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Computer won't boot up

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9 replies

by mulinski

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When I removed my DVD drive, I also pulled out 5 little 2 prong plugs from the mother board leadng to my on/off button on the front of my computer. I tried to put them back as I thought they came out, however, they are all not put back like it should be, I don't have the light on the (on button), but it does turn on and fans are all working, it takes me to a page that said the following dirves can not be found, why I don't know. They are floopy, cd rom, and SCSI drives. I don't have a floopy drive, and I know the SCSI is old, but my computer is 4 years old, what really is confusing to me is, it also tells me to put a boot disk in drive A and press any key to continue, what does this mean? I checked all the plugs and made sure all was in tight, the slave, and the cs are in the right place, it has to be something that I am not understanding, I am not a computer person when it comes dealing with things like this, I can't get into my bios to even see what drives are not working or anything, HELP

9 replies

by older mycroft

We had reached this point:
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=101&threadID=262674&messageID=2490949

As to why the system is asking you to put a disk in the [A;\] FLOPPY drive(as opposed to floopy) is because your BIOS is set with a boot order that begins with the floppy drive. The ONLY thing that is working at the present time is the BIOS and that's where the request is coming from.

The 2nd item on the BIOS boot-sequence is likely to be your hard drive and, normally, after NOT finding a floppy - the BIOS would move on to the hard drive for a program to boot with.

The current problem is that the BIOS cannot find the hard drive so it is stopping at the floppy and asking you to put a disk in that drive. The system message tends to support the assumption made yesterday that the cables to the hard drive have become disconnected in some way.

"[i]I checked all the plugs and made sure all was in tight, the slave, and the cs are in the right place, it has to be something that I am not understanding,[/i]"

Something I am not understanding is why you are still talking about a 'slave'. Yesterday, the advice was to change the [b]slave[/b] optical drive back to [b]master[/b] and plug it into the END of the IDE cable - [i]as a first step.[/i]

Which part of the IDE cable is the optical drive attached to at present?

Did you move the jumpers on the rear of the remaining optical drive to make it the Master setting?

Ultimately your easiest solution would be to put the DVD drive back in to the case - at least that way it was working.

You'll have more success selling a working computer anyway.

With the current low prices for DVD Re-writer drives, you'd be better off selling the old computer complete with the old optical drives, then buying a brand new, [b]cheap[/b], DVD Re-writer if you needed one. :)

by older mycroft

I wasn't pulling out the stops to be nasty, was I ?

Just trying to level the playing-field for today's diagnostics.

No offence intended.

by mulinski

You are right, floppy as opposed to (floopy) does look better, but at 5:00am and working 8 hours looked pretty good to me, sorry for the spelling mistake. I was still talking about the slave and master because what you said did not work either, and as for me wanting to know why I coudn't get into my bios, I now know why, it is not because of my hard drive being disconnected, or what I thought it could be, it is because I have a wireless keyboard and mouse, I need a PS2 keyboard and a mouse that plugs into my computer in order for me to be able to press the F2, without it, I can't press the F2 to fix the problem. But, I do want to thank you for trying to help me, your thoughts of the problem was very helpful, and, no, I am not upset because you made your little funny remarks, I was looking for help and you gave it to me. Thank you so much, and have a great day.

by older mycroft

That's what TR is all about (despite my penchant for sarcasm!). ;)

It's a pity about your keyboard/mouse being of the wireless flavour, however once you DO manage to get access to your BIOS, via PS/2 (and for future reference), you should activate the 'USB Legacy' entry in the BIOS. That will enable a wireless USB receiver during boot-up, thereby preventing this occurrence happening again.

My own system runs with a wireless keyboard/mouse and access to BIOS is smooth and painless.

:)

by computercookie

Still waiting for the coffee to kick in I suppose!

I'll have to finish my red and go to bed !!!

by nepenthe0

I have a PS-2 keyboard standing by for those occasions where I must access the BIOS. Until your posting, I assumed the USB wireless keyboard was forever unrecognized by the BIOS.

Thanks, pal, for your knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge. You are certainly one of the brightest stars of the forum.

Appreciatively,

Rick/Portland, OR

by older mycroft

Grumpy Old Man X-(

...who occasionally, [i]inadvertently[/i], actually posts something worthwhile. :^0

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