( Just Add Water )
Soothsayer Patron Support Leader
I have this old Acer computer system, windows 98 that we had stopped using years ago since we couldn't figure out whats wrong with it.
When you boot it up the screen comes on and will proceed to go to a black screen and repeat the phrase " Insert system diskette and press Enter key to reboot"
According to my dad, when you put the disk in, nothing ever happens. All the while you get to hear this odd crackling sounds coming from the CPU.
My dad says it must be something with the hard drive, but I have no clue. Anybody know anyway to get the computer up to the home screen or is it trashed?
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10:58 am on Jan. 2, 2009 | Joined: Nov. 2006 | Days Active: 375 Join to learn more about Just Add WaterMissouri, United States | BisexualFemale | Posts: 2,110 | Points: 12,348
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bellreavue
Executive
yeah its pretty much trashed you cant get the home screen w/o the disk working and if the disk doesnt work, then the hard drive is fried pretty hard to fix that -.-
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Tex the drummer
Executive
sounds like memory. see if one of the chips is loose
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stinaaa
Dairy Product Addict
Acer=horrible.
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( Just Add Water )
Soothsayer Patron Support Leader
Well, it may not be worth it, but could we put a new hard drive in it?
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( Just Add Water )
Soothsayer Patron Support Leader
Oh i have it booted up now-- the crackling sounds have stopped, btw. Hrm.....
Post edited at 11:04 am on Jan. 2, 2009 by Just Add Water
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xEnragedSyphersx
Technician
There is a sorta creme sperating the processor from the heat sink. It's possible that the cream could've dried up and causing some problems.
If you can't get past the Acer loading screen. (You never see anything that has to do with windows.) Could be something to do with a corrupted windows file causing the failure. In disk it may mean the OS disc.
If it doesn't load the disc, then could be the bios messed up. If it is take the battery out of the computer for 30 seconds replace it and turn back on teh computer. (That should reset the bios)
If that doesn't work I wouldn't even bother taking it to a repair person, the coputer is to old. Take out the ram, hard drive, disc drive, and any other thing removable. Spare parts can always be sold or used for upgrades.
espresso8097
I LET you ride the worm! Patron Tech Support Leader
I would recommend just finding a Win2k CD and installing that. Will at least be able to use flash drives without needing to track down drivers and troubleshooting for over an hour just to end up having the system crash.
If we are going to be damned lets be damned for what we really are.
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obvious child
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Don't even bother with Windows. Install Linux. If the computer is that old anyways, running a low resource OS like Ubuntu will be much better.
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6:56 pm on Jan. 2, 2009 | Joined: Sep. 2005 | Days Active: 946 Join to learn more about obvious childOregon, United States | StraightMale | Posts: 14,337 | Points: 24,821
espresso8097
I LET you ride the worm! Patron Tech Support Leader
Quote: from obvious child at 8:56 pm on Jan. 2, 2009
Don't even bother with Windows. Install Linux. If the computer is that old anyways, running a low resource OS like Ubuntu will be much better.
Xubuntu would be even better. Or for blazing fast speed run Puppy. With some work Puppy can look amazing, just install some good packages.
If we are going to be damned lets be damned for what we really are.
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Macropiper
Like a Ninja! Patron
Or you can put it out of its misery by taking it to a computer recycling place, it is probably too slow to do anything useful with.
2:42 pm on Jan. 3, 2009 | Joined: Oct. 2002 | Days Active: 2,397 Join to learn more about MacropiperNew Zealand | StraightMale | Posts: 8,998 | Points: 36,900
Or you can put it out of its misery by taking it to a computer recycling place, it is probably too slow to do anything useful with.
That depends. Small scale non-profits, poor schools and other places have uses for obsolete but otherwise functional computers.
------- "I give the probability of this working at zero" - Dan DeMatteo
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espresso8097
I LET you ride the worm! Patron Tech Support Leader
If we are going to be damned lets be damned for what we really are.
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obvious child
Guru Ad Free
I'd do that but got no space for it.
------- "I give the probability of this working at zero" - Dan DeMatteo
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Don't even bother with Windows. Install Linux. If the computer is that old anyways, running a low resource OS like Ubuntu will be much better. 
