Lost everything[crashed]

Charlie,
The first step is to get your BIOS (a built-in program to boot the computer) to "see" or recognize the hard drive at boot-up.
The drive's parameters (settings) must be enered correctly into your CMOS memory. (That's the place where such information is stored when the computer is turned off.
When this is complete, BIOS will usually display information about the drive on-screen when booting.
If this is not completed properly, no software can recognize the drive later for any operation.
Let me know if you need help to accomplish this important first step, and we will proceed.
Regards,
Ralph

Thanks Ralph:
Yes I do need help, I looked at the BIOS settings, But are not sure where they belong, I set them for the Old values, Have not tried any thing else<<I'm stopped  Thanks I have no mother board book.

Okay Charlie.
Look on the main page in setup for something that refers to hard drive, or IDE Auto-Detect function.
If you have it, use it to configure the drive parameters for you automatically.
If you don't have that feature, go to the standard setup page and scroll the Type options for the first hard drive. (C:)
If there is an AUTO listed, select it.
Next, save and exit the setup program.
If the above doesen't apply, we will need to get the parameters for the drive;  or at least, the model number and manufacturer of the drive.  The info will be located on the outside of the drive, but you'll probably have to remove the computer's case or cover to get to it.
Let me know if you are uncomfortable with that.
Ralph

Sounds like you need to use fdisk on the drive to delete the current partiton and then setup a new one.. The problem with the wrong MS-DOS version is because the utilities were made for use with dos 7.0 (win 95, 98) and your system disk is 6.0.. What you need to do is create a boot disk using all of the same system files and utilities.. If you need one I can send an image of one to you.. my e-mail is padrino@umit.maine.edu

Padrino, we don't want to put the cart before the horse.......
As you probably know, FDISK won't work at all until we get the drive recognized by the BIOS.
Ralph

Ralph:
I will tear into the computer in the morning and find the info. thanks. I'll let you know

One more question Charlie:
As you may know by now, I have been to your other question and posted a comment.
Are we working with the same computer here?
My reason for asking is because of the difference in brands of BIOS there, (Award) and here. (AMI)
There will be small differences in the setup routines between the two.  I'd like to know so I don't confuse my responses for the two questions.
Ralph

Ralph:
No the computers are different, The othe one belongs to my Son, I gave up on it a couple of days ago, Ifixed it so he could get on the internet buy using the key pads, I tried everything, everyone suggested bt nothing would get it going. so I gave up  Thanks

Ralph:
Thanks for the help on the crashed computer,, your info helped a lot, I went into setup changed to auto-detec as you sugguested, then I re-formated the drive from the setup screen, Then I ran fdisk,,created my partition, then formated c:/s and everythings ok..  how do I give you the credit you deserve Thanks  Charlie

Okay, so this one uses AMI.
We can probably find out what's wrong on the other one if you want to spend any more time on it.
If not, you can probably get it deleted and your points refunded by the staff at EE.
Let me know.
Ralph

Ralph:
on the mouse problem, I sure would like to get it fixed but I have tried almost everything,, I have re-formatted it 2 times, reloaded DOS 6.0 and windows 3.1, and windows 98,, The mouse would'nt work with DOS or Windows 3.1 either. Autoexec and config files are ok,, I'll try anything though, I don't want a refund because every one tries to help. Thanks

Okay,
You might tell me what you found from the first comment I posted on that question.
Let's pick it up over there.
Ralph