# [Resolved] PC will not startup



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

AST BIOS Ver-1.00.05.BUOQ
Old pc that we were going to fix up for our children to play on. We deleted some old files that were on here to free up some space. Now apparently windows and everything is gone. When we reboot it goes through all driver info then goes to the A:\> propt . Right before that it says " Write behing data will be committed before command prompt returns" For help, type "Smartdrv \?". Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)




----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

sorry hit the wrong thing when I was trying to write back, and now everything Is deleted from what they wrote..


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

So if it's going to the A:\> prompt, you must have a floppy in the drive and I'm guessing it's a Windows Boot Floppy Diskette and you're trying to boot to it because Windows won't start, is that correct? 

If not, remove the floppy diskette from the floppy drive, restart the PC and see if it boots into Windows.

If you've tried that I apologize, I'm just not completely sure from your post what you've done on the PC up to this point.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Ok I have took out the floppy and the Cd and tried to reboot. It says "Insert bootable media in the appropriate drive". I have a hard disk restore on floppy disk, and 2 cds 
Microsfot windows companion and AST Advantage Data Disk 4.0. Just cant seem to get anything to load up


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Obviously the Windows install is trashed. You must have deleted some of the files needed to boot from the root directory.

Not sure what that AST CD is but hopefully it's a Windows Restore CD. Have you tried just inserting the AST CD and restarting the PC to see if it boots to the AST CD?

If my memory serves me, the Windows Companion CD isn't the Windows operating system CD which is what you would need to reinstall Windows. So to be sure, you don't have a Microsoft Windows CD? Also, I assume it's running W95, is that right?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Yes just did, It says insert bootable media in the apprpriate drive


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Do you see or hear it trying to read the CD when it's booting up?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

The small green light flashes for just a second on the cd drive then goes off. I do not hear it trying to read it


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

What version of Windows are you using to post here right now and what version was on the AST PC?

Did this PC ever boot into Windows since you had it? I assume it did because you said you deleted some files but you could have deleted them from a DOS prompt so I'm asking this just to be sure I understand what's been done.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

I am sorry windows 95 on the old pc. I have windows me on this one


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Did this PC ever boot into Windows since you had it? I assume it did because you said you deleted some files but you could have deleted them from a DOS prompt so I'm asking this just to be sure I understand what's been done.
__________________


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Yes it would work just fine until we went into the control panel and deleted some old files that were already on it


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Is the floppy or floppies supposedly the drive backup?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

1 Floppy is the one that apparently came with it" Hard Disk Restore"
The other is an old floppy that we copied last night from bootdisk.com


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Goto the link below and click on "Windows 95 Original" to download Boot95a.exe

Once it's download, insert a blank formatted floppy in the drive of the Windows ME PC and double left click on boot95a.exe to create a W95 Boot floppy

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Insert that boot floppy into the AST PC and restart it. Let me know if it boots to an A:\> prompt


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

OK I have it on that website. Which do I need to click on I see things like Alt 1 Alt 2 Orginal or Alt 1 n 2 Verison B


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Click on the link "Windows 95" which is right to the left of "Original". It should prompt you to save Boot95a.exe

Save it to the Harddrive of the Windows ME PC and remember where you save it.


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Once it's saved to the harddrive of the ME PC, you need to double left click on it to execute it and create a W95 Boot Diskette. First insert a blank formatted floppy in the drive of the Windows ME PC and then double left click on boot95a.exe to create a W95 Boot floppy

After it's created, remove it from the ME PC and insert that boot floppy into the AST PC and restart it. Let me know if it boots to an A:\> prompt
__________________


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

ok we're on the "A prompt"


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Try this command below from an A:\> and let me know if it says "System Transferred" after it's done

sys c:


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Invaild Drive Specification


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

dir c:

What happens?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

same thing


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

fdisk

Then take the option to "Display Partitions"

What does it show?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

I also tried dir c (without  and this popped up....

