Hi Kenneth,

> Date:    Sun, 9 May 1999 03:48:53 -0400
> From:    Kenneth Alan Boyd Ramsay <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Old 486 won't boot up anymore
>
> >
> > Hi people,
> >
> > Here is what happens at boot up:
> >
> > You see the computer POST, summary of computer stats.
> >
> > Normally you would see
> >
> > Starting MS-DOS ... <I always see this when I boot with a floppy>
>
> Do you still see this with a bootable floppy?  Does it finish booting from
> the A: drive?

yes and yes.

>
> > But I don't see that part. The computer just sits at this point.
>
> That is where it stops when you try to boot from the C: drive, right?

right.

>
> > I believe the hard drive has some bad sectors.
>
> If the drive has some bad sectors, which are properly marked as bad sectors
> so that they are avoided and not used, then the only effect is a slight
> loss of capacity.  Have you tried any of the various hard drive checking
> utilities - especially the one from the manufacturer of your hard drive

I used some ancient version of Norton to mark the bad ones.

> (but there are other generic utilities such as HDCHECK, SPINRITE, ONTRACK,
> MS-DOS's SCANDISK, etc.)?  These will do an exhaustive test of the entire
> drive, and mark any new (previously unmarked) bad sectors.  A few more
> won't hurt, but if you lose dozens and dozens, then perhaps a Low Level
> Format is in order.
>
> Done properly (See recent postings on this subject), it can resurrect a
> dead drive.  Done improperly, it can kill a good one.

Why and How?

>
> > It is very old. Only a 156 meg hard drive!
>
> > I have tried formatting the entire drive.
>
> I hope you had a recent BACKUP, as you have probably lost everything on
> the hard drive.  (You could try UNFORMAT to get it back.)

yes they did have backups.

>
> I gather you booted (successfully) from a bootable floppy with the FORMAT
> and FDISK commands on it, using FDISK to check that the drive is set with
> one active, primary DOS partition and FORMAT C:/s to transfer the OS. (Or
> SYS C:.)  WARNING! If you change anything in FDISK, you could lose all data
> on your drive - on the other hand, if you have nothing to lose, or don't
> care, go ahead.  FDISK/MBR will restore the master boot record, and wipe
> out many viruses - but some, such as CIH/Chernobyl are triggered.

Did that. Put Dos 6.22 back on, and it refuses to boot to the C: drive.

This computer use to work. It was left unused for a little while. I used
an ancient virus scanner. Nothing showed up.

Anyone know of a virus scanner that fits on one floppy and works in DOS?

>
> >                                            Reinstalling DOS 6.22 on it. It
> > always does the same thing!
> >
> > Could this mean there is something wrong with the drive?
>
> Yes, for instance, an unmarked bad sector where the Operating System is
> stored, could cause the system to crash.  So could some viruses.

true.

>
>  > If anyone have has suggestions I would love to hear them!
>
> See above, verify that the system operates properly (Run diagnostics, scan
> for viruses from a write-protected floppy, or play a game that tests the
> system when booted from the A: drive (bad memory, a failing CMOS battery -
> check if it keeps time overnight while switched off - or a failing chip,
> among other things, could cause the system to freeze).

Haven't really looked at the Time. Actually it was was off now that I
think about it.

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