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What's wrong with my pc?

  • Thread starter jimscott
  • Start date

jimscott

Tropical Fish Enthusiast
Mind you, I'm using still using Windows 98. Today I had to shutdown by physically unplugging the tower from the surge protector, because the power button wouldn't respond. But when I started up again, I got this screen whereby there was a message about a boot error and that I needed to insert a disk into drive A. I tried CTRL ALT DEL, but that just shut the pc down. Starting it up again only gets the same error message. What is wrong with that thing?
 
Stupid Question: Are all discs out of all drives?
 
Make sure there are no disks in any drives. Is the PC getting to Windows or is it stopping at a black screen before loading Windows?
 
How far along the boot process do you get before you see the screen? E.G. Do you get to the point where you see the Win98 startup picture?

This sounds like an issue which will probably involve a lot of explaining (I can get to this screen, then this happens, and this is exactly what it says.)
The more you can tell us, the more we can narrow it down. Could be something simple.

Does it tell us what disk it wants you to insert? And you're sure you don't already have a diskette in? (no booting with disks in!)
 
Jim, I hate to tell you this, but from the sounds of it your Hard Drive just crashed. Now that is preliminary mind you, since a little more details is warented. It could be just a bad bootsector or needing a re-install of 98. I had a microsoft tech tell me that to keep windows running smooth required a re-install every 6 months. Now I don't practice that, but sometimes it does help to get things running smooth again. You may need to just replace the hard drive and go. Or just need to reinstall and go. Will not know till a more exact desciption is given. Well I;m off to work. Have a nice day.
 
Ummm, jimscott hellooo ? Come on buddy you can make it, snap out of it ! Boot dang it BOOT !! ........... Clear ! ............
 
If it does require a reinstall, don't reinstall 98, eww! Install xp!
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jimscott @ Aug. 17 2006,9:06)]Mind you, I'm using still using Windows 98.
There's your problem, right there.
 
can't wait until vista comes out!
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I had a microsoft tech tell me that to keep windows running smooth required a re-install every 6 months.

It'd also be a good idea to, you know, put in a new heart every now and then. Prevent any sort of error from arising. Sure you'll spend time between surguries in bed and recooperating, and sometimes the operations will have snags- but hey you'll be jellin' and runnin' smoothly.
I hope you don't mistake this for sarcastic.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Will not know till a more exact desciption is given.

That says it right there. While Josh was right in saying that it could be a hard drive problem, or you need to reinstall windows- it could be something much more simple. We need more info and to eliminate some possabilities before we can really say anything definitive.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]If it does require a reinstall, don't reinstall 98, eww! Install xp!

Just my opinion here, but considering the disparity of resources consumed between 98 and XP and the seemingly change in number of crashes- I'm not too impressed. And if Jim's machine is older, I'm not really sure if it's a good idea anyway.
Windows 98 was a beast, but at least I had it at bay, I knew the ins and outs and when something went wrong, I could generally go to the source of the problem without all the hubbub. Seems like XP is still a beast, albeit more complex.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]There's your problem, right there.

Viable replacement? We're talkin' without hardware change, here. Linux? Right. It's a bit too steep for a first timer to go through without any outside help. Unless your outside help is a person, it could be an arduous and time consuming task to get everything going with linux (even though I consider it a far superior OS.) XP? Reasons stated above? Wait for VISTA or something? Yeah, uh no- same reasons and more.
Go back to windows 3.1? Well, at least there wouldn't be any viruses!
Don't even think about saying MAC OS. >_>

Nah, I'd consider optimal to be 98 SE (second edition) in this case. Requires no hardware changes, same environment, little more stable than 98, but still the same beast that you've started to learn how to tame.
Maybe windows 2000 (had fairly good experience with it, and I assume Jim isn't going to be hardcore rocking out with new games.)


Now we <s>dance</s> wait for more information...
 
  • #11
I sure would not go to 2000 It's worse than 98. Heck 95 is better than 2000, it just doesn;t support USB. 2000 and ME were crap. Stick with 98 SE. Because of the sounds of it, your computer will not be able to handle XP. For XP to run efficiently it needs atleast a gig of ram. Before I get jumped I know it will run with less, but the key word is efficiently. PLus the CPU is probably not up to par for XP either. The 98 machine I have has a mentium 2 in it. No where need fast enough for the beast XP. I duno what Jim is running, but if it came with 98 its sure not going to handle XP.
 