Volume in drive a is BOOT95A
Volume serial number 3505-18e3
Directory of A:\
File not found
280,064 bytes free


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

That's just the directory of the boot floppy. We need to find the hardrive ...


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Fdisk shows: no fixed disks present


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

That's not good ... If I had to bet, I'd bet you deleted the Drive Overlay Software.


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Has anyone had their hands inside of this PC recently or have you been in the BIOS Setup?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

no hands inside the computer but yep in the BIOS (to be honest we have messed with this thing trying to get it to pull up anything) is that a bad thing LOL


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Remove the floppy diskette and get back into the BIOS setup. Let me know when your in it and let me know if you see a setting to "Set Defaults" ...


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Also, let me know what other options you do see on the screen, too.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

to make sure this is the BIOS section At the top it shows MAN ADVANCED SECURITY EXIT and on the left side it shows F5 as "Setup Defaults"


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Yep that's it, press F5 and follow the prompt to set the defaults.

Have you tried the F5 before?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Can't really remember ... hit F5 and Load setup defaults and clicked enter to continue then it went bk to the BIOS page ... now what? (BTW thanks for everything)


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Use the Right Left Arrow keys and Highlight "Main" and press enter. What options do you see?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

I'm looking for an option that will show the drives installed. It's been a while since I've been in an old BIOS setup and can't remember how it's worded.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

goes to system date (everything under MAIN is)
system date
system time
floppy options
Primary IDE Master Slave
Secondary IDE master slave
boot options


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Use the up/down arrow keys and highlight Primary IDE ... press enter. What does it show?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

auto configured
numberof cyclinders 0
number of heads 0
number of sectors 0
maxium capacity 0MB


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

It's not "seeing the drive". Highlight the "Auto Configured" setting and use up/down arrows, do you see other options available like LBA, etc ....?

Do you see any options like "Auto Detect Drive" ?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

nope nothing... Just what I already typed...


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Press the ESC key and exit the BIOS, when you do exit, be sure to Save The Changes when prompted. Then go back into the BIOS and see if it's seeing a drive now?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

What make and model number is the AST? I'm not sure if I'll be able to find any info on it since it's so old but I need to see the BIOS settings for that PC to get through this.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yup says number of cylinders 3148
number of heads 16
number of sectors 63
maxium cap. 1549 MB


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Good ...

Insert the W95 boot floppy and press Alt/Ctrl/Del to restart to the a:\> prompt. Then do this

sys c:

What happens?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

says "system transferred" then A:\> again


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

remove the floppy and press alt/ctrl/del to restart, what happens?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

flashed the "starting windows 95" for a split second and now it shows C:\>


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

type in 

win and press enter ... what happens?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

bad command or file name


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

You need to reinstall W95 ... The install seems trashed. Do you have any friends that might have a Microsoft W95 CD?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

We have a Windows 95 companion. Is that what you mean.


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

What make and model number is the AST?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Unfortunately, the companion CD is useless. It's only to install Windows Components and doesn't have the Windows 95 operating system on it.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Advantage 818 (Is that what you mean?)


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

yep but without the W95 CD, there's really nothing I can do for you, sorry. And from looking at the 818 PC's configuration, it can't run W98 or Windows ME, it's just to old.


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

I was hoping it was a little newer and you ciould install Windows ME or find a W98 CD. W95 CDs are going to be very hard to find.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

I understand , if we find one do we install it ourselves or try contacting you? Thanks for everything thought!!


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Go back into the BIOS and under the section "Boot Sequence" .. what's listed and in what order?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Is there anyway we could download and burn it to a CD?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

sorry, not that I'm aware of


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

don't see boot sequence see a boot options and under it is number lock 
setup prompt (which is enabled)


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Go back into the BIOS and under the section "Main" and then Boot Options ... what's listed and in what order?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

How about under the "Advanced" tab ???


