Window 98 startup issue

[computerissue]

Hello i am having some major issues starting up Window 98. When i start it It does the usuall Verifying DMI pool data......... Then it show the Windows 98 start up screen (The one with the Clouds in the background). Right after that it goes back to MS-DOS saying Windows 98 is loaded, for some reason. I did the dir command and discovered that the ONLY file on the cpu is command.com. The computer will not read a floppy disk (it says General Error Reading A and it doesn't even know it has a D: drive, Please help me!

 

[edfair]

Sounds like you are beyond help.

You might try a google search for "partition table rebuild" and the search might point you to the dozen or so programs that will rebuild a partition table after an accidental wipeout.

But it sounds to me like there has been too much stuff done to the drive to have a chance to recover.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[computerissue]

Thanks, but it did no good, but i was wondering if a new motherboard would fix the problem?

 

[onlymel]

computerissue: - Hi, If your thinking that a new motherboard would help then I would try reformatting "C" drive first. Assuming windows is installed on "C". Back up whatever you need before doing so.

Mel in the UK

 

[edfair]

Sorry Mel, he doesn't have anything. The problem is he has already formatted the drive.

computerissue,
A replacement motherboard is going to find the same thing. You have lost all your installation and to make it work again you'll need to reload the operating system and your programs.
Get a bootdisk at

http://www.bootdisk.com

, boot with it and move to the CD (you have an install CD, don't you) and run setup.
That will reinstall the OS. If you need a d: drive you do that with fdisk off the floppy before you let the Cd install.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[web144]

Though it does sound like your C drive may be corrupted, the fact that your A drive is not working and you have no D drive sounds like you should first check your BIOS. All the basic hardware settings are stored there, and if your hard drives are not detected in the BIOS, you won't get any further.

Could be just the battery that keeps the BIOS settings is getting weak. In any case, if hard drives are set to AUTO, you should see them as the PC boots. If you "detect the hard drives" and set them manually, you won't; but either way you know they are being detected.

It must have more files than command.com, since you see the Clouds.bmp file...

 

[computerissue]

Thanks for the boot disk idea i'll try it right now, i'll tell you if it worked