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IndustryArena Forum > Community Club House > Computer Technology > Computers / Desktops / Networking > Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    119

    Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Just picked up a nice little Techno DaVinci cnc at auction, but I can't get the Windows 98 computer that came with it to power up. I have it hooked to a good monitor, but get absolutely nothing on the screen when I try to boot up. Fan and front led light go on, but nothing else happens. I have the original W98 install disc and a boot disc floppy.

    I'd just use another PC, have several, but the Davinci uses Techno's proprietary software. Would like to try it out before punting and upgrading to Mach 3. And it's possible there are already upgrades on that computer, I know Techno offers a Gcode interface for the DaVinci

    I'm not very computer (or cnc) savvy, but not afraid to learn and experiment with some guidance.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    6463

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Win 98.....LOL......that is really stone age thinking......if you want to be a masochist, then trying to work with something that harks back to the "good old days" will only give you headaches galore......time to revamp the whole system and bring it up to date with modern peripherals......the basic hardware is probably good to go, if it's not already worn out hence the auction scenario, but the electronics are another matter......my opinion only.

    I'm not sure if you can do this, (not all that computer literate at all) but you "could" pull the hard drive out of the '98 computer and install it as a slave drive in a Win XP computer....or whatever you have.... and then access the files on it........but using the new host computer to do the boot up......BTDT......you can then load Mach 3 to the new host computer hard drive.
    Ian.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    1899

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Quote Originally Posted by dixdance View Post
    Just picked up a nice little Techno DaVinci cnc at auction, but I can't get the Windows 98 computer that came with it to power up. I have it hooked to a good monitor, but get absolutely nothing on the screen when I try to boot up. Fan and front led light go on, but nothing else happens. I have the original W98 install disc and a boot disc floppy.

    I'd just use another PC, have several, but the Davinci uses Techno's proprietary software. Would like to try it out before punting and upgrading to Mach 3. And it's possible there are already upgrades on that computer, I know Techno offers a Gcode interface for the DaVinci

    I'm not very computer (or cnc) savvy, but not afraid to learn and experiment with some guidance.
    Is there a hard drive in the computer? Did you check it? Normally if a PC does not start up because of an issue it gives some sound or some other indications, like piping signals or flashing LEDs. Anyway, I'd just buy a better PC and would not care at all. Perhaps you could move the contents of the HD to a new PC, but the actual hard drive is probably IDE and that might not work with Windows 10 since new PCs don't have IDE interfaces, so even moving data may be tricky unless you buy a IDE to USB converter and connect it that way. The next problem you will have is that you need to find a W7 32 bit PC since W10 no longer supports parallel port. The alternative is to buy a USB motion controller, like the UC100 or something similar...

    Anyway, I'd not spend a minute on that PC. I mean, really, Windows 98... that is 20 years old technology and even between Windows 98 and Windows XP the difference is like night and day.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    119

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    I have no love for Win98, I long ago switched over to Macs. But I do have an XP machine in the attic, so maybe hooking up the hard drive (there definitely is one) as a slave would be a work around. How would I go about doing that?

    I thought I''d probably wind up going with a laptop, Mach 3, ESS, and maybe Gecko 540 eventually, but I wanted to see the cnc performed with Techno's original proprietary stuff. The DaVinci looks like new, was used in a big woodworking factory to generate plastic templates for a profile knife grinder. Owner retired, all the equipment in the auction looked great. But I'm hesitant to invest in new controls til I see the machne run.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    1662

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Quote Originally Posted by dixdance View Post
    I have no love for Win98, I long ago switched over to Macs. But I do have an XP machine in the attic, so maybe hooking up the hard drive (there definitely is one) as a slave would be a work around. How would I go about doing that?.
    You could try simply swapping the hard drives but 98 may not recognize the newer hardware.
    The older computer should have displayed the bios even if there had been no hard disk at all.
    It could be video is gone, if it's a card look for an onboard connection.
    The first place to look is the power supply, any signs of life such as fans running, LED's or beeps.

    NO WAY would I toss this system without having some play time. .
    Anyone who says "It only goes together one way" has no imagination.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    1899

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Quote Originally Posted by dixdance View Post
    I have no love for Win98, I long ago switched over to Macs. But I do have an XP machine in the attic, so maybe hooking up the hard drive (there definitely is one) as a slave would be a work around. How would I go about doing that?
    If you have an XP machine then it probably has an IDE connection inside, so all you have to do is remove the hard disk and move it into the XP. Open both boxes and check if the hard disk connections are similar, if yes then it is a pretty simple work. I can't give you step by step instructions, but if you need it you may need to check your manual or try to find information on the net. Look for "IDE hard disk upgrade" or something similar. Of course, the work is done with the power off, once you power it on you have to check in BIOS if the hard disk is present, maybe you have to change some setting in BIOS. If it is present in BIOS then just boot your XP and your "new" hard disk should be visible as a new drive, probably D if you only had C before. Once you can see it under XP you can explore and try to find what you need. Beware that you might still not be able to run the software due to lack of driver. Not every software can be run by simply clicking on the exe file, some need proper installation.


    If you need to connect the har disk to a USB then you probably need something like this:




    Quote Originally Posted by dixdance View Post
    I thought I''d probably wind up going with a laptop, Mach 3, ESS, and maybe Gecko 540 eventually, but I wanted to see the cnc performed with Techno's original proprietary stuff. The DaVinci looks like new, was used in a big woodworking factory to generate plastic templates for a profile knife grinder. Owner retired, all the equipment in the auction looked great. But I'm hesitant to invest in new controls til I see the machne run.
    I am running Mach3 on laptop under W10 Pro, using UC300 motion controller and that works fine. If you are unsure you can run your old XP with Mach3, assuming it is a desktop PC. Mach3 works fine with the parallel port on an XP desktop, so you can test your machine before investing in a new PC and motion control and Mach3 license. The demo version of Mach3 works fine if you just want to test the machine and don't need USB.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    1662

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Sorry, the first post mentioned having at least some power, I skimmed that part.
    Anyway the machine should have displayed the bios.
    Anyone who says "It only goes together one way" has no imagination.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    119

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Absolutely nothing on the screen, just blank. Have to look for the video card, maybe someone removed it...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Listen for the hard drive noises. If it only makes noise for a few seconds (~5 or so), then the hard drive may be dead. If it's actually booting, then you should here the hard drive noises for at least 20-30 seconds.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    119

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Listened to the hard drive, thought I heard some noise, disconnected the power to the hard drive so I could distinguish between fan noise and hard drive. Damn if it didn't show the bios screen. Reconnected the power to the drive and I'm up.

    BUT, now it's asking for a password, which of course I don't have! Anyway around this?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    119

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Never mind, figured it out. Thanks for all the help!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    6463

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Hi.....unless you work for the CIA you won't be able to guess the password.......somebody with more knowledge will probably get around that one.
    Ian.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    119

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    I just hit the escape key, and I was in. Heavy duty security! Amazing what you can learn on the internet.

    When I bought this cnc (my first) I figured all my issue would be with cad/cam software (and I'm sure there will be), didn't expect this sort of nonsense.

    Thanks again for the assistance

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    630

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Windows 98 is about a secure as screened in porch. You should not be surprised that all you had to do was hit the escape key.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    1899

    Re: Need help! New (to me) Windows 98 computer won't start - came with cnc

    Quote Originally Posted by handlewanker View Post
    Hi.....unless you work for the CIA you won't be able to guess the password.......somebody with more knowledge will probably get around that one.
    Ian.
    You are kidding. The guy has a W98... no need to work for NSA to crack that.

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