behavior?
=20
I searched the MS Win 98 KB for the phrase 'disk not ready, insert =
boot' and nothing
relevant turned up.
=20
I am close - but not quite there.
=20
Thanks again for all the great advice.
=20
Regards,
=20
Doug
=20
=20
"Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote:
=20
"Douglas R. Hortvet, Jr." wrote in message =
...
Been a way too long day - don't know why I wrote 95 - should have =
all been 98.

OK.

=20
Will try the virus scan app tonight - and keep my fingers crossed.
=20
Is anything I have done so far seem to be a likely cause of the =
problem?

Did you make sure you re-installed to C:\Windows?
How to Install Windows 98 Into a New Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/193902/EN-US/

You can search the MSKB for other articles that may help as well.
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=3D1
=20
Check you drive boot sequence in the BIOS and change it accordingly if =
needed.

Brian,

Followed your instructions - status of the Primary DOS partition is Active.

Is a problem indicated since the boot manager is not listed in Partition Magic's main
window?

Boot sequence is: A:, CDROM, C: (HD)

Read several of the PCGuide articles - the one titled 'The system hangs up while trying to
boot the hard disk when it is first booted after turning it on, but will boot after a warm
reset' is rather the inverse of what I have.

My machine boots properly when first starting (after POST) - however stops when performing
a restart - displaying the msg: Drive not ready, insert boot diskette.

I am certainly not aware of the complete sequence of events that occur under each
scenario.

Why would it always start when cold booted - and not from a restart?

This has certainly been a learning experience - and not over yet.

Regards,

Doug


"Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote:

Click Start Run, type in: command and press Enter
At the prompt type: fdisk and press Enter
Select Yes for large disk support and press Enter
Press 4 on the numeric keypad and press Enter

Does the Primary DOS partition show an A under status which makes it the Active partition?
Press the ESC key to back out of fdisk and get back to the prompt.
Type Exit and press Enter

If the answer to the above is no, the primary dos partition is not set as active:
Shut down
Put a boot disk in the FD
Startup and at the Prompt type: fdisk and press Enter
Select Yes for large disk support and press Enter
Press 2 on the numeric keypad and press Enter
Enter the number of the partition to make active and press Enter
Get out of fdisk and back to the prompt
Remove the boot disk and press ctrl+alt+del to reboot.

If when you run fdisk and you cannot see the drive/partitions, get a HD diagnostic disk from the manufacturer to check the integrity of the drive before doing anything else.

If you could see the drive/partitions and the primary partition was set as active, check the boot sequence in the BIOS.

If all of the above is as should be then:
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/comp/hdd/fail_Failure.htm

Scroll down on the left and click on:
The system hangs up while trying to boot the hard disk when it is first booted after turning it on, but will boot after a warm reset

Or start with the page and work your way thru.

Ok, I totally missed the part where the machine will cold boot and not =
reboot afterwards without getting the error message.

From what I gather:
It boots to Windows on the first boot of the day.
You get the error message if you attempt to reboot, not shut down and =
restart.

Is this correct?
What happens if after running and you shutdown and restart?
Have you ran a drive diagnostic yet as mentioned earlier by Hugh?

--=20

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Douglas R. Hortvet, Jr." wrote in message =
...
Brian,
=20
Followed your instructions - status of the Primary DOS partition is =
Active.
=20
Is a problem indicated since the boot manager is not listed in =
Partition Magic's main
window?
=20
Boot sequence is: A:, CDROM, C: (HD)
=20
Read several of the PCGuide articles - the one titled 'The system =
hangs up while trying to
boot the hard disk when it is first booted after turning it on, but =
will boot after a warm
reset' is rather the inverse of what I have.
=20
My machine boots properly when first starting (after POST) - however =
stops when performing
a restart - displaying the msg: Drive not ready, insert boot diskette.
=20
I am certainly not aware of the complete sequence of events that occur =
under each
scenario.
=20
Why would it always start when cold booted - and not from a restart?
=20
This has certainly been a learning experience - and not over yet.
=20
Regards,
=20
Doug
=20
=20
"Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote:
=20
Click Start Run, type in: command and press Enter=20
At the prompt type: fdisk and press Enter
Select Yes for large disk support and press Enter
Press 4 on the numeric keypad and press Enter

Does the Primary DOS partition show an A under status which makes it =
the Active partition?=20
Press the ESC key to back out of fdisk and get back to the prompt.
Type Exit and press Enter

If the answer to the above is no, the primary dos partition is not set =
as active:
Shut down
Put a boot disk in the FD
Startup and at the Prompt type: fdisk and press Enter
Select Yes for large disk support and press Enter
Press 2 on the numeric keypad and press Enter
Enter the number of the partition to make active and press Enter
Get out of fdisk and back to the prompt
Remove the boot disk and press ctrl+alt+del to reboot.

If when you run fdisk and you cannot see the drive/partitions, get a =
HD diagnostic disk from the manufacturer to check the integrity of the =
drive before doing anything else.

If you could see the drive/partitions and the primary partition was =
set as active, check the boot sequence in the BIOS.

