Windows 98se startup problem

[funkjunky]

At start up b4 windows can start I get the following: "Type the name of the command interpreter". I have not been able to get passed this and have tried to wipe the hard disk when trying to do this I get the following "Invalid Track 0 Bad- disk unusable" The hard disk is not very old and should not have failed.

 

[TekTippy4U]

Boot to a Startup Floppy and type SYS C: (hit Enter for effect)..take out floppy when done and reboot normally

if prob, boot from floppy again - type C:\ (enter)
when at C:\
type SET

if nothing happens/shows - type CD WINDOWS (enter)
type SET

paste the contents here

TT4U

Notification:
These are just my thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs

 

[ski]

In addition to the TekTippy's great suggestions, also try this:
Start with the Windows boot floppy inserted, select 'Start without CD-ROM support', press Enter, at the A:\> prompt type C: and press Enter, at the C:\> prompt type fdisk /mbr and press Enter, remove the floppy, and restart normally.

 

[funkjunky]

Thanks for the advice - When I try any of above I get " Data error reading drive C:" The drive also seems to be "chugging" round. Could this all be down to a damage hard drive?

 

[algraff]

Yep. If FDISK can't find it, there's a good possibility that it's dead. Check the cable connections to make sure they're tight, otherwise a trip to the freezer might be in order.

http://www.algraff.com

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http://www.bv.k12.oh.us

 

[funkjunky]

Forget above - Tried Set and got following:

C:\SET
config=NOCD
PROMPT=$P$G
EXPAND=YES
DIRCMD=/0:N
RAMD=D
TEMP=C:\
TMP=C:\
PATH=D:\;A:\E:\
COMSPEC=D:\COMMAND.COM
CMDLINE=SYS c:

c:\>

 

[funkjunky]

The freezer??

 

[micker377]

Yes, freezer! When the hard drive fails completely, sometimes you can get temporary use (long enough to get your data off), before you through it out.

It's not "will your harddrive die, it's when will your harddrive die"!

"Back-ups? I thought YOU did the bac.....

 

[TekTippy4U]

it's all junk funk
Funk the junk and be done with it!


TT4U

Notification:
These are just my thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs

 

[edfair]

You might want to download the manufacturer's diagnostic disk and run it. Occasionally hard drives will get seriously glitched and a "zero fill" will bring it back to life if the diagnostic doesn't find anything wrong.

Although I am a proponent of the "freezer" method I think it is seriously overrated as a miracle cure. With stepper versions of MFM and RLL it worked as long as you did a continuous track reformat with Gibson while it was coming back up to temperature, but for heat related board problems blowing air on them did just as well. And for frozen shafts, the stiction cure worked fine.


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

 

[TekTippy4U]

from your SET statement, it's looks like your trying to boot off the Slave drive, and /or have tried (possibly succeeded to a degree) installing on the slave.....or you took that SET snapshot just after booting from floppy.

Disconnect all drives except the Primary master (make sure the jumper is set to master) and the Sec master (CDROM), turn of both slaves in the BIOS, set CDROM as 1st boot device, make sure "use both IDE channels" is set in BIOS.
Disconnect all peripherals, except mouse, keyboard, monitor
Try again.

If using a 98 OEM see faq615-5157
If not, then Boot from floppy w/cdrom support
your cd drive will become E:\ (if you follow paragraph above)
change to E:\ from A:\ and type setup.exe

never hurts to run the HDD's Manu. diagnostics utility first....if you zero filll, then definitely run the diagnostics afterward before setup

TT4U

Notification:
These are just my thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs