windows 98 wont boot at bios

[guyinneedofhelp]

i have a windows 98 that i hadnt used in about a year. I got a windows xp so i thought i would give the windows 98 to my son. I started it up and gets stuck on the black screen with the information of the system. I have a boot disk but it wont go into the boot menu. I have been trying to get it working for about a year now. Please Help Me!

[Miz]

First, with the power cable unplugged, open the case and carefully vacuum or blow out all the dust. Check all cables and plugs to make sure they're firmly seated, unplugging and replugging when in doubt. Often removing and reseating the RAM modules (after vacuuming or blowing out their slots) fixes the problem you're having.

Then plug it back in and start it up. Look for a line on the black screen where it stalls out that indicates which key to press to enter "setup." That's the key to get you into the BIOS.

Once in the BIOS, move the floppy drive up to first in the boot order, the CD drive second, the harddrive third. After making that change, put your boot disk in and use the "Exit Saving Changes" option.

That should result in the computer looking first at the floppy drive for a boot disk, then at the CD drive and only then at the harddrive.

[huggy_bear]

disconnect all pluges from the back.
hold down the power button for 30 seconds ( this will discharge any static build up )
then just plug in the mains and the moniter
if it works the start plugging on every thing else one at a time and try booting after each one
if you still have the same problem try flashing you bios if you know how.
if it still down work it looks like a hard ware failure

[Nick Grana]

hold down the power button for 30 seconds ( this will discharge any static build up )

Man, in all my years, this a new one. In other words, never heard of it and doubt it will work.
Following Miz's instruction while you touch inside the computer:
Leave power cord hooked to a live outlet and plugged into the computer with the power switch on the computer off. Touch the back of the computer on the metal part of the power supply. This will discharge you of static. Do this before handling or touching any components in the computer.
If your P/S is an ATX that maintains a small voltage even when switched off, unplug power cord but still follow grounding instructions.
Frequently touch the metal on P/S as you move around to keep yourself free of ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge).

[jtdoom]

Hi
a powerstrip with switch is extremely handy...
no power , and grounded

[Nick Grana]

JT, good point. That would take care of any type of case/power supply.
Still need to follow the touching thing though for the static in your body or wrist straps, or whatever ESD techniques one may use if they are aware of it.

Your in a case on the floor, carpet or whatever, and you just touched the P/S case and grabbed a component. Now you swivel around just a little reaching for another item either inside or outside the case and 30 volts of static can be generated that immediately discharges in the component. It may not kill the component, whatever it is, but it may wound it enough to fail before its time. Therefore the need to constantly ground yourself.

But the perfect day and right conditions, a single static discharge to a component, like a modem board, when you touch it.......ZAP!!! It's dead.

You can probably tell I've been to a couple of ESD classes and worked a few times in an ESD cautious environment, huh?
Wrist straps, standing pads, etc, etc,.