floppy reads at boot, but then ...stops

[wigz]

Hi,
Just got an old pentium 550 off a freind, and am trying to use a startup disk to format the HD, so I can reinstall W98 etc...
Once the floppy has been checked on boot, the bios screens flash by, and it normally gets to:
Verifying pool data

Then just halts..stops....the cursor just flashes away indefinatley...and sometimes, after the boot screen (one with BIOS string on) it goes to a blank screen, with that little white flashing cursor again...
Im sure all the BIOS settings are right (but maybe I could be wrong?)
Any way, Its really starting to bug me now, Ive tried different floppy drives, connectors & startup disks..but to no avail...
Though someone here might be able to push me in the right direction?

Fingers crossed.
Wigz

 

[mikecx]

Read the posts on

thread602-323907 to be the same problem.

 

[ceh4702]

If you can boot to a floppy stick a win98 emergency boot disk in there and see if you can see the hard drive. Sounds like the computer can not detect the hard drive.
Tell us what happens when you type: "c:[enter]" from the A: prompt. ([enter]=press enter key). You need to get your floppy working. If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.