When I try to startup my computer, the screen is black, and there is a prompt
asking me to Insert BOOT diskette in A:. Above that prompt, the system says
that it is Searching for Boot Record from Floppy..Not Found, CDROM..Not
Found, SCSI..Not Found.

Claudio wrote:

> When I try to startup my computer, the screen is black, and there is a
> prompt
> asking me to Insert BOOT diskette in A:. Above that prompt, the
> system says that it is Searching for Boot Record from Floppy..Not
> Found, CDROM..Not Found, SCSI..Not Found.

This means that your computer is looking for the files necessary to boot
an operating system and not finding any. Since you didn't say anything
about your computer, I can't tell if the problem is with your hard
drive or not. Do you have a SCSI hard drive?

Start the computer again and go into the BIOS. How you do this depends
on your particular motherboard. There will be a prompt at the first
startup screen that says something like, "Press [some key] to enter
Setup. Do this and once you are in Setup, see if your hard drive is
found. Make sure it is listed in the boot order, also. A normal boot
order is floppy or cd first, hard drive second. If the drive is not
seen in the BIOS, turn off the machine and unplug it. Open the case and
reseat the cable going from the motherboard to the hard drive on both
ends and the power supply connector going to the hard drive. If you
have a laptop, you'll need to remove the hard drive and then put it
back in again.

Now turn on the computer and see if the hard drive is seen in the BIOS.
If it is, try and boot into Windows. If the drive isn't seen in the
BIOS, swap out the drive cable for a known-working one and test (if you
have a desktop).

If the hard drive is not still seen in the BIOS, you can see if the
drive is at fault or the motherboard by 1) slaving the drive in a
working computer; 2) or putting the drive on a different motherboard
connector if you have a desktop. If the drive is at fault, replace it.
If the motherboard is at fault (drive cannot be seen when connected
anywhere), replace it.

If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening
your computer, take the machine to a professional computer repair shop
(not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Malke" wrote:

> Claudio wrote:
>
> > When I try to startup my computer, the screen is black, and there is a
> > prompt
> > asking me to Insert BOOT diskette in A:. Above that prompt, the
> > system says that it is Searching for Boot Record from Floppy..Not
> > Found, CDROM..Not Found, SCSI..Not Found.
>
> This means that your computer is looking for the files necessary to boot
> an operating system and not finding any. Since you didn't say anything
> about your computer, I can't tell if the problem is with your hard
> drive or not. Do you have a SCSI hard drive?
>
> Start the computer again and go into the BIOS. How you do this depends
> on your particular motherboard. There will be a prompt at the first
> startup screen that says something like, "Press [some key] to enter
> Setup. Do this and once you are in Setup, see if your hard drive is
> found. Make sure it is listed in the boot order, also. A normal boot
> order is floppy or cd first, hard drive second. If the drive is not
> seen in the BIOS, turn off the machine and unplug it. Open the case and
> reseat the cable going from the motherboard to the hard drive on both
> ends and the power supply connector going to the hard drive. If you
> have a laptop, you'll need to remove the hard drive and then put it
> back in again.
>
> Now turn on the computer and see if the hard drive is seen in the BIOS.
> If it is, try and boot into Windows. If the drive isn't seen in the
> BIOS, swap out the drive cable for a known-working one and test (if you
> have a desktop).
>
> If the hard drive is not still seen in the BIOS, you can see if the
> drive is at fault or the motherboard by 1) slaving the drive in a
> working computer; 2) or putting the drive on a different motherboard
> connector if you have a desktop. If the drive is at fault, replace it.
> If the motherboard is at fault (drive cannot be seen when connected
> anywhere), replace it.
>
> If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening
> your computer, take the machine to a professional computer repair shop
> (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>
Malke,

I tried exactly what you suggested but it did not work. The screen stil
shows the same information. The black screen still shows that there is a
Boot Failure, and is asking me to insert BOOT diskette in A:. Press any key
when ready_.

I have had this computer for five years and it has always worked properly.
It is not a brand-name machine. I had it built. It has an AMD Processor and
runs on XP. Please help.

Claudio

Claudio wrote:

> I tried exactly what you suggested but it did not work. The screen
> stil
> shows the same information. The black screen still shows that there
> is a
> Boot Failure, and is asking me to insert BOOT diskette in A:. Press
> any key when ready_.
>
> I have had this computer for five years and it has always worked
> properly.
> It is not a brand-name machine. I had it built. It has an AMD
> Processor and
> runs on XP. Please help.

I'm sorry, but there isn't any more help to be had. I already told you
what I think - either your hard drive has died or your motherboard has
died or both. It's up to you to determine which - if not both -
components have failed. If you took the hard drive out and tested it in
another machine, did it work? Did putting a different hard drive in the
problem machine work? Since you didn't tell me any of the results, I
can't guess.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Malke" wrote:

> Claudio wrote:
>
> > I tried exactly what you suggested but it did not work. The screen
> > stil
> > shows the same information. The black screen still shows that there
> > is a
> > Boot Failure, and is asking me to insert BOOT diskette in A:. Press
> > any key when ready_.
> >
> > I have had this computer for five years and it has always worked
> > properly.
> > It is not a brand-name machine. I had it built. It has an AMD
> > Processor and
> > runs on XP. Please help.
>
> I'm sorry, but there isn't any more help to be had. I already told you
> what I think - either your hard drive has died or your motherboard has
> died or both. It's up to you to determine which - if not both -
> components have failed. If you took the hard drive out and tested it in
> another machine, did it work? Did putting a different hard drive in the
> problem machine work? Since you didn't tell me any of the results, I
> can't guess.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>

Malke,

Thank you for your input. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in computer
lingo, nor would I have the slightest idea of how to remove a hard drive. I
am an attorney, not a computer technologist. I thank you for taking the time
to explain everything to me and for being so patient. Best regards.

Claudio

Claudio wrote:

> Malke,
>
> Thank you for your input. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in
> computer
> lingo, nor would I have the slightest idea of how to remove a hard
> drive. I
> am an attorney, not a computer technologist. I thank you for taking
> the time
> to explain everything to me and for being so patient. Best regards.

It is a wise person who knows their area of expertise - I wouldn't dream
of commenting on a legal problem. Take the machine to a local
professional. This will not be your version of BigStoreUSA.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User