FDC Failure (W95)

[SCEPTRE25]

I have used computer that will not boot up properly. During boot up I recieve this "FDC Failure"and it tells me to hit the F1 key to continue. It continues into scan disk where it tells me of a disk problem and will not continue. Does this sound like a hard drive problem or a motherboard problem. Thank you for your help.

[Andy-S]

Sounds to me like a floppy drive failure. FDC normally means floppy drive controller. Have you tried disconnecting the floppy?

Cheers
Andy

[SCEPTRE25]

Yes I did and it would not boot up at all. Should I replace the floppy drive?
Thanks for your help.

[Andy-S]

What type of system do you have? The floppy should not prevent the system from booting unless there is a boot disk installed in the floppy drive.

Cheers
Andy

[SCEPTRE25]

Running Win98.
When I disconnected the floppy drive nothing booted up. With the floppy installed it would try to boot but the FDC Failure would come up and tell me to hit the F1 key. It would then start to boot and go into scan disk. It would stop in scan disk telling me of a disk problem and lock up there.
Thanks for the help.

[Andy-S]

Lets just clarify a few things:

1. Do you have a floppy diskette in the floppy drive?

2. What is the manufacturer and model of your PC?

3. When did you start seeing this problem? Was it after installing new hardware or software or was the system working one day and then failed to boot the next.

The answers to these questions may allow us to determine the best approach at solving your problem.

Cheers
Andy

[SCEPTRE25]

1. Do you have a floppy diskette in the floppy drive? No, nothing in the floppy drive.

2. What is the manufacturer and model of your PC?
Generic tower, motherboard is a SiS 53MA with a AMD processor K6-2, Seagate (ST32531A) HD.

3. When did you start seeing this problem? Was it after installing new hardware or software or was the system working one day and then failed to boot the next.
Unknown, computer is new to me. No background info.

Thanks again for the help.

[Andy-S]

What I would do is:

1. Download a Windows 98 boot disk from http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/ (http://www.bootdisk.com>www.bootdisk.com</a>.

2.) and running this to see if there are any problems with the HDD.



Cheers
Andy

[jdharm]

Rudely interjecting my $.02: /images/forums/icons/frown.gif

Check the BIOS and see if there is a setting to "Stop boot on error" and "floppy seek" and disable them. See if the system will boot despite the floppy problem.

Josh

"Sorry don't put thumbs back on the hand Marge."

[SCEPTRE25]

I tried to boot from the floppy drive. That didn't work so I replaced the floppy drive with a new one.
Same problem!
I checked my cables to be sure the #1 pin was correct on both sides.
What would you say to try next?
Again, thanks so much for the help.

[Andy-S]

Did you set defaults in the BIOS? You may also try clearing CMOS.

Cheers
Andy

[SCEPTRE25]

Yes I did.
I put eveything in the BIOS back to default.
What do you mean when you say "clear the CMOS"?
Thanks

[Andy-S]

There should be a jumper or switch on the system board that allows you to clear the contents of CMOS. CMOS contains all your configuration settings. You may need to consult the manufacturers manual to determine how to do it. Another simpler way is to remove the onboard battery (if possible) and then re-install it.

Cheers
Andy

[POBrien]

As Andy pointed out. I would swap out the data ribbon cable for a new one.

Patrick (http://www.winguides.com/forums/sendprivate.php?Cat=&User=POBrien&Board=&Number=&what=online&page=&view=&sb=&part=&vc=><font)</font color=green> /images/forums/icons/smile.gif
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.winguides.com/subscribe/?guide=registry>WinGuides</a>

[SCEPTRE25]

I have cleared the CMOS by removing the battery.
Set everything in default and still the same thing.
Sometimes it trys to boot from "C" drive but always hangs up during scan disk. I have the Seagate Diag. Utility but the floppy still will not work.
Thanks for all of you help.

[Andy-S]

Is there any way you can break into the system (pressing F8 or Ctrl C during boot) before scandisk runs.

If not, do you have the W95 installation CD. I'm not sure if it is bootable but if you can set up the CD drive as the first bootable device in the BIOS and insert the CD ROM in the CD drive you may be able to restore the operating system and won't need the floppy.

If not, unless you have another system to install the hard drive in or an external bootable storage device then you need to get the floppy drive working before you can do anything else.

Did you swap the floppy cable as Pat highlighted in his post?

If it is not the cable or the floppy drive and it is not related to any of your configuration settings in the BIOS or CMOS then the problem is either the floppy controller on the system board or the PSU.

Sorry this has not been much help but we have covered all the simple fixes that I can think of.

Cheers
Andy