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| Thread ID: 52690 | 2004-12-26 21:05:00 | PC failure | Shiner (6676) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 307856 | 2004-12-26 21:05:00 | I have a 1996 PC Direct Pentium 133 with 1.6Gb HDD and 32Mb RAM, running Windows 98SE, which my wife uses for writing in Word and for email. It is adequate to her needs. About six weeks ago the screen resolution inexplicably dropped 640 X 480 and the next time she booted the process stopped and announced that there was an invalid system disk in Drive A. There was nothing in drive A and we could no longer boot. I reformatted the HDD and reinstalled minimal software and all went well until yesterday when it did precisely the same thing again. When it first happened I suspected a failing HDD but thought no more about it until it again went haywire yesterday. I'd apprecaite any opinions... |
Shiner (6676) | ||
| 307857 | 2004-12-26 21:15:00 | Try disabling the floppy in the BIOS. And try setting the boot order, if you can to hard drive first. I have a 1996 PC Direct Pentium 133 with 1.6Gb HDD and 32Mb RAM, running Windows 98SE, which my wife uses for writing in Word and for email. It is adequate to her needs. About six weeks ago the screen resolution inexplicably dropped 640 X 480 and the next time she booted the process stopped and announced that there was an invalid system disk in Drive A. There was nothing in drive A and we could no longer boot. I reformatted the HDD and reinstalled minimal software and all went well until yesterday when it did precisely the same thing again. When it first happened I suspected a failing HDD but thought no more about it until it again went haywire yesterday. I'd apprecaite any opinions... |
Ash M (46) | ||
| 307858 | 2004-12-26 21:22:00 | 1.6gb HD's are ancient and prone to failure, particularly at this age. You only have to look at them funny and they crash and burn... Might be time to look at a new or 2nd hand system unfortunately. Lo. |
Lohsing (219) | ||
| 307859 | 2004-12-27 00:18:00 | Just get a new/bigger harddrive and using a progame say like Nortons Ghost etc,copy your old harddrive's contents onto the new one. :) Get some more memory if you can afford it to, its pretty cheap as well,and helps out the computer to run everything. 32mb just is to little and ram is the cheapest upgrade and makes a big difference. Get 256mb ram, it would be the minimum I would use on any computer,with any windows system. Help it to help you. :thumbs: |
memphis (2869) | ||
| 307860 | 2004-12-27 01:02:00 | Dude, you can't FIT 256mb of ram into a P166. And besides, that is the equivalent of upgrading my machine to 4GB! These have 72-pin sockets, and the maximum amount you can fit in them (if they have 4 sockets) is 128MB. I have ONCE seen one with 6 sockets, a server, and it could take 192MB. The chips only go up to 32MB you see. He does not NEED that much memory for such a computer, it would be overkill. And besides, it meets the needs it is intended for, he is looking to fix not upgrade. Sorry, my ranting must stop now... What you do need I think, is a new hard drive. I think it might be corrupting itself. Try buying a 10GB or so off Trademe for ~$20. |
george12 (7) | ||
| 307861 | 2004-12-27 01:03:00 | Just get a new/bigger harddrive and using a progame say like Nortons Ghost etc,copy your old harddrive's contents onto the new one. :) Get some more memory if you can afford it to, its pretty cheap as well,and helps out the computer to run everything. 32mb just is to little and ram is the cheapest upgrade and makes a big difference. Get 256mb ram, it would be the minimum I would use on any computer,with any windows system. Help it to help you. :thumbs: Why would you bother when you can get a deal like this?? ! AMD ATHLON 1800/40GB/512 RAM AMD ATHLON 1800/ ASUS A7S333 Motherboard/ 40GB HDD/ 512 SD... [Auckland Dec 20, 2004 1:28:31 AM] NZ$400.00 |
Cicero (40) | ||
| 307862 | 2004-12-27 01:15:00 | Dude, you can't FIT 256mb of ram into a P166. And besides, that is the equivalent of upgrading my machine to 4GB! These have 72-pin sockets, and the maximum amount you can fit in them (if they have 4 sockets) is 128MB. I have ONCE seen one with 6 sockets, a server, and it could take 192MB. The chips only go up to 32MB you see. I beg to differ. Most motherboards of that age can take 4x 64MB EDO sticks |
Edward (31) | ||
| 307863 | 2004-12-27 01:17:00 | i had my p166 going and i was using it until i brought my p4 about a year and a bit ago, it was the most relaible pc i have ever had, damn thing was a brilliant piece of technology, but as the time goes on it was time for an upgrade. have you tried updating your display drivers? im thinking it is the hdd failing 1.6gb HD's are ancient and prone to failure, particularly at this age. You only have to look at them funny and they crash and burn... my p166's 2gb hdd is is perfect condition and its about the same age..... |
Prescott (11) | ||
| 307864 | 2004-12-27 01:30:00 | Dude, you can't FIT 256mb of ram into a P166. And besides, that is the equivalent of upgrading my machine to 4GB! These have 72-pin sockets, and the maximum amount you can fit in them (if they have 4 sockets) is 128MB. I have ONCE seen one with 6 sockets, a server, and it could take 192MB. The chips only go up to 32MB you see. Cobblers, my 166MHz Server/firewall runs just fine with 256Mb |
PcNut (6639) | ||
| 307865 | 2004-12-27 02:35:00 | 1 . Get a qualified/knowledgeable person to look at your computer . 2 . Get a new harddrive . 3 . Get a upgrade on whatever components you want/others want . 4 . Get a new computer . 5 . Do whatever in no particular order or anything else you/others can come up with . :2cents: 6 . If previous post was not helpful then disregared me trying to be helpful . 7 . I am learning as much as anyone else here on the internet . 8 . I ony suggest things or say what I would personally do, not telling you to do anything . 9 . Do what you you like . 10 . BYE :angry |
memphis (2869) | ||
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