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

number lock
Setup Prompt (under that option is enabled and disabled


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

under avanced tab shows:
peripheral configuration
power management config
plug and play config


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Insert the AST CD in the Windows ME PC and explore the CD. What's listed? Anything like restore or setup or install? Or a W95 folder by any chance?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yes there is a restore 
Main files are ASKAST ASTINST RESTORE


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

under the restore folder theres a folder under there with "windows" in it


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

You may be able to restore the PC from that CD but I don't think we'll have CD Rom support from the c:\ prompt so you may need to create a W98 boot diskette but try this first

Boot back to the c:\ prompt. Insert the ASST CD and do this

dir d:

What happens?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

says:
volume in drive d is drive 2
volume serial number is 1be9-1c0e
directory f D:\
MYDOC~1 01-09-05 9:07p
o files 0 bytes
1 dir 2,109,374,464 bytes free
C prompt again


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Backing up here ... Remove all CDs and insert the "Hard Drive Restore" floppy you said you had. Restart the PC and let me know what happens? It will most likely boot to an a:\> prompt ...


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

take the CD out and insert the floppy and ctrl alt n delete right?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

yep


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yes back to the A prompt


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

type in 

dir a:

What's listed?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

some I can't see because I can't scroll up but what I can are
FC FDISK FIND FORMAT ATTRIB MEM MSCDEX SCANDISK SYS XCOPY XCOPY32 CD1 COMMAND HIMEM MSDOS AUTOEXEC CD2 CD3 CONFIg (says 30 files) 874,072 bytes 0 dir 280,064 bytes free A prompt again


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

beside those r things like sys com cat exe and then beside that is the dates from 95-99 then times


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Insert the AST CD .. and do this

dir e:

Does it list anything on the screen?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

BTW, is that the Disk Restore floppy or the W95 Boot Floppy you have in the drive?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

volume in drive E is drive 3 
volume serial number is 176e-43e8
directory of e:\ 
file not found...
1,886,486,528 bytes free


W95 Boot Floppy that we downloaded


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Didn't you say you had a floppy labeled "Hard Disk Restore" earlier? Maybe I didn't understand you correctly ??


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yes but I just put it in our computer (ME) one and looked to see whats in the floppy shows nothing like its a blank floppy...


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Isert it into the AST PC anyway and boot to it. Does it boot to an A:\> prompt?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

I found a file under a website that shows (Startup Disks for windows 95, 98, ME and 2000 Pro AND LINUX) would that work?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

put the floppy into the AST computer and it shows "invalid system disk" replace the dis, and then press any key


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Go back to the bootdisk.com website and download the W98 OEM file, run it on the ME PC to create a W98 boot diskette. Then insert it in the AST PC and boot to it. Let me know when you have an A:\> prompt using the W98 Diskette, not the W95 diskette.

I have doubts this will work but we can try it as a last resort. I'm going to see if you can run the restore from the AST CD but we nneed CD ROM support that the W98 diskette gives you. The W95 diskette won't give you support to use the CDRom drive.


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

went to 98 setup menu with 1 2 3 options and we hit 1 start computer with cd rom support


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

only had 28 seconds t do something now going through PCI bus scan complete preparing to start your computer this may take a few mintues please wait .....the diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to drive F.


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Now insert the AST CD and do this

dir e:\

Does it list anything and if so, what?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

CDR101: not ready reading drive g
abort retry fail?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Is the AST CD in the Drive?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yes


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

dir m:\

What happens? Invalid Drive message?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

invaild drive specification


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Then the CD Rom drive is the letter g: 

Have you ever used the CD Rom drive on this PC since you had it and I assume if so, it worked?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yes we installed a game for our kids


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Insert any other CD that you know has data on it ... Then do the 

dir g:\ command again, what happens?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

BTW, not a burned CD that you may have made, insert a CD that you bought for any software in the past ...


