Win98 clean install, refuse to boot problems

[Skouser]

I'm new to web posts and I appear to have already posted this in somebody else's thread for which I apologise.

I've checked all the posts on win98 probs and don't see this one.

Old Computer 256 RAM, 1 x 4Gig and 1 x 14Gig HD's, Pen' 2.

Recently built new computer runnig XP. Want to network old one (above) as a backup. Original OS was XP on 14Gig as master. Formatted both drives FAT32 and jumped 4Gig drive to take Win98 OS and 14Gig as slave. Checked configuration and all okay in Setup.

Now Win98 refuses to complete install, refuses to return on final restart. Then on boot it gets to the Win98 splash screen and the monitor goes blank. Sounds as though it's trying to load as the hard drive is going at it, but the screen stays blank. Tried all the usual stuff using msconfig and safemode (just for fun) but what's the point as it's a newly formatted drive? Sitting here laughing at it. Anyone think they know what's going on?

 

[jimp56]

the monitor never comes back on in safemode? does it finish booting into safe mode? because it sounds as if windows is putting the monitor into a graphics mode it cant handle. can you try a different monitor?

 

[edfair]

If you have a floppy boot disk you could modify the msdos.sys file on the root of c: to allow you the boot menu and try safe mode, and if OK there then a bootlog version to be able to see what is loading.
This is not going to answer the problem, but it will help you to find out what is happening.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Skouser]

First off, thanks guys for helping me with this problem.

Okay, I can get into safemode and through it I have disabled features in turn to see if that makes a difference, it doesn't. I have even tried another HD, fdisked, partitioned, formatted and loaded with Win98, and that does exactly the same thing. I have tried another monitor and the same thing happens, the screen blanks out. But the larger drive, on its own as master, still powers up with XP and everything works fine.

One curious thing, which I have just noticed. I said in my first post that the harddrive is working hard and I think it is loading Win98. But after the spash screen, when the screen goes blank, the monitor makes that clicking sound it makes when it is turned off - when the plasic is contracting. Is it possible for the OS to tell the monitor to turn off?

 

[jimp56]

well, it sounds as if there might be a device driver problem when windows is booting, maybe locking the system or preventing it from booting all the way up.

I was thinking that perhaps the video card was set to go to a high refresh rate when trying to display the desktop, which the monitor couldnt handle, but if a different monitor produces the same results, its probably a resource allocation or driver problem.

What type of graaphics card is it, is it an add-on, or integrated in the system?

 

[G0AOZ]

As it's an old machine, is it worth doing a memory test in case the RAM is failing whilst trying to load the op system and drivers?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Skouser]

Thanks again Guys,

The memory test is okay, and XP loads fine on the larger drive.

There are no resource conflicts and, as you know, safemode isn't the best place for driver exploration

Standard PCI graphics adapter (vga) fitted.

 

[jimp56]

have you tried booting from the master only, with the slave drive disconnected? cant really think of much else, as i've never really seen that happen before unless it was a refresh rate problem, but that really cant be the problem on a fresh install...

 

[Skouser]

Yep! Makes no difference whatsoever.

Grateful thanks jimp56 for your efforts. If I sort it I'll post the solution.

 

[jimp56]

your welcome. You might try installing another graphics card, after disabling/removing the original. and then re-reinstall win98 to see if it makes any difference. maybe for some reason win98 doesnt like the graphics chipset.

 

[micker377]

Standard PCI graphics adapter (vga) fitted"

Is it PCI, or VGA?