  • #12
Thanks for all the replies! I'm using the church computer right now - XP, Broadband,... breath of fresh air...

I can't remember exactly where it does this message, other than the message comes up in the black screen I DO remember it showing the the Gateway picture. I think I remember it going through the blue MS picture, but I'm not certain. I have no money to buy anything new or different, so installing XP or buying a new CPU is out. My son, who fancies himself a computer guru, independent of this thread, says that I need to have a clean reinstall. There are no disks in any of the drives, I'm the only one who uses it (the kids play on their pc). This computer is the original. I've replaced all other hardware but this. It does come with a Windows 98 Restoration CD, if that helps.

I hope this narrows the possibilities down a bit. I'm open to suggestions.... other than that of buying something new.
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Est @ Aug. 18 2006,2:31)]Viable replacement?  We're talkin' without hardware change, here.
Actually, I have a Pentium II 333 Mhz desktop (circa 1997) running Win XP, and a PII 233 MHz laptop (circa 1998) running XP just fine.

The desktop also has an 80 GB hard drive, 384 MB RAM, a DVD drive, an nVidia GeForce3 graphics card... it may be a tad slow, but it runs Office 2000, does email and internet explorer, and allows my children (it is in their bedroom) to watch DVDs and access my entire music collection on my central server.
 
  • #14
If the drive crashed, reinstalling isn't an option.

Good news is an equivalent hard drive could be bought for slightly more than shipping on ebay or something... 98-era hardware is virtually free.

Bad news is, in that case, personal files are gone.
 
  • #15
Get someone who knows about PC's to take out the hard drive and copy all your personal stuff onto another drive. Then format and reinstall windows.
 
  • #16
[b said:
Quote[/b] (CopcarFC @ Aug. 18 2006,10:33)]Get someone who knows about PC's to take out the hard drive and copy all your personal stuff onto another drive.  Then format and reinstall windows.
I think my son can do that! Thanks.
 
  • #17
Before going with an 8 year old, unsupported operating system, at least consider Ubuntu and if it's really old, Xubuntu, both of which are free and extremely well supported with a great community. I'm currently running Ubuntu on a computer built on 1/12/1999. It's amazing what Linux can do. If I didn't know better, I would think this computer is a year old. I can do everything Windows 98 would allow me to do plus it's still being supported, updated and patched. It's almost guaranteed to be immune to viruses and malware and virtually any program you would need for it would be free. If you have any questions give me a holler!

~ Brett
 
  • #18
I just asked my son about whether he made progress with it. Apparently, he used a very old Windows 98 disk he had and he did a scandisk, using DOS, instead of Windows and Windows repaired itself. That was my understanding of what transpired. And I didn't lose anything.
smile.gif
 
  • #19
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I sure would not go to 2000 It's worse than 98.

IME Millenium edition was crap, but 2000 was good once you delt with the fact that it was NT based (easier said than done.)

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I just asked my son about whether he made progress with it. Apparently, he used a very old Windows 98 disk he had and he did a scandisk, using DOS, instead of Windows and Windows repaired itself. That was my understanding of what transpired

How nice of windows! It broke itself, do the least it could do is let you make it fix itself! lol Good thing you got it fixed. This problem is just a pain in the rear end because there's sooo many things it could be. The fact that we'd have been giving advice without being able to see it would have compounded the problem.

When windows tries to commit suicide, you just need to out-dumb it (you need to think, if I were dumb, what would I make someone do to fix me?) It's a pain because you need a smart person to think dumb- not anybody can make themself think at this level of dumb!

In any case, glad you got it all fixed. At the end of the day, you can always replace a hard drive, but if it's truely bork'd then getting data off of it can be next to impossible. Hooray!
 
  • #20
Typing live, from ole' faithful Gateway G6-400c, thanks, J.T.!
smile.gif
My next computer will be a hand-me-down XP!
 
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