divide overflow error 1

[pawz]

hello all. I am in the process of putting a populated hard drive into a newer system (but we are talking old computers here). Win 98 is the OS. The machine runs normally with its original HDD in, but when I put the 'new' one in it freezes on boot-up. I ran setup on it and that was ok until it got to restart (starting Windows for the first time) and then it hangs. No device drivers have been loaded yet. No chipset drivers etc, so am puzzled at what can be the problem.

If I am quick enough to press esc before the splash screen I see the reason it is hanging is because 'my program has caused a divide overflow error'. As I am not in Windows or using a program, this is still bootup, I am suspicious that this is a spurious error message.
The bootup doesn't get through the POST, just locks as soon as the splash screen appears.

I can get in via safe mode, but of course cannot then use the cd-rom drive.

Any ideas please?

 

[satrow]

If you need the CD, boot to safe mode command prompt only (from F8) and type win /d :m (then enter). Run Msconfig and rem out any non standard entries; Device Manager and remove any hardware that is not present on the machine.

Andy.

 

[pawz]

hi Andy, thanks for your help. I can't access the menu from the boot screen. It goes into safe mode on Ctrl and I don't see a menu at all. I have tried F3 F5 and F8 with no result. However, I have slaved it now and can get in to the disk in normal, so can access the files. I am about to have another poke around now that it is not running in DOS compatibility mode and I can get to the cd-rom. Can you advise as to what else I should do and where to go?

I looked in sysedit but couldn't see anything there that would be a problem.As yet no 3rd party device drivers should have been loaded in the Windows setup as it never got to that stage, and I had already removed the Intel bus drivers that were on the drive(this is a SIS chipset).

If I install the SIS chipset driver while the problem drive is slaved, can I ensure they go to the proper places on the slaved drive rather than on the primary?
I don't think the chipset driver is the problem mind, but it would help to have the correct drivers in place for the board methinks.

 

[Jomama46]

I am not sure what a "populated drive" is. But make sure the new drive is jumpered correctly. Some are "single drive only" or "master with slave" and the jumper settings are different for each.
Try it without another drive installed, as it is an old mach, boot up and go directly to BIOS settings, if the drive settings are correct, "Exit and save changes", then reboot.
GL

Jomama

 

[satrow]

Keep trying the F8 for the boot menu. It may just be your timing.

Andy.

 

[pawz]

thankyou GL

By 'populated' I mean that it has its own OS, files, drivers etc in place, some of which need to be replaced with the motherboards integrated chipset drivers.

It has come from an Intel chipset board to a SIS chipset board.

BIOS auto configures the HDD and it is recognised and has the correct parameters in the bootup screen

Configured as 'slave' it is recognised and runs. Configured as 'master' it is recognised but hangs with the overflow divide error before any device drivers are loaded.

 

[pawz]

yes, ok Andy, I will try again

 

[pawz]

hi Andy (satrow). I got the menu by Ctrl in the end and followed your instructs, but then I am told that Himem.sys is missing, and am offered the C: prompt. Do I navigate to C: dir windows\system to access msconfig from DOS, is that what you meant?

I can get in by safe mode anyway... sorry if I am being a bit dense, don't know many switches and such ( but I am willing to learn!)

 

[satrow]

You can't access Msconfig from Dos but you can check/edit your autoexec.bat and config.sys. If you can get Safe Mode, run Msconfig from there, also go to Device Manager and remove any hardware that is not present on the current machine.

Andy.

 

[pawz]

Hi Andy - sorted. Once I got to the menu I tried the step-by-step confirm option, and I found that as soon as I loaded start-up devices(config), the error came up. It appeared to be the atapi cd-rom driver, so I rem'ed that out and all went smoothly after that. I have removed the line altogether now and all is well and progressing normally. Thank you very much for your advice, much appreciated

 

[Jomama46]

The next time you want to put a "populated" drive into a different mach, go to Regedit and delte the whole ENUM key. This holds all the HW info. When Windows boots up it will rediscover all the new HW without conflicts.

Jomama

 

[satrow]

Doesn't look like that would have bypassed the problem here, Jomama46; good idea normally!

Andy.

 

[pawz]

thanks for that tip Jomama, I will try that out on one of my own machines sometime. V useful.
What would be the correct technospeak for 'populated' hard drive then?

 

[Hexcot]

Hi,

I have the same problem. Let me explain, how it happen today morning..

When I started my PC, it gave me two option, F1 RUN Setup and F10 Enter CMOS setting. I used to get this screen so many times and I used to enter in CMOS and just press F10 to save and Exit. Today, I press F1 and then after I am helpless. I am getting divide overflow error and not able to enter CMOS.

Using F8, i m getting menu but with all that option, I am getting same divide overflow error. Please help me ...

Andy, Where are you..

 

[pawz]

Hexcot, you would stand more chance of getting help by starting a new thread, this one is a year old...

Gracie