Resolved Windows OS cd won't boot

Update...I copied the win98 program you suggested to a floppy and set it as the only boot device, but it won't work. Do I need to extract the files before I copy them to a cd????

 

Can you take out the hard drive and the memory sticks so you can test them in another machine.

 

I don't have another computer tp put them in. I did make the floppy at a friends system , but I get the message that there is no boot device. I went to setup and disabled all but the floppy with same results. What I am wondering is: Did I reset the bios when I removed the battery? Also, is there a way to fix a possible MBR problem if I can't even get to a cmd prompt? How would I update the MB bios as well?

 

OK, still a problem.

Two things will help us help you. Can you confirm that you followed the instruction in the link PeteC gave you to replace the battery and restore the bios. And can you also confirm that you followed PeteC's instruction to make the boot floppy disc and can you test it in your friends machine to make sure it is OK.

 

Thanks again for the help.....I did try the floppy and it booted fine in his system. I have now put my HD in his case and it is installing the OS right now. I dont see the option in setup on my system to reset to factory defaults since I have the 1 page setup. Now, when the hd is formatted and I put it back in my case, will it boot?

 

I understand from this that you have not restored the bioswithout which the computer will not boot. In the link PeteC has given you there is a download for your bios and instructions to install it from a floppy.

Was there a period before the reboot problem occured that anything else went wrong e.g. the time and date settings?

 

not that I recall....I will look back and see about the bios...thanks

 

I am sorrty, but I don't see the link he gave me for the bios dl and update...which post number was it?

 

And the link in post 28 will give you all the drivers you will need and a copy of the bios.

 

I really appreciate both of you helping..I am nearly at my wits end...I copied the bios.exe to a floppy and it finally responded with a long pause, but I don't know if it updates anything. It shows bios A12 which I think is the latest. When I try to boot normally, it says "no primary master drive found" I then loaded up the OS cd and tried again to boot so I could do the repair install you suggested. It gives me a boot error and select f1 to continue or f2 to setup...what now??

 

First lets confirm a few things so we are all clear on the present status of your computer.

1. Did you follow the directions below to install the bios.
2. Have you got the HD back in your machine with the OS that you installed on your friends computer.
3. Have you reloaded all the drivers for your computer as per the link in post 28.

If your answer is no to any of the above please complete each operation and then try to boot the OS disc once more and report back with the response.

 

ok, I took the floppy that I made of the win98 boot and tried to copy that exe file to it, but there was not enough room to add it...
I have now re-booted with the floppy and I have an "A:\" Above that I have an error message that states" Win98 has detected that drive C does not contain a valid FAT or FAT 32 partition. Run FDISK from the cmd prompt to partition "
Remember that this HD was formatted on another computer..

 

Erase the floppy and try again to get your bios done.

After a few searches it seems this is a common problem with your computer and it does appear to be a bios related problem. If you cannot find the 'restore to default' setting in your set up then you need to be certain that the bios is installed. We cannot move on with this problem until the bios is correctly set up.

Perhaps you could also answer this: Why did you decide to re-install your operating system (I am refering to the time when you first found you had a problem) what had been going wrong?

 

Geno, Ooops and sorry I missed your comments in post 34 about the bios version A12 showing up on screen. Thanks to PeteC this does now confirm that your bios is installed.

Now try these instructions again to try and get the system to boot from the CD. Set it up as instructed and then put the XP disc in the drive before you reboot and report back what happens.

NOTE. This will only set the system to do the next boot from the CD after which it reverts back to the hard drive.

If it now boots from the XP disc continue with a re-install.

 

Thanks Pete and Mark...The reason for this in the first place is that my sister brought this to me to remove viruses, etc. It was badly corrupted, so she wanted me to completely re-format and re-install the OS. At first I ran AVG, Spybot and Malwarebytes and it kept on finding re-generating Trojans. This is why I decided to format.