Dead computer????

[Be_Dazz_led]

Hi guys n gals, need some help badly methinks. Trying to help a friend with a computer he was given as a gift but I am wayyyy out of my depth here...I can program the things but I dunno how to make them start lol
Here's the deal. From switching on computer it goes thru these display screens (I've logged basically everything that looked like holding any information...not exact copy)

BIOS v4.50GG
Pentium-S CPU at 75Mhz
32Mb Ram

AwardPlug n Play BIOS Extension V1.0A

Initialising Plug and Play Cards...
PNP Initialised

--------

Thats the first screen...memory test goes okay

-------
CPU Type : Pentium S
Co-Processor : Installed
CPU Clock : 75 Mhz
Base Memory 640k
Extended Memory 31744k
Cache Memory 256k

Primary Master : None
Primary Slave : Type 45, 104mb
Secondary Master : None
Secondary Slave : Type 45, 104Mb
Display Type EGA/VGA
Serial Ports 3F8 2F8
Parallel Ports 378

Pipeline Burst SRAM

---------

Screen then goes blank and comes up with this error

Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disc and Press Enter



Okay, now we have windows 95 on floppy disc and also a boot disc that came with it...insert boot disc...error returns...insert windows setup floppy...error returns.

Basically, is the patient dead or just very ill? lol

Thanks, all help appreciated.

 

[griffinspc]

Primary Master : None
Primary Slave : Type 45, 104mb
Secondary Master : None
Secondary Slave : Type 45, 104Mb

The problem is you have a machine that either has no Master hard drive or the drive that is installed now listed as Primary Slave has the jumper set wrong.

This can get a little confusing but here goes. Every machine needs to have at least one hard drive set to be the Primary Master with an active partition. It looks on the surface as though your friends PC may have had a drive in it that was removed which was the Primary.

I assume this is an old PC from the description you gave. If this is true you're left with a 100 MB hard drive that the previous owner used as a slave or secondary drive. If I'm correct it's to small to do much with. You'll use all that space up just installing Windows properly. It needs a new drive but here's the problem with that. For that age computer you'll have to find a compatible drive. One that will be recognized by the BIOS for size.

You may want to think real hard about putting any money in this machine. It's just not up to todays computing. Not enough processor speed, not enough ram, not enough hard drive space and most programs today require a minimum P-200 and 64 MB ram.

Am I correct about this being "well" used?

 

[Be_Dazz_led]

Thanks ever so much for the speedy reply. Well used is apparently the understatement of the decade lol. When I saw the 75Mhz clock speed I thought uh oh straight away but I thought that maybe I was missing something. I kinda figured the absence of a primary master was not exactly right, but the guy who has it now isnt exactly rich and so I was hoping that the drive was there just not detected. I went into setup tho and let it try and autodetect it and it wouldnt. But still, I dunno much about these things. Your diagnosis and advice ring true with me and it is with regret that I must pass on news of the deceased to my buddy. Ah well.
Thanks for your time,
Good Luck.

 

[griffinspc]

The one last thing you could check is if the cable is connected to the secondary post on the mobo but I'd still make a planter out of it.

 

[deuce]

Do you have any used computer stores in your area, such as "Computer Rennasaince"? If you do, go to one of those used stores and ask them if they have any drives that will work in your machine. If they have them they will probably be under $15 to $20. (I'm thinking 6 GB or less) Also you could ask them what kind of 3 to 4 year old machines they have. If your buddy really wants to use that 75Mhz, then it is possible, but I fell he wouldn't get much done... Today your buddy can get a pretty good 166 - 300 Mhz system for probably only $50 to $100 (at most) You can also look in the classifieds... just remember if you do get a used system, just make sure you have the person bring you all the way into windows t make sure it works ok. Paying just a little extra for a new system would make a big difference in performance.

Mike