Dell 4100 boot problem

[ajax288]

Hi, here's a weird problem.

First a Dell 4100 computer:

PRIMARY MASTER: MAXTOR 10GB
PRIMARY SLAVE: MAXTOR 80GB
SECONDARY MASTER: DVD DRIVE
SECONDARY SLAVE: BURNER

Windows 98 is on the 10GB since a while and now lots of blue screens prevent the computer from entering windows.

I put the 80GB as primary master and used the dell recover cd to dump the win 98 image on that drive.

I did all the necessary change in the bios.

Now when it start it says: No bootable floppy in floppy drive. (not the exact message, I will put the exact one tomorrow but you understand what it means)

So I booted with a windows 98 boot disk. I did "SYS A: C:"
I checked and the sys files are effectively on the hard disk. I reboot and then the same problem. I triple checked the bios. I tester with an other 80GB drive same thing. With the original 10GB that was giving at least a blue screen same problem: "No bootable floppy..." Weird because in the bios you see that the hard drives are well detected.

Then I tried with an old quantum bigfoot 2GB with win98 sys files on it and it worked. Why?!

I tried with the 10GB and the two 80GB on the secondary master and still "No bootable floppy..."

I unpluged the floppy drive and specified that no floppy were connected in the bios and still "No bootable floppy..."

I cleared the cmos, and resetted the default bios value many times and nothing. Why the 10GB worked and then stopped working but a 2GB works!?

thanks for your support.

 

[TekTippy4U]

From what you're describing above, my guess is that the files(not necessarily system) and /or config.... on the 2 drives that don't work are different than your 2gb drive that does....

Boot into safe mode by holding down the CTRL key....right before the win98 startup screen......see if you get the same message.....
Has it worked for a while with the config you first described....?

What just occured to me......Was your orig 10 GB multi partitioned (maybe FAT16 at 2GB each.....??) and the quantum drive as well......not sure yet how it relates....

How old is your BIOS....?

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[ajax288]

The right error message is:

Invalid Boot Diskette
Insert BOOT diskette in A:

Tektippy4u: The sys files on the 2GB and the 80GB are the same. I tried those 2 drives on other computer and it boots.

I can't boot in safe mode because it don't even read any booting files on hard disk.

Yes it worked for a couple years with the first configuration. And the bsod came after some kid deleted unidenfied files. For sure systems files.

The original 10GB is composed of one primary partition of 10GB formatted in FAT32.

Dell Dimension 4100
Bios Version A05
i think bios is from year 2000

Today I tried something new. I installed Win98 from the cd to the 80gb using the win98 installation cd (which is bootable) And after that the system is ok. It boots by itself with the 80GB! That's weird because when it use the win98 bootdisk's sys files, it doesn't work on the dell but it works on other computer like it should always do. When it use a complete win98 installed it works.

Maybe dell has some chip inside to prevent the computer from booting if the os which was sold with the comp isn't installed! I don't know but it works now! I hate Dell, Compaq and HP. They always modify and remove stuff from bios and they always create new design box full of plastic and it really sucks when you are in a hurry and need to remove or install something inside the case because you have to figure out how to unmount everything.

anyway, thanks for looking at my problem.

 

[TekTippy4U]

All i can say is that the errors are Volume boot record errors and relate to the VBR and/or sys files as you said.....
after trying to sort out, what boots with what....and (If I got it)....that 10gb with the win98 oem cd "Will Boot Up and everythings ok"....but that same drive 'will not boot" with the floppy sys win98 files loaded...BUT from which the other HDD "can and do" boot....

All I can say now is it may be the way the Sys files were transferred to floppy that the 10GB can't match up to the Master Boot Record on the drive......
I'm happy you're up and running anyway....though
Peace
TT4u

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.