More broken computers I need help fixing
I really in all honesty have no clue whatsoever whats wrong with these 3 computers, but I do intend on getting them into functional condition again.
The first computer is an IBM PC 340 which will only act alive if there is no memory installed, but in all other cases there is no POST beep or anything. The keyboard does seem to be initialized and the screen does flash but nothing after that gives a sign of life at all. Currently has a Pentium-150 (no MMX), 80MB of RAM, and a 2GB IBM DeskStar hard disk.
The second computer is some IBM 486 machine in the same form factor of the PC 340, but it will not give any sign of life besides fans and the fact the power light comes on. It was working at one point, actually just a few months ago, but it has ceased any and all functionality. Last I checked it has a 486-DX 33, 32MB of SIMM-72 RAM, and a Seagate ST-251 MLC-2 (45MB) hard disk.
The third and last computer is some generic NEC machine formed in a case that appears to have a stolen HP Vectra style, what with the 5.25 bays on the bottom instead of the top. It is a Pentium-166 machine that can load into BIOS just fine but will not load ANY operating system at all. The system appears to be in fair physical condition and honestly has no problems I can see in the BIOS, as the NEC logo is tiled upon startup and it will let me into BIOS and select options, but whenever I try to load an operating system of any kind with it, Floppy Drive, USB, Direct from HDD, CD, or DVD, it will give me an error or just plain not do anything. It currently has 128MB of installed SIMM-72 RAM, an Intel Pentium-166 (no MMX) CPU, and a 2.1GB Seagate Medalist hard drive of some sort. If it's any help, the floppy drive has been replaced 3 times now and the optical drive has been tested working in another system (NEC MultiSpin 8x). Here is a list of operating systems I have tried and what error they give me:
MS-DOS 5.00 - Blinking cursor.
MS-DOS 6.22 - Blinking cursor.
MS-DOS 7 CD - Reset to BIOS.
Windows 95 (Floppy) - Brought to setup but will not recognize hard disk.
Windows 95 (CD) - Brought to setup but formats HDD wrong and locks up while starting for the first time after setup.
Windows 98 - Blinking cursor.
Windows 98 SE - Setup refuses to install because I apparently don't have a powerful enough computer to install it though I have perfect specifications for it.
Windows NT 3.51 - Blinking cursor.
Windows NT 4.0 - CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 4
Windows 2000 Select - CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 4
Windows 2000 Professional - CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 4
Windows 2000 Server - Blinking cursor.
Windows 2000 Advanced Server - Blinking cursor.
Windows 2000 Database Server - Brought to setup but hard disk is not recognized.
Windows XP Home Edition - Brought to setup but hard disk is not recognized.
Windows XP Professional - Locks up at graphical portion of setup.
Ideas? Questions? Comments? Anything I left out that is needed?
I have the parts to replace most of the things that could have gone wrong, but my supplies are very limited at the moment, so I would prefer not to.
Any little bit helps, but please do not complain about my disuse of BBCode, people apparently don't like it when I disable it because Netscape 7.0 and Windows 2000 lock up when I try to post BBCode...
The first computer is an IBM PC 340 which will only act alive if there is no memory installed, but in all other cases there is no POST beep or anything. The keyboard does seem to be initialized and the screen does flash but nothing after that gives a sign of life at all. Currently has a Pentium-150 (no MMX), 80MB of RAM, and a 2GB IBM DeskStar hard disk.
The second computer is some IBM 486 machine in the same form factor of the PC 340, but it will not give any sign of life besides fans and the fact the power light comes on. It was working at one point, actually just a few months ago, but it has ceased any and all functionality. Last I checked it has a 486-DX 33, 32MB of SIMM-72 RAM, and a Seagate ST-251 MLC-2 (45MB) hard disk.
The third and last computer is some generic NEC machine formed in a case that appears to have a stolen HP Vectra style, what with the 5.25 bays on the bottom instead of the top. It is a Pentium-166 machine that can load into BIOS just fine but will not load ANY operating system at all. The system appears to be in fair physical condition and honestly has no problems I can see in the BIOS, as the NEC logo is tiled upon startup and it will let me into BIOS and select options, but whenever I try to load an operating system of any kind with it, Floppy Drive, USB, Direct from HDD, CD, or DVD, it will give me an error or just plain not do anything. It currently has 128MB of installed SIMM-72 RAM, an Intel Pentium-166 (no MMX) CPU, and a 2.1GB Seagate Medalist hard drive of some sort. If it's any help, the floppy drive has been replaced 3 times now and the optical drive has been tested working in another system (NEC MultiSpin 8x). Here is a list of operating systems I have tried and what error they give me:
MS-DOS 5.00 - Blinking cursor.
