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Xt 286

lunchmeat said:
I have removed the compaticard.

Now it says
00640 KB OK
161-System Options Not Set-(Run SETUP)

(RESUME = "F1" KEY)

Once again, upon pressing F1, It goes straight into BASIC.

What is genuine 720KB media? Does that mean I should use other disks than 1.44 MB HD 3.5" floppys?
Click to expand...
If you don't have 720KB media, there are two square holes on the bottom of a 1.44MB floppy. One is the write-protect notch. The other indicate that the disk is 1.44MB. Try covering that hole with tape then using FORMAT A: /T:80 /N:9 to force 720KB.
 
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Let's recap: which drive is connected where, and which drive light (if any) comes on when it tries to boot?
I take it you have another computer capable of making a 3.5" boot disk, but not a 5.25 version?
No offence, but do you know how to make a boot disk?
You might also remove the hardcard until you get things sorted out and just leave the type 2 HD.
Good advice above about tricking a 1.44 diskette into a 720K one.
What kind of battery? Can you replace it?
Any chance of some pics?
 
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MikeS said:
Let's recap: which drive is connected where, and which drive light (if any) comes on when it tries to boot?
I take it you have another computer capable of making a 3.5" boot disk, but not a 5.25 version?
No offence, but do you know how to make a boot disk?
Click to expand...

No offence taken. It definitely would not hurt to run me through the steps of making a boot disk to make sure I didn't make a mistake. Keep in mind, I am new to old computers, but I love old things in general. (I drive a 1989 Ford LTD Crown Victoria by choice, and I don't plan on "slamming" it either!) The Compaticard is out of the machine, not even connected to the mobo. The drive that is connected is a 3.5". When the computer boots, the 3.5" drive is the one that lights up. I have a computer that runs XP with a 3.5" floppy drive in it.
 
lunchmeat said:
No offence taken. It definitely would not hurt to run me through the steps of making a boot disk to make sure I didn't make a mistake. Keep in mind, I am new to old computers, but I love old things in general. (I drive a 1989 Ford LTD Crown Victoria by choice, and I don't plan on "slamming" it either!) The Compaticard is out of the machine, not even connected to the mobo. The drive that is connected is a 3.5". When the computer boots, the 3.5" drive is the one that lights up. I have a computer that runs XP with a 3.5" floppy drive in it.
Click to expand...
First, after you have taped the hole as I mentioned above, make sure you are using a 720k disk image of DOS, not 1.44MB, such as this one:
http://www.retroarchive.org/dos/disks/
 
Unfortunately I can't dig it out right now, but maybe modem7 will join in; I'm pretty sure he (or Stone?) can point you to a bootable setup disk image that you can put on a modified 1.44 diskette using your XP system.
 
pcdos330_720k.exe, after covering the hole as I mentioned above.
 
I should probably format the disk first right? Any specs on that I should pay attention to? Also, I don't really know what version of DOS this thing runs, so I don't know if that matters. I assumed 3.3.
 
3.3 is ok and is the minimum for 1.44MB floppy support, though the AT can run most DOS versions since 3.0. As I mentioned above, use FORMAT A: /T:80 /N:9 to force 720k
 
As I mentioned above, use tape to cover the other square hole that is not the write protect notch.
 
Yes, Yes, as I have mentioned above already, I taped the hole. It wasn't the lock hole. I wanted to know where I was supposed to put the A: /T:80 /N:9 at. I now know it is supposed to go in the command prompt.
 
Yep, after the FORMAT command. Sorry, I misinterpreted your original posting.
 
lunchmeat said:
How do I use that format?
Click to expand...

He is referring to the FORMAT command. It's external, which means you need the utility (program). A version comes with all DOS distros. Assuming you have it, you type what yuhong wrote:
Code: 
FORMAT A: /T:80 /N:9

Also, I don't really know what version of DOS this thing runs, so I don't know if that matters. I assumed 3.3.
Click to expand...

There is a command which is internal. That means that it is built into COMMAND.COM (the shell) and you don't need a separate utility like you do with FORMAT. Just type:

Code: 
ver
 
Ole Juul said:
There is a command which is internal. That means that it is built into COMMAND.COM (the shell) and you don't need a separate utility like you do with FORMAT. Just type:

Code: 
ver
Click to expand...
The poster was asking which version of DOS he should boot on the XT-286.
 
Okay, I now have a correctly formatted floppy (I used Format A: /T:80 /N:9) with pcdos330_720k.exe on it. I booted the computer with it in the drive and nothing special happened. No DOS. :( What'd I do wrong this time? Ha-ha...
 
What error messages do you get? Can you go to ROM BASIC? Did the 3.5 floppy drive buzz?
 
Just 161-System Options Not Set-(Run SETUP)
If ROM BASIC looks like "The IBM Personal Computer Basic" then yes, I can get to that, if not, no dice.
 
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