Something odd. Should I be concerned?

[Jentle Jiant]

WinXP Home, SP2 installed
P 4 2.8ghz

I have just discovered a floppy disc has been in my A: drive for at
least three weeks (The last time I used it.)

But I have booted my computer many times since then. Shouldn't I have
gotten an error message "Non-System Disc in drive..."?

Is the fact that I didn't get that message cause for concern? Does it
indicate some problem with my OS?

Or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks

Jentle Jiant

 

[Mikey]

Hi;
A sure sign that the Bios in your machine is set to boot from Hard-Drive b4
Floppy.
Nothing unusual there.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

That is a motherboard BIOS issue.

Is hard drive a boot device before floppy?
If so, the boot you describe is normal.

If floppy is a boot device before hard drive you have a BIOS and/or
motherboard problem.

 

[Jentle Jiant]

That is a motherboard BIOS issue.

Is hard drive a boot device before floppy?
If so, the boot you describe is normal.

If floppy is a boot device before hard drive you have a BIOS and/or
motherboard problem.

Well, I am re-assured by your apparent lack of concern about this.

But, it seems to me that always, in the past, if I left a floppy in
the drive, when I booted, I would get the message I described. That
goes all the way back to WIN 3.1.

I'm pretty sure that pre-SP2 that was the case on this machine.

It was my impression that drive A is always the default boot device.

But, as I said, since you are unconcerned, I will be unconcerned.

Thanks for the quick response.

Jentle Jiant.

 

[Jentle Jiant]

Well, it WAS unusual in my experience, but I take your word for it. No
one seems to see anything wrong, so I will ignore this.

THanks

Jentle Jiant.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Check your current BIOS settings and then you will know if all is OK

 

[Not Me]

You have no concern that I can see UNLESS:
a. Your BIOS is set to boot from the Hard Disk directly without first
checking the CD-ROM Drives and the Floppy Drive for the presence of a
bootable file. You can check that setting in your BIOS.
b. If your BIOS is set correctly and the floppy you left for three weeks
was a data file only as opposed to being a boot file, your system is
setup and reacts the same as mine and I see no problem. My BIOS is
presently set to first check the CD-ROM Drive (s), then the Floppy
Drive, and lastly the Hard Drive. The first drive in the process that it
finds a boot enabled file present, it will boot [starts] from that file.
Gene K

 

[Jentle Jiant]

OK, please assume I am completely ignorant (in other words, a little
patience please) I am by no means a technically oriented person.

I am positive that the situation I described is a new one. In the past
a floppy left in the drive would pause the boot with the message I
quoted. This IS A CHANGE in how my computer operates. So I need to get
to the cause of this.

I thought perhaps the disc I had left in the drive might somehow be a
bootable one, so I tried it with floppies of my own making, with only
text and jpg files. It did not stop the boot. It would have done so in
the past. I am positive.

(Visually, during boot, it does seem to check the CD drives first,
then the floppy, then it boots.)

So, Now the HARD STUFF

How do I check the BIOS?

I'm pretty sure I have to first go into "Safe Mode". But the Windows
help files say click "Start", then click "Shut Down". There is no
"Shut Down" on my menu!

And once I do get into the BIOS, what am I looking for? What would
constitute an error? How do I fix an error?

I have only done something like this once, a long long time ago, under
the direction of a live tech support person, in the days when that
meant something.

I appreciate all the help I can get!

Jentle Jiant

You have no concern that I can see UNLESS:
a. Your BIOS is set to boot from the Hard Disk directly without first
checking the CD-ROM Drives and the Floppy Drive for the presence of a
bootable file. You can check that setting in your BIOS.
b. If your BIOS is set correctly and the floppy you left for three weeks
was a data file only as opposed to being a boot file, your system is
setup and reacts the same as mine and I see no problem. My BIOS is
presently set to first check the CD-ROM Drive (s), then the Floppy
Drive, and lastly the Hard Drive. The first drive in the process that it
finds a boot enabled file present, it will boot [starts] from that file.
Gene K

WinXP Home, SP2 installed
P 4 2.8ghz

I have just discovered a floppy disc has been in my A: drive for at
least three weeks (The last time I used it.)

But I have booted my computer many times since then. Shouldn't I have
gotten an error message "Non-System Disc in drive..."?

Is the fact that I didn't get that message cause for concern? Does it
indicate some problem with my OS?

Or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks

Jentle Jiant

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

The BIOS has nothing to do with the operating system, it is a function
of the motherboard.
You do not even need a hard drive much less an operating system
installed to access the BIOS.

To access BIOS, check your motherboard/computer manual or contact the
manufacturer as they all do it differently.

Typically during boot there is a message like "Press ** to enter
setup"
Typical keys are F1, F2, F8, Esc, Delete and others.

Until you check the BIOS itis impossible to know if it is working
correctly.
Ifthe BIOS setting has changed, someone changed it since Windows can
not.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

OK, please assume I am completely ignorant (in other words, a little
patience please) I am by no means a technically oriented person.

I am positive that the situation I described is a new one. In the
past
a floppy left in the drive would pause the boot with the message I
quoted. This IS A CHANGE in how my computer operates. So I need to
get
to the cause of this.

I thought perhaps the disc I had left in the drive might somehow be
a
bootable one, so I tried it with floppies of my own making, with
only
text and jpg files. It did not stop the boot. It would have done so
in
the past. I am positive.

(Visually, during boot, it does seem to check the CD drives first,
then the floppy, then it boots.)

So, Now the HARD STUFF

How do I check the BIOS?

I'm pretty sure I have to first go into "Safe Mode". But the Windows
help files say click "Start", then click "Shut Down". There is no
"Shut Down" on my menu!

And once I do get into the BIOS, what am I looking for? What would
constitute an error? How do I fix an error?

I have only done something like this once, a long long time ago,
under
the direction of a live tech support person, in the days when that
meant something.

I appreciate all the help I can get!

Jentle Jiant

You have no concern that I can see UNLESS:
a. Your BIOS is set to boot from the Hard Disk directly without
first
checking the CD-ROM Drives and the Floppy Drive for the presence of
a
bootable file. You can check that setting in your BIOS.
b. If your BIOS is set correctly and the floppy you left for three
weeks
was a data file only as opposed to being a boot file, your system is
setup and reacts the same as mine and I see no problem. My BIOS is
presently set to first check the CD-ROM Drive (s), then the Floppy
Drive, and lastly the Hard Drive. The first drive in the process
that it
finds a boot enabled file present, it will boot [starts] from that
file.
Gene K

WinXP Home, SP2 installed
P 4 2.8ghz

I have just discovered a floppy disc has been in my A: drive for
at
least three weeks (The last time I used it.)

But I have booted my computer many times since then. Shouldn't I
have
gotten an error message "Non-System Disc in drive..."?

Is the fact that I didn't get that message cause for concern? Does
it
indicate some problem with my OS?

Or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks

Jentle Jiant

 

[Jentle Jiant]

I don't mean to sound obtuse, but assuming I do figure out how to view
the BIOS on my computer, I still do not have any idea what I am
checking. What am I looking for? Just being able to look at it is
useless if I don't know what I am looking for.

Thanks

Jentle Jiant.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

It is different with different motherboards, that is why it may be
necessary to get the specific information from your manufacturer.
Typically once you enter the BIOS there will be several tabs at the
top of the screen.
Select the "Boot" tab.
You will need to use the keyboard since the mouse is non-operational
in the BIOS.