Computer Problem, need you geniuses please

Magic_x_uk

Magic_x_uk

Magic_x_uk

Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2005
Posts
5,715
Location
Derbyshire
Okay I have a Computer problem and I am after some diagnosis.

I am not too bad with computers, I have built quite a few my self but not that good at narrowing down problems if they wont start.

Right this computer is from my sisters (vet) works. All they have told me is wont start up.

I am 99% sure,, or so I am led to believe it is running Windows 2000 O/S

It has on it a CD Drive, Floppy Drive, Zip Drive, Network card, Modem card, 2 x Hard Drives and that is all I know.

I have connected my monitor to it,
If I have BOTH hard drives connected I see nothing on the screen. Hard drives are connected through ribbon cable with master and slave.

If both HD are connected no POST etc. If I unplug slave (power cable) HD then I get to 1st screen. But then nothing, screen just goes off to standby. (My OSD on screen says DPMS. going to off mode)

The 1st screen all I can see says the following on it (black screen)

American Megatrends released 08/01/2001
AMIBIOS ©1999 American Megatrends Inc
7VMM F4
AMD Duron ™ Processor – 850MHz
122880kb OK

WAIT…
Auto detecting Pri Master…IDE Hard Disk
Auto Detecting Pri Slave…Press <ESC> to abort
Press any key to continue.

The only thing that happens next (eventually is I hear a beep then it should start to load the OS but I just get nothing, screen goes to standby as no signal, I can hear the hard drive trying to do things, but nothing ever appears on screen.

I have left it a long time just in case it is a very slow computer and still nothing.

I can press F1 at start up and get to the following screen

AMI BIOS Flash Utility v1.03
Flash ROM Type………………..HYUNDAI HY29F002T

I have the option LOAD BIOS from floppy
And ENTER>Run ESC>Reset F10>Power Off


I have reset CMOS and nothing changed, not tried searching the net for the BIOS yet, perhaps someone here can help


Thank you a lot hopefully
 
If you can get into the bios then you need to get it to boot from cd drive, then you will need to pop in a copy of the OS and run a recovery. That sounds like the OS is borked to me.
 
cant get into BIOS., only the flash bios thing, it just tried to start to load windows a second ago but then screen went to standby mode.

What is the usuall F key for BIOS on older systems, i have tried all the f1-f0 keys ?
 
had a look round, reset cmos again and nothing.

Think the OS may be borked. Any way of telling, If the only thing I can do is get the data off of the HD's by attaching them to one of my pc's then fine.

But i dont have a copy of windows 2000 O/S and neither do they as they have had it years.

mmmmmmm

Bit stuck now
 
Personally, I'd set the BIOS to boot from CD then use a live linux disk just to make sure that the hardware is all working correctly. At least that way you can say for sure that it is the OS thats causing the problem and not a hardware device.
 
okay i shall try that but i have no knowledge of Linux, what do i need please. if you could perhaps let me know what i need re: live linux

cheers
 
Magic_x_uk said:
okay i shall try that but i have no knowledge of Linux, what do i need please. if you could perhaps let me know what i need re: live linux

cheers
Click to expand...

Assuming that you have a broadband connection then you can download the ISO image for a live linux distro such as Ubuntu or even something like the Universal boot CD. If you don't have a broadband connection then maybe you could get a live CD posted to you. Failing all that just stick your own windows installation CD in and see if it get to the point of showing you the hard drives available to install the OS. I'm not saying install it but, it should give you a good idea that the hardware is working how it should.
 
Magic_x_uk said:
RIght Apparently windows 2000 to get into BIOS you hit KEY DELETE, NOW I AM IN BIOS!

Time to have a look around here
Click to expand...


the os makes no difference on how you get into bios, the bios is before the os boot section

usually its DEL on most motherboards
 
yes i have broadband, just downloading linux knoppix about 630mb .iso i think


will that be ok



thank you



I do also have a XP OS Cd, which perhaps i could try that as well ?
 
Magic_x_uk said:
yes i have broadband, just downloading linux knoppix about 630mb .iso i think


will that be ok



thank you



I do also have a XP OS Cd, which perhaps i could try that as well ?
Click to expand...

Just make sure your downloading a Live linux version. I'm not sure about knoppix It's one distro I've never used. :p

Edit: Yes, it is a live distro :D learn something new everyday I tells ya :p
 
Last edited:
Welcome back,

Right, back from a work shift,

tried a OS install disk and nothing

tried the Linux disk, Upuntu, nothing. These all work fine on other pc's at home though, so i know cd's are fine.

Unconnected absolutely everything except bare essentials, tried loads of configurations and still wont boot any OS / Linux Live OS's

Any other ideas, This must rule out the HD's. Just a bit stuck, perhaps something dead on MOBO, but im lost now
 
right, its dead.

BUT,

I have had both hard drives out of that PC and connected them to one of my main computers, and i can access all the date etc on it.

On the dead computer i can see BOTH HD's in the BIOS screens.

I have tried a Live Linux CD on it and nothing, wont load it, even when I have choosen boot from CD etc.

Can get the floppy to run, ie mem test etc.

But CD Drive not even trying to install anything. Perhaps that is dead ?

No idea how to get into DOS on this machine ? Anyone >?

(windows 2000)

So the owners are not bothered about having the PC back so i was thinking of either ripping it apart and flogging the stuff, but the HD are only 4GB and 10GB anyhow,

there is a ZIP drive, but im not sure people use them anymore. ?

Anymore ideas of things i could try, Why wont it boot anything from CD. tried to different OS and nothing and like i said the Live Linux OS (Ubuntu)
 
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