Im not a computer expert, just an average person seeking help. And no i dont own a business i dont know why this website keeps asking me where i work lol. Back to the topic... Im trying to fix my aunts very old computer. It messed up not long ago, and asks whether or not i want to start up in safe mode, normal mode, etc. None of the options work because it keeps freezing up or just.. stops. I'm not asking what the problem is. The real problem is that it keeps asking for its boot disk, which she has lost, and so im trying to find one online to download and save to my floppy. All the ones i have tried dont work. It keeps saying "non-system disk or disk error. replace and strike any key when ready" It has no cd-rom drive, i doubt it has one built in... it only has just one floppy disk drive so i guess it just reboots itself from the disk(s). What to do? On the screen, this is what it tells me aobut the computer:
Main processor 486x or 487sx
numeric processor present
floppy drive a 1.2 MB 5 1/4
floppy drive b 1.2 mb 5 1/4
display type vga/pga/ega
AMIBIOS date 06/06/92
Base memory size 640 KB
Ext memory size 7168 KB
Hard disk C type 47
Hard disk d type none
Serial ports(s) 3f8, 2f8
Parallel port(s) 3bc
256 KB cache memory

AMIBIOS System Configuration (C) 1985-1992 American Megatrends, Inc.

gyugyugyuu

"All the ones i have tried dont work."

Ah, the 'don't work' error (pretty common).

It would really help to know just what version of DOS or Windows was installed on this thing.

The fact that the floppy boot drive is 1.2Mb 5¼" is complicating matters. I don't know if there are downloadable bootdisk images available for that format beyond DOS622. You can try one of those from here - although I'm not sure how you can create the boot diskette unless you have another machine also equipped with an old fashioned drive - - the files themselves are not bootable, so copying them over doesn't work, they need to be executed in order to create the disk.

You're likely going to be better off installing a 1.44Mb floppy drive on her machine - that, or attach the hard drive to another (working) computer

I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

Do you have a 5 1/4" floppy drive in YOUR computer? If you don't and your aunt has only two of the 5 1/4" floppy drives I don't know what good downloading a boot floppy image will do. Do you have any idea what operating system is installed on this computer? The problem with this computer may be the onboard motherboard battery is dead. You could try to enter the BIOS screens and change the boot order to boot to the harddrive first and see if this works. If it works then you need to look at the type of battery is on this motherboard. Hopefully it will have the current type which is removable and therefore replaceable. Look for a silver disk about the size of a quarter that look just like an oversized watch battery. These can be found at places like Radio Shack. To enter the BIOS try continously tapping the delete key as soon as you turn on the computer. If you do enter the BIOS screens just read the screens for directions on how to mave around. It is all done with the keyboard. Post back with an update.

The drive seems to be recognized as type 47 - user defined - but I too am wondering how these non functional bootdisks are being created unless he has another machine with a 1.2Mb FDD

Of course, it's possible that the floppy drives are 1.44Mb and just not identified correctly in the BIOS.

I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

You would think that one of them would be a 3.5" drive wouldn't you?
Ben

jboy brings up an interesting point. Are you actually trying the bootdisks you are DLing on your aunts computer? Do you know what a 5.25" floppy is? Are you using a 3.5" disk and it isn't working? It sounds like that may be the issue. The defaults for the floppy drives were probably the 5.25" style. Here is the deal. You need to boot into the BIOS as I described before. On the first screen you will find the settings for the floppy drives. Are there actually two drives installed in the case? Are they different looking? If you have two and one of them accepts disks that you made at home that one would be the B drive. You need to reset that drive to 3.5" 1.44MB or if there is an option for 720/144MB use that. This should allow the computer to boot to the boot floppy you created. If you do get the computer to bbot to the floppy and you see an A: prompt, type C: then type dir/p. This will show the first, or all of the directories on the harddrive. You want to see what the exact listing is for the windows line. If the entire list isn't visable tap a key and the list should advance. You need to determine what version of windows is installed.

Sure, somewhat unusual (even for a 486) to have both drives as 5¼" - although not impossible.

There's no way to mistake one for the other

Many questions - not many answers

I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

Well, you may have some work ahead of you.

Have you considered just junking the thing? You CAN get whatever she considers important off the hard drive, IF the hard drive still works

First, you might consider digging around some thrift stores to find a newer computer, or at least find a 3 1/2 floppy drive to put in there.

First thing I'd do is remove the hard drive and READ all the info off the label I can--the bios battery is probably dead, and has lost the setup information, and as old as that thing is, it probably cannot "auto" detect the hard drive.

You might dig around in the bios/setup program and see if there is an "auto" detect routine.

As others said above, you need a 5 1/4 bootdisk.

You'll have to find one on the internet, but there ARE other complications.

Worst case, these drives COULD even be old 360K drives, instead of 1.2 mb drives. Don't even go there.

A few things. You may have to take one of the drives, AND the cable out of her computer, and temporarily install it in another desktop unit that can get online, so you can make a bootdisk. Of course, do we even know what version of DOS is on there?

Here's what I'd do. Remove the hard drive, leave it as master. (Should be already.) Put the hard drive temporarily into your desktop--by removing the cdrom/burner(s) from the second cable, and put the old hard drive on the END of the second cable. See if your desktop unit can detect the hdd and read what's on there.

360K is even less likely - I mean sure, anything is possible, but those were obsolete on 286s.

Be nice if the OP could return.

I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

concerning all the people saying "5.25 inch floppy drive? do u know what that is? i think thats the problem", no.. it has only one floppy drive, and that is 3.5 inch...and its os is windows 95 us version. And if i was really so stupid not to notice (hypothetically if it was a 5.25 drive), its impossible to fit a 3.5 inch floppy in there.(because the 5.25 is flatter, or smaller in height) ):-L

But hey thanks anyways for ur help guys.. i just read over once again (after i skimmed across and saw how everyone thought i was ignorant, and i probably am) and i noticed there was something i didnt know that the first guy answered. The files cant be copied onto the disks, they have to be executed in order to create the disk thanks guys!

Well, you were sharp enough to claim there were two such drives:

floppy drive a 1.2 MB 5 1/4
floppy drive b 1.2 mb 5 1/4

We can only go by what you tell us, not how bright you may (or may not) be

{the first guy}

I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

Besides that, it is quite possible that a computer of that age might have TWO 5 1/4" floppy drives. Certainly very common to have one 5 1/4 and one 3 1/2. Touchy aren't we?