Help, help, help - Expert assistance please

[Tyler1989]

As always use the windows cd repair and the recovery console.

 

[macdude425]

There IS no Windows 98 repair console...other than the bootdisk itself, which is not practical.

Ensure that the jumper settings on the harddrive are correct. If it was a master drive and it is a slave drive now, then the jumper settings need to be changed. Most harddrives have a guide to jumper settings on the top of the drive.

 

[Joannec]

I'm stumped.

The jump settings are correct - well I think so! On the second hard drive they are set to slave but the first hard drive doesn't have a guide on the top but I have left these untouched. There are two jumps on the first hard drive. :::: One going down on the left hand pins and one going across at the top of the 2nd and 3rd row.

I know that the power is plugged in and the leads are correct but when I switch on it is not finding the hard disk at all. I've set the bios to search for one on the initial settings but nothing.

Any further advice ??

Thanks

 

[macdude425]

Well...that's weird. If you can, write down the model number, go to the manufacturer's website, and look for a jumper setting guide just to make sure that they are correct. It will probably be in the User's Manual.

 

[Joannec]

I've checked and the jump settings are correct.

I should mention that this is a very very old computer. It was an Windows 95, doesn't have usb ports and I can't even connect up my cd writer to it as the cable leading to the cd drive only has one connection on it. I tried using the one from the a drive but its now showing a 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 floppy drive!

 

[Joannec]

I really am now at my wits end! It must be reading the second hard drive as a 5 1/4 floppy drive B. I tried clicking on it and it came up with the device not ready error message.

I tried running an fdisk but I didn't have a clue what I was doing so I left it at that!

Please, I really really need anybody's help.

 

[killians45]

Win 95 OSR2/98/Me in a FAT32 cannot access NTFS partitions. Get 3rd party hardware to alter the contents, or read the contents. You could always try and put it in a system that has XP with NTFS and set the drive as a slave. I believe there is software to get 98 to read a NTFS partition, since your system is old you may not have this installed and will want it.

EDIT: I believe the reason is because it sees the old os on there and thinks it a dual boot system even though its hosed. Thus, it will have trouble reading the other table.

 

[Joannec]

Thanks for your reply.

I have to admit that I didn't understand a word of it

Could you break it down a bit for me.

thanks