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Computer won't boot up

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17 replies

by mulinski

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I took my DVD drive out of my computer becasue I was selling it, by accident I pulled out 5 little plugs which came off the on/off button, I did manage to get them back on in the right place, some of them anyway, and the computer starts up and takes me to a page that said my floopy drive, CD Rom, and my SCSI drive can't be found. Boot disk in A and press any key to continue, I have no idea what they are talking about, HELP

17 replies

by older mycroft

Before we (or at least I) can offer a solution we (I) would prefer to know the following:

Make and model of computer?
Which on/off button? - Are these on the PC case?
By SCSI do you mean SATA? [i](I haven't seen a SCSI drive in 14 years)[/i]
Does your system have a floppy drive?

Which operating system do you have?

by mulinski

Windows XP, and the computer was built for me, and no I don't have a floopy drive, and it does say SCSI. The on/off button on the case, the one I press to start the computer, when I took out the drive, I accidently pulled out 5 little 2 prong plugs, one being the reset, power switch, hdd led, speaker and one has nothing written on it, I don't know, I got them back together, and some how it came on for me, and this is where it took me to the page that said the floopy drive, and CD rom and SCSI can't be found, I don't have a floopy drive, I am really confused about this, the computer is about 4 years old.

by ic-it

Open the case back up and verify the drive cables and power cables are connected.

by mulinski

I only took off the cables the were on the DVD drive, there are no otehr cables to hook up, the CD Rom is already connected, all cables and power cabes are connected. I don't know what it means when they say boot disk in A and hit any key to continue.

by ic-it

Check the cable position and the jumpers of the remaining drives.
Example if the DVD was at the end of the cable its jumper was set for either cable select or master. Now if the CD was on the same cable (middle position) and it is set to cable select - you need to unplug the IDE cable and use the end connector. If it was set to Slave, than change it to CS and plug it into the end that originally had the DVD.
Double check the Hard drive's cable it may be loose. Check your manual (or hold down a key while powering on) to access the BIOS and see which drives are being recognized, as well as the boot order.
edited to correct fat finger errors.

by Former member

And click on "load Default settings", then "save and exit", then your computer should bootup fine.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by mulinski

I am sorry, but, I am not sure what you mean go into my bios, click on load default settings, then save and exit, how do I do this, I don't mean to be (dumb) in all of this, but, I am not good at fixing computers at all and don't know what some things are, like bios. Please explane this to me, thank you so much for trying to help me.

by Former member

You are looking at a black screen with white text above showing something like [AMI BIOS VERSION 6]. Now if you look down to your bottom left (if you miss it do not worry, just press the small button on your computer, this is called a "soft reset" button, your computer will re-boot) you will see something like [F2] or [DEL] for bios (without the boxes). You will need to press one of these keys from your keyboard (on top of your keyboard the keys are listed something like [f1.F2.F3 etc]). this will then take you into a page that will be either blue with white text or black with white text, now have a look for "Load default settings" it should be to your bottom right of your screen, click on this and then accept "save" and Exit", your computer should start up normally

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by mulinski

I checked the cables, and they are all in tight, but, what I really don't understand is, why is it telling me to put a boot disk in A and press any key to continue, I don't even have a floopy drive on my computer, I mean, it is about 4 years old, but, a floopy drive. What else could it be for me to get this computer to boot up?

by ic-it

Did you verify the Jumpers and drive positions?

You are being asked for the floppy because that is still in the Boot order. You will need to access your BIOS.

by nepenthe0

After you [i]power on[/i] the computer, you should be able to access the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), which resides on the Motherboard. Keyboard commands allow you to navigate the BIOS menu (they're posted on the menu).

Sony computers allow you to access the BIOS by re-tapping the F2 key after [i]power on[/i]. You must re-tap the correct function key [b]before[/b] Windows loads. Check your User Guide for the correct function key. Then follow Peconet Tietokoneet's excellent advice.

Rick/Portland, OR

by mulinski

Thank you so much for trying to help me with this problem, I couldn't understand why when I was pressing F2 it wouldn't take me to the bios to reboot, now I think I know why, I have a wireless keyboard and mouse, I really think I need a PS2 keyboard and a mouse that plugs into my computer for this to work for me, I can't hit F2 or any of the numbers without it, I had a friend who had the same problem and she got a PS2 keyboard and was able to hit the F2 and do what she needed to do. I will have to get a boot disk and try to fix it that way, or get the PS2 keyboard. But, I really want to thank you so much for trying to help me, your information was very helpful.

by rob miners

See if this helps.
Check the batteries in your keyboard and mouse.
Press the KB/Mouse Connect button on your power connector.
Press the Connect button on the bottom of your wireless keyboard.
Press the Connect button on the bottom of your wireless mouse.

by nepenthe0

True Blue, I've encountered this glitch with a 2001 Sony desktop. The BIOS energizes the PS-2 port, and one cannot halt the boot process with a wireless USB keyboard. My workaround was the same: a spare $10 PS-2 keyboard for emergencies.

We must remember that there are a lot of older computers out there, and many cannot display the BIOS menu without PS-2 keyboards. I should have sounded a warning, but it totally skipped my mind.

Rick/Portland, OR

by Former member

Regarding your other keyboard, hopefully it will work.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

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