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Author Topic: Still A4000 format problems easy questions HELP!  (Read 3707 times)

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Offline xrcxjTopic starter

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Still A4000 format problems easy questions HELP!
« on: March 15, 2005, 03:53:42 AM »
Upon Boot (it takes me several times to Boot up.  Sometimes as much as ten times.  Today was once.????
  No bootup a requestor states:  Not a DOS in WorkBench Drive...now why is that?

Using a floppy (emergency 3.9 startup disk)   SYS REQUEST Please replace volume 3.0 in any drive?????

Finally got 0S3.9 installed, ASIM as well, CD driver was located.... but when installing VT 3.1 first..."Max install takes 350 MBS Click Proceed to Continue...
I click Proceed but it doesn't)  Same when I tried install VT 4.3...

Checked Partitions and iPartition WorkBench read 4.5 g's...I set it up for 900MBS....   Why did it change.

Re-Formatted...Save Changes to Drive DO NOT SAVE....

What should the Boot priority Be  WorkBench "0"?  right?
Work: "0" too?  Should all the other partitions be "0"?

When I installed the VT 4.3it change my CD to "6...using asim it was CD4...why?

Changing /adding Partitions...very difficult because the left edge isn't clear...

more later...I can only do this in spurts  HELP me please.



 

Using a floppy 3.0
 

Offline xrcxjTopic starter

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Re: Still A4000 format problems easy questions HELP!
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2005, 10:27:32 AM »
Hi thanks...It is a NEW 40 Gig hard drive....I haven't got it going yet....Sometimes the floppy drive doesn't work (read the floppy disk)...

Anyway, let me confirm this   My WorkBench should be less than 1 Gig partition.  And should be Bootable "0"
Then I should try and install OS3.9  or OS3.0 (if other fails)...

    What should the next partition/s be  Work= I could only drag the bar to give me about 4 Gig   Should it be Zero ?  One?
Next Partition (I used to call HD0) should be 2  

Only the Bootable should be WorkBench?

gotta work...I check in a few hours...thanks
 

Offline xrcxjTopic starter

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O.K. Up & Running (almost)
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2005, 12:30:24 AM »
Finally with your Help (some things I didn't know).  about Bootable etc.  anyway, I have installed both 3.1 & OS3.9 successfully on my new 40G hard drive  THANKS again, but I'm having another problem.  Trying to install software using a floppy & a CD.  During install, I get breaks/pauses (I can hear that the floppy drive stops for a few seconds-as well as the floppy amber light)!  During the installation of the VT4.3 (Boot floppy & CD ROM)  it paused about 10 times.  If I give the area around the floppy a slight tap it starts reading the disk again.  The first VT install failed (some switcher font not found).  Tried a second time...It was successful.  Would these pauses be the source of the problem?  Something not installed fully?  Do I need to buy a new floppy drive?  I think my floppy drive stops reading the disk sometimes (everything).  But, when I start VT3.2, the color VT Logo comes up and then the A4000 crashes???  what is the problem?   Help thanks
 

Offline xrcxjTopic starter

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Re: O.K. Up & Running (almost)
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2005, 07:39:02 AM »
A4000 Boot Up....

 Here's what happens...

1st time   ....Just turning on the A4000.  Only a blank grey screen.  

2nd time....Re-Boot: Just turning on the A4000.  A blank grey screen but sometimes flickering with small blue rectangles, like a really super small spread sheet.  

3rd time....Re-Boot: Turn on, Hold down both mouse buttons: (select) Boot with No startup sequence.  Amiga DOS screen with 1> (I can type here)

4th time....Re-Boot: RA,LA & Control keys... Turn on, Hold down both mouse buttons: (Select) Boot...Now it starts up. WORKBENCH screen. O.K.
   I have the RAM & Work disk icon and a WorkBench folder icon.  And VT_4 icon.
  Selected VT_4, in the 3.1 folder (nothing)  in the VT.4.3 Programs...selected...Start Toaster.  The screen ended up with lots of lines and CRASHED.

5th time...RA,LA & Control keys...Turn on, Hold down both mouse buttons: (Selected) Boot
  No Go!  Only a Grey screen with one line...

6th time...Shut OFF A4000 power button.  Wait a minute.  Power Up.  Only a Grey screen.

