This computer is a Windows 3.1 running medical equipment - a Humphrey's Corneal Topography system called Master Vue 920. I have contacts the company but they laughed at me when I asked about the system or if they had any tech manuals around - they stopped supporting it about 5 years ago.

The computer states upon booting "Invalid EISA configuration storage" along with another group of information later on during the initial boot that zips past the page so fast i cannot get any information. Once I get into my actual program it tells me there is an error in CORNEAL and that there is an Applicatino Error - Corneal caused a general protections fault in module MAGICW.dll @ 0005:158F. I don't figure any one will have any idea about the last part, but I don't have a clue where to start with the EISA program and how to get it working againg. It was doing fine yesterday and then today, this.
Note: the computer is a stand alone, no network, no printer, only a floppy and an external zip 100 drive.
Even if some one can give me an idea on how to slow the boot down in 3.1 <like step by step or F7, etc> that would probably help me see what bios are running and what i might need to get a upgrade for. Thanks so much!

Change the bios cmos battery and reconfigure the bios settings.Good luck.

My guess is that there is a configuration utility program that you need to run to correct the problem. Do you have any "EISA configuration software that came with the computer?

In case something is totally hosed: do you have on hand?

1. EISA configuration software
2. DOS disks
3. Win 3.1 disks
4. Master Vue 920 software

In case your computer is toast, do you have items 2, 3 and 4 from above?

below is some info from another site:

http://hardware.earthweb.com/chips/article.php/11055_607691_2
---
The non-volatile memory containing EISA configuration information was programmed incorrectly or has become corrupt.
--------------------
Re-run EISA Configuration Utility to correctly program the memory. When this error occurs, the system will boot in ISA mode which allows you to run the EISA Configuration Utility.

...I'm looking for any EISA software here in the office, but I am betting it was part of a purge before I came here - i'm the first computer oriented person... any suggestions on where to get a EISA Configuration Utility program since i can't seem to find one ... and then any suggestions and how to ACTUALLY set up with config? Would I look onboard ? <Sorry it has been too long since i worked in windows 3.1 and trying to remember where certain things are and what Doesn't work is a bit difficult in the foggy corners of my mind. I remeber a bunch of DOS, but not how to step thru a boot up in 3.1 or how to re-set some bios settings.. ::siigh::

Thank you all for the help you have given so far!

Well maybe before you look around too hard, check out Petit Jean's suggestion that it might just be the cmos battery on the way to heaven. If you can get far enough in the boot up process where it tells you the keystrokes to enter the BIOS, F1 or DEL or whatever it might be. Often, just starting the BIOS will allow it to redetect devices. That would make things usable until you shut the computer down and rebooted.

I think to step through the AUTOEXEC.bat and CONFIG.sys use the F8 key on bootup.

There also exists a strong possibility that I am wrong about everything!

... As i typed that this am and am seeing patients i have torn the computer to pieces - ... and i have NO CLUE where the bloody battery is. I know what the battery should look like and i have replaced those flat batteries before, but no where on the motherboard which all it says on it is MICRONICS MB44004315 01 rev b1. the computer was a company custom design by Humphrey medical equipment. I also checked the cards - no battery on them either. I hesitate to play with the processor - can't image it would be under there.

.....$16,000 for a new one sounds easier at this point ::rolling eyes and contuing to look for software, hardware, assistance ...anything :) ::

Thanks!

... okay i found the battery - it's a red barrel battery style and it seems okay - the bios is current date and time, so i don't think that has died - as i said earlier i've had the entire computer in pieces and unplugged and it still knows the time and date. and f8 doesn't seem to work, but ctrl-break / pause kind of does give me some batch job information, but i'm unsure of the message about a floptical drive and RTBIOS. i'm not sure what is calling the rtbios - and can't find some program with that name.

Thanks

Try F8 again when you get the message "Starting MS DOS".

Another option (should be less than $16,000) might be to get a hold of a used puter, Pentium I or II and stick that hard drive into it and I bet the puppy would work.

I used to have a 486 or PI that that required configuration software. If you searched the Internet with the model number of your computer + EISA configuration software you might find a downloadable file to create a floppy.

Either way, if you get it going, you might want to buy a second hard drive and clone it using the hard drive manufacturer's utility like-DATA Lifeguard from Western Digital or DiskWizard from Seagate.

... well it has to be a 486 i have been told for the matrox board to work - if it is infunction.... I've sent an email to Matrox asking for clarification on their Magic Board and hope to hear back from them in 24 hrs.

Thanks for all your help!