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Question

Desktop Won't Work

Sep 2, 2015 12:30PM PDT

my two super old desktops won't turn on correctly!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Details please.
Sep 2, 2015 12:42PM PDT

What happens when you press the power button? How far towards booting does it get? What error messages do you get? What version of Windows?
Maybe you need to try booting from a disc like e.g. Linux.
If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.

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Details
Sep 7, 2015 6:10AM PDT

ok with the ultra one (designed for mictosoft windows 98, intel inside pentium 2) it asks me to either do Safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, last known good configuration, and start windows normally. (windows xp proffessional operating system BTW) then it checks file system on C:. then it starts all over except on the first screen it doesnt give me the ESC option and only has DEL to enter setup.

Ok with the Dell Dimentio L466c (intel inside, windows NT windows 9Cool when u turn it on it shows the dell logo over the world with www.dell.com under. then it shows ticks or lines (about 20 of them) on the bottom and i suppose that means its loading. thats whrere it stops.

There was a lightning strike in our front yard and that might have done something but other that that that is it!

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the Ultra
Sep 14, 2015 4:19AM PDT
Information on the company.

"Ultra was the brand name for MidWest Micro's white-box personal and laptop computers sold through their Infotel computer product distribution division. In late 1997, Global Industrial Products purchased Infotel and the MidWest Micro and continued to sell product under the Ultra brand name. In 1999, Global changed its name to Systemax and Global Industrial became a division of the Systemax corporation. The Ultra Products brand name was expanded to include LCD monitors.....In August 2007, the technical support forums at Ultra Product's website was closed and a statement that they were "under construction" was made on the portal page, yet the link to the forums had been completely removed from the main page's navigation...."

That orange screen you described as "babble" was the BIOS interface. Here's what a BIOS is.

From what I saw you don't need to do anything in there. DO NOT set a password in it, but if you already have, then be sure to not forget it. If you set one then it would ask you for that password each time before it begins the boot process. In short the BIOS finds the hard drive and other peripherals and then hands off the boot process to the operating system, such as linux or windows.

Since you are already into the boot process and get to the windows choice screen such as Safe Mode, then you don't need to mess in the BIOS for now. When you see that BIOS screen just exit it and the boot process into windows should start again.

There's about 3 reasons what happens to that computer.

1) The windows may be missing a boot file that's needed. You should write down completely the BSOD message (blue screen of death) and post it here.

2) or; The hard drive has a problem or bad sector that caused a boot file corruption.

3) Some device connected to the computer is causing it to crash during the boot process because there's no driver file that loads for it.

What you need to do is remove all devices connected to the computer other than the monitor, the keyboard and the power cord and then boot, see if windows XP will then boot.

That computer is what we call a "white box" which means it probably uses a retail copy of XP on it and especially if original was windows 98 and then upgraded to XP. Look around for an XP retail disc which you can use it's Restore/Repair function to check the computer out.

You are not that far away from having it running OK. Just realize it's probably going to be slow, it may also have no more than 500MB of RAM, but you can see that during the memory check and determine how much it shows.
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Dell "that really loud noise"
Sep 14, 2015 4:26AM PDT

LOL, that's the floppy drive check as the BIOS is looking for what drives are attached to the motherboard. The Dell is probably the more advanced of the two computers there. As for the "Ultra" if you could get a really good picture of the BIOS screen and that first boot screen where it shows the Energy Saver emblem on the upper right corner, we could get some info on the BIOS version and the motherboard used and help more.

I'm always glad to see those at a young age having the curiosity and willingness to learn more about working with computers.

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I just had a thought on the Dell
Sep 14, 2015 4:37AM PDT

That sound of the floppy drive was more than just checking it out perhaps. See if there's a floppy left in it. If so, pull it out and then try to boot again. In older computers they always defaulted first to the floppy drive to check for a boot disc. If a disc was in the floppy, it could then fail to boot.

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Answer
Those look like corrupted operating systems.
Sep 2, 2015 1:03PM PDT

These old machines would have to be reloaded per the maker's instructions. But let's say you don't know how and you want to get some service from then because of that and the restore CDs have long been lost.

Google "How to install Linux?"

You can install that and get browsers and more without any cost.

-> In parting, Your video has vertical video syndrome.

Note: Corrected title.

Post was last edited on September 2, 2015 1:09 PM PDT

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How do i install Linux?
Sep 7, 2015 6:12AM PDT

Uhhh. How can i install Linux if I can't even get past the bootup stage?

Please help!!

BTW nice video!

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some Youtube videos too
Sep 7, 2015 6:25AM PDT
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Linux on those computers
Sep 14, 2015 5:08AM PDT

The Ultra probably doesn't have a DVD drive, at best a CDROM drive, so any Linux disc would also have to be a CD, not a DVD and that would be something like Lubuntu on CD. Most other Linux distros today are DVD, other than some of the really stripped down versions like Puppy, and DSL.

The only way you can easily get Linux is to download the ISO file, "burn the image" to a CD yourself, or purchase one already made. The lowest price from a reputable place that most linux distros have a working relationship with is http://osdisc.com There are other places that sell linux discs for low price, but you also want to make sure you get linux from a trusted source, as for any software. You can read more about various linux distributions at http://distrowatch.com

As for these two computers your family stored, have you gotten permission to mess around with them? Reason I ask is they may have personal data on them your parents want to keep such as pictures of your family over the years and they'd not want to chance losing that information. Hopefully they backed that up years ago, but some people figure it's on the computer they shove in the closet and will be there later, and just leave it that way. Before you mess around too much on them, make sure with your parents there's nothing still on it they don't mind losing.

This is what Dell shows for that Dimension computer model number. Seems wrong to me.

System summary
Service Tag 3446C
Computer Model 4xx/P, 4xxs/P, V4xx/i, V4xxs/i
Shipping Date 10/29/1993
Country United States

But if that's true, then it's probably pre windows 95 system on an old 486 motherboard, those came as 486SX and 486DX and ran at 33 Mhz speed with the fastest being a quad speed. If so, the the Ultra is your better computer there.

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Answer
battery is dead
Sep 2, 2015 1:20PM PDT

there should be a motherboard battery and if it has never been replaced, that is the first thing you should do because of the age of the computer. You should also open the case and make sure it is dust free and all cables and cards are in good condition and plugged in properly.

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this is a very young person
Sep 14, 2015 5:09AM PDT

sounds between 8-12 age range. So, no, not without his parent doing it for him.

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Answer
Also use only a PS/2 keyboard with them
Sep 12, 2015 6:16PM PDT

Unless the BIOS supports USB keyboards, they won't recognize it at boot and being unknown hardware could cause the boot to fail. Keep the USB mouse off it too until it's booted and you can load driver files.