Will no longer boot up (win98se)

[inquisitive]

For ages the computer would start up with the screen:

did not shut down properly (even if had used the shut down)

it would happily go through a few pages of 'internal info of whats in my computer, then go to win scan and stay for few seconds why the little yellow bar at the bottom filled up - it would then go to scan for bad sectors (which I learned (after waiting several hours for this to complete for the first few times), I learned could just press 'x' to exit and the computer would burst into life with my home page and would work just fine........... so I got used to this (after several years now).

But Now..... its changed

first - it went through usual routine but on scanning yellow bar, it used a new pop up saying 'found in-valid file with too long a path name'

then it showed another new pop up saying 'searching for crossd files' (something like that)
first time it took ages but eventually got to work.

next start up: it did same again, but this time did not progress any further

next start up/reboot: it didnt get past the first page, where it just says the system and the id code.

next start up: not even a bit of writing - just blank, black screen.

Q
how can i get it to start up whilst preserving whats on the C drive ( the computer also has a D drive which is just used to store big video editing files (I use premierre on this computer).

Thoughts and ponderings would be greatly appreciated, thanks
stephen

[leroys1000]

Start by changing the CMOS battery on the motherboard.
It's a small,flat watch battery.
Sounds like an older system,and has probably gone dead.
There is a number on the battery,so you can get the same type.

[inquisitive]

Thanks. I'll make a note of number and get a new one.
just for info I,ve added this line to the above account and got it to go through its proceedure after a rest and remembered it mentioned this bit before. (just for info, it start up again and faded as said before), so I'll go get a battery and get the head of steam up again (hopefully):cool:


first - it went through usual routine but on scanning yellow bar, it used a new pop up saying 'found in-valid file with too long a path name'

then....


cheers

[davet30]

Before delving into the laptop it might be worth looking at the reply from MIZ on another topic. He made a comment about laptops you might just want to read first...

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129624

[winsong]

Not sure where the 'laptop' came from, did I miss something?

If the CMOS battery corrects your problem, back up your 'C' drive and find a replacement. The drive is slowly going out.

If the CMOS battery does not correct your problem, can you get the system up in safe mode?

In command line only?

[inquisitive]

Thanks. Had a read of the artical and put both ideas together..........

1.remove battery... and replace with new
2.remove battery for 10 mins or up to hour to drain bios

I removed the old and replaced with new 1 hour later


When plugged back in and started up computer, there was life in the fans and the functioning diodes, but no usual bleeps, the working diode was red (im sure it is usually green) and no info what so ever on the monitor.

tried a few starts and reboots from the front buttons..... no start up
....... Im assuming that the reset defaults for the bios comes up on the screen during the start up DOS bit.

any ideas
are my hard drive contents safe during all this?

cheers

[winsong]

Check your cables/connectors. Make sure nothing got disconnected when you were working with the battery.

No display and no beeps usally indicates a bad power connection or a short (like maybe the HD bit the dust).

[inquisitive]

This may move away from win98se now as have a plan!

I have another maching running win xp with lots of usb ports.... Ive just purchased a 250gb external usb HD and it works fine and is ready.
Ive also just bought an internal hd caddy which runs on usb as well.

THE PLAN
to take out my hd from old computer that wont boot up and pop it in the caddy to work as a storage hd not the operating system start up hd..... then if i can ''look'' at the content files i can copy (back them up) onto the other 250 hd - this will save the files, hopefully.

Q
the hd is set to master at momment - Im assuming I will have to move the jumpers to set it to slave
If so where do I set the jumpers.... there is no diag on the hd

HD model is WD400EB 40GB
Jumper config at moment is ::::I (5pairs with jumper on last)

what should the jumper be set to for a slave in a caddy on a usb port?

cheers

[black mirror]

Before delving into the laptop it might be worth looking at the reply from MIZ on another topic. He made a comment about laptops you might just want to read first...

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129624

If i may correct you here Miz is in fact a lady Moderator:D

[leroys1000]

For USB,just remove the jumper to set master for WD.
Do a web search for western digital to find jumper settings
in there support section.
I couldn't get the link to work because they use scripts.
Where the jumper is now,i think is cable select.

[inquisitive]

ok, have run my plan and somewhat releived at result.

both new hard drives showed up on my xp computer via usb ports (the hd from my old computer was set to 'single' and bridged across pins 4&6. see link below, but it is specific to the WD type HDs)
http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=84&p_created=1005005461&p_sid=Ze76*jlh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9MTcmcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1zZWFyY2hfZm5sJnB fcHJvZF9sdmwxPTkxJnBfcHJvZF9sdmwyPSZwX2NhdF9sdmwxP TEyMyZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWp1bXBlciBzZXR 0aW5ncw**&p_li=

the files from the old HD were transfered to the 250GB (very sexy looking freecom external harddrive) and so still exist and are now backed up on another drive as well.

Q
still have to ressolve what went wrong with win98se start up..... am having a think.

cheers

[davet30]

Doh!!!!!!!!!!!

My apologies