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Thread ID: 103683 2009-10-02 23:58:00 Drive A Error: System Halt Flourchild (15290) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
816229 2009-10-03 08:09:00 We had an old computer sitting in storage until the other day. We decided to bring it up and have it in the office for a secondary computer for offline purposes. When we took it down (about two years ago) everything worked fine. We plugged it in, set everything up, and suddenly when it tried booting we got a message saying

Drive A Error
System Halt

followed by beeping. We replaced the Floppy Drive, same thing. We replaced the power supply, same thing. I am currently waiting for my son to return with a new battery for the motherboard; however, I do not believe that is the problem (don't want to rule out something that easy to fix though). The BIOS is not accessible as the computer refuses to boot without the floppy drive. The computer was custom built in 2001 and I do not know all the specifications. If anyone knows anything about what could possibly be causing this, please let me know.


*Edit*
Son just returned with new battery, same result.

Beeping ( more than one ) beep is trying to tell you something.
A new battery for the motherboard was the obvious solution but bear in mind that the bios would have gone back to default settings and you need to try and get in there.

Keep pushing the DEL key when you turn the computer on. Alternatively what sequence of beeps do you get?
Sweep (90)
816230 2009-10-03 08:13:00 Forget keyboards, RAM etc.
The BIOS is stuffed.
You can try downloading the newest BIOS for this particular model of motherboard and flashing it, if not, then the boards dead.

Hmmmm.... Floppy does not work like Drive A:

How do you flash the BIOS?
Sweep (90)
816231 2009-10-03 19:08:00 Tricky considering it's problem. Will it boot off a CD? pctek (84)
816232 2009-10-03 20:46:00 Tricky considering it's problem. Will it boot off a CD?

Unfortunately I have no idea at this time.

I guess we have to wait and see if the original poster gets back to us.
Sweep (90)
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