If all of the above is as should be then:
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/comp/hdd/fail_Failure.htm

Scroll down on the left and click on:
The system hangs up while trying to boot the hard disk when it is =
first booted after turning it on, but will boot after a warm reset

Or start with the page and work your way thru.

Brian,

Ok, I totally missed the part where the machine will cold boot and not reboot afterwards without getting the error message.

From what I gather:
It boots to Windows on the first boot of the day.
You get the error message if you attempt to reboot, not shut down and restart.

Is this correct?

That is exactly what occurs - rather strange.

What happens if after running and you shutdown and restart?

Since this 'problem' has started - and after performing the fdisk /mbr; format c: /s, and
reinstalling Win98 on C: - it boots fine from a power-on start - and always fails upon a
restart.

Have you ran a drive diagnostic yet as mentioned earlier by Hugh?

Using Maxtor's Powermax software I ran the Basic Quick (90 Second) Test and the Advanced
Test (Full Read Scan) - the drive passed both.

In retrospect, perhaps I should have run the Low Level Format Full Test.

I did not want to wipe out all data on the D: partition - not sure if the LLF can be
performed on only one partition.

Could this be a boot sector virus - or the results of one?

I noted in the BIOS setup that the Boot Sector Virus protection was disabled - is that the
standard /recommended setting?

I am essentially stumped at this point - but will not give up!

Thanks again.

Regards,

Doug

"Lee" wrote in message =
om...
snip
as if it were possible to load two instances of the DOS driver
MSCDEX for two possible CD drives?

If you have 2 CD drives connected, DOS will show/assign both drive =
letters and you can use either.


--=20

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Ok gotcha.

First off, DO NOT run the low level format, that will wipe the entire =
disk clean.

Right click MyComputer, click Properties Device Manager tab
Does anything in Device manager show any conflicts?

What happens if you boot to Safe Mode and then reboot?

Have you been thru these?
Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q188867

How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q192926

Computer Stops Responding When You Try to Shut It Down
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q196008

Problems Shutting Down Windows 98 Second Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q238096

If you have an up to date Anti-virus app then it's ok to have the one in =
BIOS disabled. Too often with enabled it can cause problems.=20


--=20

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Douglas R. Hortvet, Jr." wrote in message =
...

Since this 'problem' has started - and after performing the fdisk =
/mbr; format c: /s, and
reinstalling Win98 on C: - it boots fine from a power-on start - and =
always fails upon a
restart.
=20
Have you ran a drive diagnostic yet as mentioned earlier by Hugh?
=20
Using Maxtor's Powermax software I ran the Basic Quick (90 Second) =
Test and the Advanced
Test (Full Read Scan) - the drive passed both.
=20
In retrospect, perhaps I should have run the Low Level Format Full =
Test.
=20
I did not want to wipe out all data on the D: partition - not sure if =
the LLF can be
performed on only one partition.
=20
Could this be a boot sector virus - or the results of one?
=20
I noted in the BIOS setup that the Boot Sector Virus protection was =
disabled - is that the
standard /recommended setting?
=20
I am essentially stumped at this point - but will not give up!
=20
Thanks again.
=20
Regards,
=20
Doug

Brian,

Roger on the no LLF.

NO device conflicts and when restarting from Safe Mode - same results - get the Drive not
Ready msg.

Will go through the MS support sites over the next several days.

Could this be a hardware problem with the IDE controller?

Thanks again.

Doug

"Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote:

Ok gotcha.

First off, DO NOT run the low level format, that will wipe the entire disk clean.

Right click MyComputer, click Properties Device Manager tab
Does anything in Device manager show any conflicts?

What happens if you boot to Safe Mode and then reboot?

Have you been thru these?
Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q188867

How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q192926

Computer Stops Responding When You Try to Shut It Down
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q196008

Problems Shutting Down Windows 98 Second Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q238096

If you have an up to date Anti-virus app then it's ok to have the one in BIOS disabled. Too often with enabled it can cause problems.

It may very well be a problem with the Maxtor adapter. If you want you =
could remove it from Device Manger in Safe Mode and reinstall it. =
Windows should redetect the card after rebooting. **Word of caution: =
MAKE sure you have the drivers for the card and install it explicitly =
per the manufacturers instructions. =20

--=20

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Douglas R. Hortvet, Jr." wrote in message =
...
Brian,
=20
Roger on the no LLF.
=20
NO device conflicts and when restarting from Safe Mode - same results =
- get the Drive not
Ready msg.
=20
Will go through the MS support sites over the next several days.
=20
Could this be a hardware problem with the IDE controller?
=20
Thanks again.
=20
Doug
=20
"Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote:
=20
Ok gotcha.

First off, DO NOT run the low level format, that will wipe the entire =
disk clean.

Right click MyComputer, click Properties Device Manager tab
Does anything in Device manager show any conflicts?

What happens if you boot to Safe Mode and then reboot?

Have you been thru these?
Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q188867

How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q192926

Computer Stops Responding When You Try to Shut It Down
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q196008

Problems Shutting Down Windows 98 Second Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q238096

If you have an up to date Anti-virus app then it's ok to have the one =
in BIOS disabled. Too often with enabled it can cause problems.=20