[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] H/Disk boot failure msg.

wind@rruxi.bae.bellcore.com (Wind Chen) (08/09/90)

I have a AT clone machine.  Lately, I start receiving "Disk boot failure" msg.
after power on.  I can boot from F/Disk all the time, but not from H/Disk.
I have run test program against the controller, it seems okay.

If I remove the FD/HD controller and put it back in, I can boot from H/Disk.
But after couple boots, the msg. come back again.  I am sure there are no chancethat controller is not connect to the M/B well, but I can not explain why it is happening.

Any idea may help.   Thank you in advance.

roy@cs.umn.edu (Roy M. Silvernail) (08/10/90)

wind@rruxi.bae.bellcore.com (Wind Chen) writes:

> I have run test program against the controller, it seems okay.
> 
> If I remove the FD/HD controller and put it back in, I can boot from H/Disk.
> But after couple boots, the msg. come back again.

Sounds like you have some contamination on the card-edge connector of
your controller. Cleaning _lightly_ with a pencil eraser will usually
take care of this problem. You can also try using a different slot for
the controller. Those slots' contact fingers can sometimes wear out
after repeated flexing.
--
    Roy M. Silvernail   | #include <stdio.h>                 | Does virtual
    now available at:   | main(){                            | reality need
 cybrspc!roy@cs.umn.edu |  float x=1;                        | swap space?
(cyberspace... be here!)|  printf("Just my $%.2f.\n",x/50);} | -- me

glratt@rice.edu (Glenn Forbes Larrett) (08/10/90)

> I have run test program against the controller, it seems okay.
>
> If I remove the FD/HD controller and put it back in, I can boot from H/Disk.
> But after couple boots, the msg. come back again.
            ^^^^^^^^^^^^
You might also look into the problem being heat-related.  If by "after a couple
boots" you mean after the machine's been up for a while and Ctrl-Alt-Del'd
several times, there could be excess heat building up in the neighborhood of
the controller.


	Glenn Larratt			glratt@uncle-bens.rice.edu
	Computing Resource Center	OCIS, Rice University, Houston, Texas