Missing Operating System

[Chandra]

I have searched The threads to see if I could solve my problem, but didn't see anything. Anyway, my I get a message Saying missing operating system. I tried to boot it with the floppy and all but don't get nothing. I deleted Windows 95 After I upgraded to 98. So all I have is the upgrade version of win '98. Anyone have some suggestions for me to try, without spending an arm and leg?

 

[DoyceJ]

Other than pointing you at this (which may or may not help) I wont be of much help.

http://forums.techguy.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40963&highlight=deleting+windows+95

 

[Rollin' Rog]

Welcome to the board Chandra,

could you give us a little more detail about what happens when you try to boot from a floppy? Does the floppy drive spin at all? Do you get to an a:\> prompt?

If the floppy is not accessed at all it may be because it is not first in the boot order in the BIOS. Usually the first screen you see when the computer boots will tell you what key to press to enter the BIOS, it must be done immediately.


http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000181.htm

 

[Chandra]

When I turn it on it does its detecting stuff. Says floppy disk ailed(40). Than goes to configuration screen, under that is when it says missing operating system. If I hit del while it is detecting It brings me to CMOS SETUP UTILITY.

 

[Rollin' Rog]

I'm not sure what BIOS type you have, but if you got there hitting the DEL key it is probably an Award BIOS.

You should have BIOS features screen with a Boot Sequence option. Open the attached file to see what I mean. It should have the a: drive listed first. If it doesn't, use the arrow keys to select it and + and - keys to toggle the sequence. Then return the main page (press esc) and exit with saving if you have made a change.

While you're there verify that your hard drive is being detected. If it isn't, go to the Autodetect page and force it to do an autodetect.

One reason why you might not be able to use a normal boot disk with that drive is if it is using drive overlay software used to support larger disk drives in older computers with outdated BIOS support.

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000047.htm

In that case you would need to know what was used an obtain a boot disk created especially for it.

 

[Chandra]

from what I am gathering, it says award plug and play ext...v1.0A Award software, inc.
PACKARD BELL BIOS Verison V1.19 Copywritted 1996.
Also, I don't get any prompts, and going in the bios, I can't find anything that looks as elaborate as your attachment.
The noise that it make, makes me believe that the floppy drive is working somehow. i don't think that anything else would make that noise.

 

[Rollin' Rog]

If the floppy drive light flickers and you hear it, then it is trying to read the disk. Either the floppy drive or the disk itself is bad. You can try formatting and creating a different one. Write protect it before using. You can download one from here:

http://www.bootdisk.com/

The BIOS you have may not be as elaborate, but it should have a comparable page on which you can configure the boot sequence. There should also be page for autodetection of the hard drive.

But the floppy should boot regardless of the status of the hard drive.

I would not test the old boot disk on another pc since there is the possiblity it is infected.