Please Help!!!!!! Booting Problem

**LilStilo** · August 27th, 2006, 02:18 AM

ok so i have a computer here with me its a old compaq presario computer running windows 98 so its pretty old well here is the thing i start it up and it wont load the desk top it will just load and load so i put in a boot disk so i can wipe out the hard drive and it wont let me boot it i press F-11 and it wont boot it and then i finally got something it took me to a black screen that said it cant read the cd/drive it turns on the light is on and the disk spins tray opens but the computer wont read it now i havent gone that deep into the diag but the cd/drive didnt come stock the owner installed it herself so im thinking maybe a bad connection well any ideas on how i can get it to boot ive already tried to boot with a new windows 98 cd and nothing and then windows xp and got nothing then the ultimate boot disk and nothing does any one have any ideas ????

**CalvinLuck** · August 27th, 2006, 02:58 AM

When you enter a boot cd, it may not boot from there.
You have to change the bios settings to boot from the cd. Uncheck the option for booting from drive C or hardisk. If you don't know which f? key to enter bios or setup windows, maybe you can try pressing all key simultaneously (one by one, but fast), from f1 till f12 when it re-boot.

The pc can't get into Windows, but maybe it can get to DOS prompt.
Another way is to get to DOS prompt, by pressing f8 or other f? key when boot up. You'll be using the hardisk.
From DOS prompt, run the windows Installation CD.
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Are you sure if the cd drive is working properly, able to read the cd?

**LilStilo** · August 27th, 2006, 03:39 AM

thanks well i do press f-11 and it does take me to the screen were it normally ask you if you wanna boot up with floppy or cd drive or what ever drive is available but it says un able to read drive so im thinking it some kind of connection problem i am going to ask the owner if she has had any problems with the drive since she did install it herself so i have to get into the bios it kind of hard because i dont know when it is doing the post test because what it does it the compaq logo apears then it goes to loading windows 98 and then freeezes so im having trouble with that also

**him61** · August 27th, 2006, 03:45 AM

RAM might be the problem w/ not being able to boot windows. How much RAM is in that PC?

Edit: And if you adjusted the BIOS settings accordingly, the CD-Drive is probably not working.

**CalvinLuck** · August 27th, 2006, 03:32 PM

Getting into DOS prompt

You cannot get into Windows, but
Did you try to get to DOS prompt? (you can do this using the hardisk and it may work if the DOS system files are not corrupted)

Re-boot and instead of pressing f11, press other f? key, that will bring the options to boot to DOS prompt. From DOS prompt, insert the CD and run Windows installation.

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CD drive problem
Some cd drive cannot read the cd if the cd drive is in vertical position. Make sure it is in horizontal position, meaning you put the disk from above.

**LilStilo** · August 28th, 2006, 01:03 AM

so do i just press any "f" button to get into the dos? or is there a specific "f" button i must press??

**CalvinLuck** · August 28th, 2006, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by CalvinLuck

If you don't know which f? key to enter bios or setup windows, maybe you can try pressing all key simultaneously (one by one, but fast), from f1 till f12 when it re-boot.

Since you've tried f11, then exclude pressing f11 key.

**B71655** · August 28th, 2006, 04:30 PM

First off, hit "escape", or "ESC" when you get the compaq logo. This clears the splash screen. I think you need "delete" to get to the bios. Might be "F1" or "F2". I also think you need a set-up utility for that old Compaq. Hit the website for HP-Compaq and look at downloads for the pc. Somewhere on the back(probably) will be the unit number. Look this up at the site. Tells you most anything you want to know. Good luck.

**LilStilo** · August 29th, 2006, 09:54 PM

thanks yea i got into the bios but when it tells me to choose it only gives me two options hard disk or floppy no cdrom drive i mean the actual drive turns on and spins the cd but thas about all i get out of it

**LilStilo** · August 29th, 2006, 09:59 PM

i forgot to mention also im having trouble opening the case the front of it is all plastic so i dont want to brake it does any one know how i can do this its a older compaq presario CM0900 series

Edit: ok i found out how to open it and i got inside this thing has two rap slots and was runing one stick of ram with 64 mb i know to run windows xp pretty decent you need atleast 512 mb so i know it takes SDRAM now all SDRAM is the same right no matter how much mb it has it all will fit the same. or am i wrong?

**LilStilo** · August 29th, 2006, 10:32 PM

well im thinking about putting this on the ram slot http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...N-64X4&cpc=SCH

i did notice though that the mother board has to also be compatible with the ram how do i tell if it does or not i thought if its sdram it should fit and work well i dont see why it wouldnt but well anyways can any one help me with this i mean this is a older computer im thinking 1998 built or 99