7th time...Re-Boot RA,LA & Control keys...grey screen....
                  Shut OFF power...waited a minute.

8th time...Power Up...Now O.K.
                 But Window is Large...Went to PREFS...changed screen size...nothing happened.  

      Later on came back and tried to start up the A4000...Nothing...

I've tried  about 20 times and not a floppy drive sound/amber light nor anything on the screen (a dark grey) no matter what way I tried to Re-Boot....

  I know it's NOT the Monitor.
  Nor is it the Hard Drive....

What starts up a computer?...something isn't causing the hard disk drive or floppy to start up.  (be read)  


No Boot
 

Offline xrcxjTopic starter

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Re: O.K. Up & Running (almost)
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2005, 02:14:29 PM »
Well, for all my ignorance with the problems I'm having.
After I came back from work, I started my A4000. (025)...it booted right up.
Sometimes when it doesn't boot up...the VT4.3 disk icon, sort of blinks on and off.  Like it's there and it's not there every few seconds.   This is in conjunction with the amber light blinking on & off as well as the spinning sound of the floppy disk drive, starting and stopping.
  YOUR ASSESSMENT!!!!!
 First, I figure it has something to do with my floppy disk drive...(dirty, or old).  Why?  When I was installing the Video Toaster CD rom (includes VT 3.1,3.5 & 4.3) using the VT4.3 Boot-Up Floppy disk (quite new and hardly used-a few months old).  there are pauses.  The Blue Install bar stops and I get a
SYSTEM REQUEST (box)
saying Volume VT4.3
has a read write error

after a few seconds it's then continues.  The Blue bar zooms thru a few things to install, then stops...
If I give the front of the floppy disk drive a tap with my finger, it helps it kick back in...the amber light starts blinking again and the blue bar continues.
This happens about 25 times or more during the installation.  Sometimes  another System Request  comes up saying
NO DISK PRESENT
In DEVICE CD0  (my CD ROM drive).

  I'm not a technician...what does the Boot-Up Floppy disk have to do with starting the CD to Install??????
  Either a tap on the front of the floppy door or wait for a few seconds, then it continues.
Finally....
  I get a COMPLETE INSTALL and it says to reboot......

O.K.
Go to my WORK draw where VT is....
I click the start icon 3.1 or 3.5  they say
"Launching VT"  the VT Logo comes up for a few seconds...and that's it...
same with VT3.5 if I select it....nothing Happens!!!!!!!!!!

So, the monitor is good...I don't think it's any problem with the CIA chips (not FBI)??? joke!

But, I am worried that if the installation of both OS3.1 and OS3.9 got interrupted in the same way, maybe the basic OS has missing parts...therefore the problems.

The cable to the new 40 Gig hard drive is old (1991).  Ummm
But, tapping the front cover where the floppy disk is, helps kick in the CD reading to continue the installation process.  

At least now when I click on either start VT 3.1 or 3.5 the Logo comes up, but it DOESN'T crash...just waiting for the Logo to kick in and get my Toaster back online...

Next will be connecting the Digital TBCIV and my videos and camera...Oh {bleep}...!!!!  HELP....



 

Offline xrcxjTopic starter

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Re: Still A4000 format problems easy questions HELP!
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2005, 08:41:52 AM »
My A4000 was up-graded to 3.1 ROM.  At this point I had been wondering if the VT doesn't start because VT WAS NEVER TESTED WITH 3.1 ROM...although some people have said they use OS3.9/3.1 ROM and VT runs fine...what's even funnier is that when I try to install the VT 3.2/5 versions there's nothing in that CD ROM folder showing up...but the VT 4.2 version has files & folders.  I still think my floppy drive is the problem...if not, then whatever boots the hard drive (hard drive is O.K.) when it boots, but sometimes it boots up on the 1st try and sometimes it just doesn't boot up.   Is there something I'm missing????thanks

  It was suggested to get new cables etc.  I figure buying a new floppy disk drive...can I still get a floppy disk drive?  I'm in Japan, so those are pretty out-dated.  The smallest Hard drives they sell in Japan are 40G.  (cost about $40)....
  Sometimes the floppy disk icon is on the WorkBench then it goes back & forth (I'd say every 10 seconds or so).  It's ther, it's NOT there....on & on...what does that mean???  Of course, the disk isn't being read properly.

Any clues??????