MS-DOS 6.22 - Blinking cursor.
MS-DOS 7 CD - Reset to BIOS.
Windows 95 (Floppy) - Brought to setup but will not recognize hard disk.
Windows 95 (CD) - Brought to setup but formats HDD wrong and locks up while starting for the first time after setup.
Windows 98 - Blinking cursor.
Windows 98 SE - Setup refuses to install because I apparently don't have a powerful enough computer to install it though I have perfect specifications for it.
Windows NT 3.51 - Blinking cursor.
Windows NT 4.0 - CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 4
Windows 2000 Select - CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 4
Windows 2000 Professional - CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 4
Windows 2000 Server - Blinking cursor.
Windows 2000 Advanced Server - Blinking cursor.
Windows 2000 Database Server - Brought to setup but hard disk is not recognized.
Windows XP Home Edition - Brought to setup but hard disk is not recognized.
Windows XP Professional - Locks up at graphical portion of setup.
Ideas? Questions? Comments? Anything I left out that is needed?
I have the parts to replace most of the things that could have gone wrong, but my supplies are very limited at the moment, so I would prefer not to.
Any little bit helps, but please do not complain about my disuse of BBCode, people apparently don't like it when I disable it because Netscape 7.0 and Windows 2000 lock up when I try to post BBCode...
Comments
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/MinimumSystemRequirements Also have you tried using Netscape 9 or 8, Bot will work with this site..
If you really want to use Netscape, I'd recommend at least 7.2. That was equivalent to Mozilla Suite 1.7, and in my opinion the best traditional Netscape release. 8 was total garbage, and Netscape 9 was just a redecorated Firefox 2.
The problem is the fact it won't start up anymore. It just plain won't post unless no RAM is installed (or under 4MB, for that point)
I've used Netscape 7 for a while and I am actually planning on updating to at least NetScape Navigator 9 before I move to a new computer.
@SomeGuy
I'll use Netscape 9.
When I get old systems like that I tear them apart, clean them and visual inspection with the hardware. If everything checks out I'll put it back together and try it out.
All capacitor check out internally (not the power supplies, but the motherboard and everything besides that is perfectly fine).
I don't know what could have gone wrong, I know how to work with older computers, it's just that I don't have a clue about what is wrong with them.
That is, if the site even exists or is on the Archives.
I don't know if you already did this, but do check the ram and slots. Could be something wrong there. (the one that runs with only 4MB)
Neither the 486 or PC340 will even show a picture on the screen. The NEC machine does work, but no operating system will install or even start.
There isn't one with only 4MB? I have checked and replaced RAM on both the 486 and PC340, but neither still work. The NEC machine works perfectly, but does not start or install any operating system.
I know how the jumpers work, and the system will give POST beeps now, but still no video, and the 486 still won't even post.
The only way I can tell the NEC machine, is, well, NEC, is because it displays a tiled NEC logo as the BIOS screen and there are multiple copyrights for NEC, but I don't have the casing for it. It's a weird machine, it's got Packard Bell labels on it, an NEC BIOS, and an HP Vectra case (the 5.25 bays are on the bottom).
I'm not sure what's wrong with it, but I have a feeling it's the optical drive being stupid (NEC MultiSpin 8V CD-ROM). I did, after all, pull this system out of the dumpster.
Ontopic: For the NEC, The hard drive could be bad. As for Windows NT 4.0, 2000 Select and Professional try using boot floppies for those, But you'll need to use 4-6 Floppy disks and I know you said your supplies are limited.
Hard drive has already been replaced. The system won't even attempt to read from the floppy drive, even if I make it the only device to start from.
Actually, I got these computers from a semi-local recycling center.
I've got another computer to add to the list, I've got an AT formed Pentium computer labeled as ACS on the front. The keyboard controller may have failed, it won't POST at all if the keyboard is even connected.