Posted by Nina on July 07, 19101 at 17:22:40:
I have an old system I would like to use. It is only a 486SX25 Legend 2000 Plus Multi-Media system from Packard Bell. However, my original problem was that the system would not boot. I would receive a message:
While Initializing device IOS: error: An I/O subsystem driver failed to load. Either a file in the .\iosubsys subdirectory is corrupt or the system is low on memory.
After tricking it with a dos boot disk, I managed to get to the C: promt. I later discovered the config.sys file was messed up, so I reinstalled dos. Now my system boots to the dos prompt without the above error message.
I changed drives to A: and attempted to install Microsoft Windows for workgroups 3.11 using the setup.exe command on the floppy disk. It seemed to have worked but will not boot into windows. In dos I can change the directory to the windows directory but that is all. I can see all the windows 3.11 files. I tried using the winsetup.exe command in dos but it tells me that windows is needed. Is this a problem with the boot partitioning?
I also ran scan disk from the dos prompt and out of a total of 37,700 cluster....5,800 clusters (has data on them), of which 1,400 were marked as BAD clusters. Does this mean this hard drive is no good??
read on...it gets worse.
Anyways, I figured this hard drive was toast and since they are not that expensive (for a small hard drive) I would buy another one if I had too, so I started fiddling some more. I ran fdisk and may have screwed that up by deleting a partition. This is what the partition information used to be:
Partition, Status, Type, Volume Label, MB, system, usuage
C: 1, A, PRIDOS, MS-DOS_6, 2012, FAT16, 65%
2, EXTDOS, 1083MB, 35%
The extended dos partition contains logical Dos Drives
Drv, VolumeLabel, MB, system, usage
D:, Disk1Part02, 1083MB, Fat16, 100%
NOW THE LOGICAL DOS DRIVE INFORMATION READS:
Drv, volume label MB, System, Usage
D: 1083MB, UNKNOWN, 100%
so then I tried the format c: command and it started but locked up. After the format command started it showed a percentage of formatting process, then came up with "checking file allocation" and got to 1075 and just locked up. Since file allocation is the same as "clusters" does this mean the hard drive is damaged with all those BAD clusters scan disk found and marked as bad, that I mentioned earlier? So do I need a new hard?
As you can see, I know enough about pc's to be dangerous and not enough to repair. If you could help me with my dilema I would GREATLY appreciate your kindness. I also need step by step directions. Anything vague will leave me curbside. I will check back on the message board but would much rather receive email from you. My email address is bonkers@planetcable.net Again, thank you for your kindness and may it be returned 3 fold.