ansell

Thanks to all those who have offered advice.....I now know considerably more than when I started the topic! Update..... The school principal is confident about finding a Winx32 installation..... I'm going to try the ReactOS on one of the units (I'll report in another topic when I have some results)..... What goes around comes around - I've been given yet another unit that's running Win'98 and I'm going to set this up for my grand-daughter (3y/o) to use when she's here.....you may soon find another topic about networking to my computer and its WinXP. Would someone let me know if I now need to mark this topic as 'answered'. Thanks again. Regards, ansell.

Thanks to everyone for the replies..... I've been able to get into the bios by removing and then replacing the three DIMM memory cards. I set the bios to the default settings and then selected to boot from the cd-rom-drive and here I ran into another problem. As I intend to give the computer to the local primary school I got their Windows XP Prof. installation disc and it turns out that this is a x64 version and the computer will only run a x32 version. As I don't have a x32 installation disc I seem to have arrived at a dead-end. Dunno what to do now! Regards, ansell.

Hello YoKenny...... > > .....Its dead Jim. > How bad is that.....what do I do to confirm that it's a demised bios and if it is an ex-bios, what then? Thanks for your resonse. Regards, ansell.

Hello Davey......thanks for the encouragement and the link. I now have the manual and I learn that the one beep that I'm getting means that there was no error during POST - but unfortunately, holding down the delete key during start-up has not let me into the bios set-up....it still only skips the memory test. At least that single beep has eased my concerns about a fried m'board (or am I showing my ignorance with this little bit of bliss in an otherwise fairly desolate landscape?). D'you think that not getting into the bios with the DEL key is an indicator that the bios has the problem? Regards and thanks again, ansell.

Hi ansell, I am no expert on this but what happens if you boot and keep hitting F2 key.(Not sure what function key it might be on your PC.) I know on some PC s this allows you to change the device boot sequence and you can allow access to your boot drive first. Good luck, davey P.S. Congrats on the PC !!! Nothing better than returning a useful PC to good use. Hello Davey......thanks for the suggestion. > > .....what happens if you boot and keep hitting F2 key > Unfortunately.....nothing happens. The keyboard can stop the memory check and then nothing. > > .....Congrats on the PC !!! Nothing better than returning a useful PC to good use. > I've arranged for the others (5) in the network to arrive here on Friday.....I'm told they have all been reformatted and now show the same problem, so if I can get this first one working I should be able to get them all working and our local primary school will get a huge boost to their computing capacity. Here's hoping! Regards, ansell.

I've been given a computer that was used in a racing sim network. I'm told that the hard-drive was reformatted. On starting there is a successful memory check - then nothing further and no access to the cd-drive or a-drive. After the memory test the screen reads.... Award Medallion BIOS v6.0 1984-2000 Award Software Inc. ASUS CUSL2-C ACPI BIOS Revision 1006.A Inte® 111 500E MHz Processor Memory Test 786432K OK Press DEL to enter SETUP 02/27/2001 - 1815 - CUSL2-C-00 ____________ The cursor remains flashing under the '2' at the end of the memory test number. Pressing DEL does not enter setup....in fact pressing any key at all produces nothing. I've tried resetting the cmos (battery removal and jumper reset) with no change. Neither keyboard or mouse are usb. Suggestions appreciated.