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

whole bunch of file name show up on my disk (game for kids)


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Then we are getting support for the CDRom drive, try cleaning the AST CD with a soft cloth and then insert it and try the 

dir g:\ again


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

oh yeah now after typing dir g shows ASTWORKS2 with things under it and shows ASKAST ASTINST RESTORE SFILE


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

type in

askast

what happens? Does it explain how to restore from the CD maybe?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

bad command or file name (still under a prompt )


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Sorry

g:\askast


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

bad command or file name


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

cd g:

Do you have a G:\> prompt now?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

tried typing it again but husband typed g:/askast but instead of it going to the A prompt says "G:\> " is that ok or should I smack him


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

yes now we do LOL I just got smacked


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

yep type in at the G:\> prompt

askast

and press enter


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

bad or file name


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

dir

What's list?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Askast Astinst Restore Sfile


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

cd askast

dir 

What's listed?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

sorry but I don't understand on what to type ?


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

cd askast


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Then type 

dir

What's listed?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

typed in CD ASKAST enter shows " G:\ASKAST>dir then volume in drive G is astworks 2 directory of G:\ASKAST 
. 10-20-95 8:20p
.. 
AVI 10-20-95 8:22p
0 files 0 bytes
3 dir 0 bytes free
G:\ASKAST> (showing now)


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

cd g:\

Then type in

restore

at the G:\> prompt


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

bad command


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

he typed: cd G:\RESTORE now its showing G:RESTORE>


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

dir

What does it list?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

whole bunch of file names 17 files and 27 dir then bk to G:\RESTORE> do u need the file names thats listed?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

shows things like windows wpww21 pj runtemp store store 1 stroe 2 etc...


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

try 

cd windows

Then type in 

Setup

What happens?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

bad command


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

cd g:\restore

Then type in

dir

Tell me everything that's listed in the Restore folder

I'm trying to find something that looks like an .exe program to start the restore process ...


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

can't see all the files but out of the ones I can see the only one with exe is called"preclean"


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

what about doing like before G:\RESTORE\WINDOWS then type dir ... showed over 100 files?


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

under the windows dir theres several with exe EX: welcome winfile winhelp winhlp32 wininit winmine winver write are the only ones I see that end with exe


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

are you at a g:\restore prompt?

if so type in

preclean

What happens


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

clean up failed!


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Sorry but I have to go and sorry I couldn't get you back up and running. AST is out of business but the site below contains help for AST

You need to create a hard disk restore diskette for the AST 818 before you can retsore from the CD

I'll check back later when I get home.

http://www.ari-service.com/support/default.asp


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

Thanks for you help though ....


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

http://www.ari-service.com/support/answers.asp?question=1


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

The file at the link below may create a hard disk restore diskette for you

http://www.ari-service.com//bulletin/sb/0251sb.htm


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Got to go now but the link above will create the hard disk restore diskette but it's not straight forward. 

You need to create a new folder, save that .exe to the folder. Then execute the .exe 

It will create a few new files.

Then insert a blank floppy diskette and execute extract.bat to create the Hard Disk Restore diskette.

Insert the diskette in the AST PC and boot to it.


----------



## kilowatt1 (Oct 27, 2001)

I suggest that you explore the possible restore cd using WinME to see if there is a readme file which might detail the restore/recovery procedure.

Just a thought.


Kilowatt


----------



## ckcth (Feb 13, 2005)

:up: Bryan Thank you sooooooooooooo much for everything you did for us.. Once we got into the g:\restore\windows\ file we kept going steps farther and we found out how to install the windows 95. Everything is working again!!!!


----------



## Bryan (Jul 3, 1999)

Your welcome but you did all of the work, glad to hear it worked out ...

And Killowatt, thanks too. I suspect you must have found a readme file that explained it. I was having trouble remembering my name after all we had done.  Looking back on it, I didn't realize we'd been working on it for about 4 hours til I had to go.


----------

