Mega STe startup help required!

[+davidcalgary29]

I've never been able to boot up my Mega STe properly.

 

I purchased my Mega from someone who bought it from Codehead software, and the hard drive is just filled with JUNK that I simply can't use. The startup files are also screwed up and / or corrupted. To further complicate the picture, it appears that the original hard drive was removed and replaced with a Seagate model (which won't work with the installed ICD drivers).

 

When I boot my computer up, I have to terminate the memory check program, upload some HD boot files via floppy, and then install all devices.

 

My computer didn't come with any useful instruction manuals, and I'm having a hell of a time altering the startup files. Can anyone advise how I can alter startup so the HD boot files can be loaded from the hard drive?

[stevens]

What hard drive software are you using?

 

When I am starting a new system from scratch I usually

boot from my HD-Driver floppy which will then usually

allow access to the C drive, then rename the existing

auto folder to say auto.tmp and create a new auto folder.

Also I usually rename any .acc programs to .acx to stop

them from loading when the desktop starts (until I know

if I want them).

 

Next I run my HD-Driver installation app from the floppy,

ensure it has detected all my devices then use the option

to 'Install to hard drive' (or something similar).

 

Once complete reset my atari and I should get a plain desktop,

choose install devices from TOS so icons are created for all my drives

then save my desktop. From this point everytime I boot I should

have a basic working TOS environment with access to my hard drive.

 

Then its just a case of working out what was in the old auto folder

and seeing if I actually want/need the programs.

 

Anyway hope that helps.

 

Richard.

[+davidcalgary29]

Thanks! I suppose I should just make a HD back-up on floppy and then re-format the entire drive; it might be easier in the long run.

[hagbard]

That was the problem with my Mega-STE, the guy who send it to me forgot to "park" the HD. So the bootsector was scratched by the heads.

I had to reformat the whole drive and the bad sectors were excluded.