Recovery Disk Error

shsaneeneeh · 09-28-2009, 11:43 AM

Please help!

I am trying to wipe my computer clean. It has a virus i am pretty sure. Anyway, I put the recovery cd in the drive, restart the computer, and it gives me the choices of what I want to do. I then choose format hard drive. It goes to the screen that says it is working, then shortly there after it displays "runtime error 103" and then gives me an A command prompt! I need to format. What can I do??

Thanks in advance for your time and help!

reneé

shsaneeneeh · 09-28-2009, 11:48 AM

the complete error code reads runtime error 103 @ 0000:3C5C

**OldGrayGary** · 09-29-2009, 01:54 AM

Hi renee

Run time errors can be anything from badly written programming code to faulty hardware.

To rule out the simplest hardware causes:
1) Check to see if the Recovery Disk is free of smudges and scratches (and clean if necessary).
2) If the CD or DVD drive that the Recovery Disk was in has had some problems reading disks, try it again using a different drive (you might borrow one if you don't have a spare).
3) To rule out the possibility that the hard drive is failing, run hard drive diagnostics. It's best to use the diagnostic from the manufacturer of the hard drive (the manufacturer is clearly listed on a label on the hard drive - or if the PC can still boot OK from a CD, you can use a diagnostic CD like the UBCD to start the PC, and then use a program such as Astra 16 or Astra 32 to detect the hardware in your PC). The UBCD project is open-source & entirely free. UBCD info is here --- http://www.ultimatebootcd.com --- The UBCD includes diagnostics for most hard drives, and memory diagnostics as well). If you need to run the diagnostics from a floppy drive, go here for diagnostics --- http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
4) To rule out the possibility of faulty memory, run memory diagnostics. MemTest86+ is a good choice - and it is included on the UBCD.

Should all the hardware prove OK, you might be best off erasing the hard drive with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility (or an eraser program like Darik's Boot & Nuke -- which is also on the UBCD), and trying again. Of course, first save any data that is irreplaceable onto removable media first.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

shsaneeneeh · 10-03-2009, 04:05 AM

Hello Gary!

Thanks so much for your help. I was able to make a copy of the Darik's Boot & Nuke and erased the hard drive. The problem I am running into now is it seems that one of the disks is missing that I need to fully install my OS. Not exactly sure what to do now. Thanks again for your help!

reneé

**OldGrayGary** · 10-05-2009, 11:33 PM

Hi again

Check on the support website for your model - many still have replacement Recovery Disk sets available, even for quite old models. The price can range from around $19 to $50.

If you don't need the original software bundle, but still wish to keep using an older version of Windows, auction sites still have older versions of Windows for sale at fairly low prices.

Another completely free option is to try a lighter version of Linux -- I believe the "Xbuntu" version of the popular Ubuntu Linux operating system is intended for older PCs. Most Linux installations will include a version of OpenOffice, as well as some multimedia & Internet apps.

Also - double-check the Recovery instructions on your model's website. See if there are alternative methods (maybe you can select from several choices, only some of which require more disks).

Best of luck,
. . . Gary

P.S. ... before spending any money on your older system, be sure to run diagnostics on the hard drive & memory (very thorough tests can be run in just a few hours on the smaller drives and smaller amounts of system memory in the older systems). No sense in spending money on hardware that's failing.

shsaneeneeh · 10-07-2009, 10:51 PM

Hello... well, I am at a loss. Gateway says they no longer have the disks I need. I have looked on ebay, but I am not sure if what they are selling is brand new and the full operating system not just an update. An update will do me no good. As for the Linux, I am not sure what that is. I have never heard of that before. My friend is used to XP. She has the XP update, but whoever sold her the computer (used) did not give her all of the disks she needed. :( I have an extra "parts computer" for which I have recovery disks. If I put the hard drive from my parts computer into the gateway computer, will it recognize and allow the recovery disks I have for the parts computer? Or does it need to have both the motherboard and the hard drive to be able to use the emachine recovery disks? Thanks so much for your help. I believe that the existing hard drive and memory are fine. Just can't seem to go any farther. Keep thinking I have it tackled and I hit another road block. Have a great day!

reneé

**blah789** · 10-08-2009, 09:02 PM

Unless it's the identical same model computer, and it's an OS older than Windows XP, you likely won't be able to swap hard drive and successfully boot into it. The hardware has to match, or you'll probably get a hang at boot time (or a BSOD if you're on Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7). If it's XP or later, it'll probably fail activation (it will recognize if it's a different computer, even if all the hardware is the same).
What would help most at this stage is knowing what brand and model computer you have (exact model number), and what operating system it came with, and also if you have a sticker affixed on it with the product ID (don't need to report the ID to us, just say it's there).

shsaneeneeh · 10-10-2009, 03:42 PM

It is a Gateway computer Model number GP6-400. It came with Windows 95/98. At least that is what the man gave my friend when he sold him the computer. It took the cd I had just fine and started the re-load process, so I am assuming it is the correct disk. The sticker is still affixed on the computer. I can give you the serial number if that will help. Thanks for all of your help!

reneé

**blah789** · 10-10-2009, 05:25 PM

Pentium II 400 sounds circa 1999.
Assuming you indeed want Windows 98, you can probably grab a copy off ebay for not too much.
http://computers.shop.ebay.com/Softw...=p3286.c0.m282
Be sure it has a certificate of authenticity, and check the feedback history of the seller.
Other than that, I'd recommend shooting for Windows 98 Second Edition.

The only difference (compared to a gateway recovery disk) might be that the drivers won't be included, and you'll have to download and install them yourself.

I want to say a disclaimer though... it's possible that the hardware is bad (not unlikely for something this old), in which case getting another copy of Windows wouldn't work (you'll still run into errors, such as the runtime error you saw).
If you know someone with a copy of Windows 2000 or XP, and they wouldn't mind letting you borrow it - just for installation: you're neither going to keep it nor activate it - to diagnose if the system is workable (whether you're getting BSOD's), try that. If it works, getting the Windows 98 CD might be worth it. Otherwise you may have to find out which piece of hardware is faulty.

**OldGrayGary** · 10-11-2009, 02:00 AM

Hi again all

Just checking back in (for the last week - I got to experience another October flu along with my school-age kids) . . .

Lots of excellent ideas suggested for you to try - I especially like the ones which don't cost you any money.

You are very fortunate if all the parts in the computer are all still working completely OK - so the folks recommending trying a few diagnostics are recommending very well.

There are even little things like the small coin-battery (usually a 3v CR-2032 type) that sits on many motherboards and provides enough power for the motherboard to keep the correct settings (for hard drive types, memory speed settings, processor settings, etc.) even when the main power is shut off. These little inexpensive batteries (about $1.50) usually need replacing after about five or six years - and your Gateway is well past that. If the battery is too weak, or has completely lost its charge, that could cause problems = if you can enter the Bios Setup screens for the system [press the function key mentioned in the banner message or splash screen as the system is powering on "Press F1 (or F2, F10, Del, etc.) to Enter Setup"] , simply check the system date & time -- if the time/date has slipped backwards several years, then the battery needs to be replaced.
_______________

Should all the hardware come out OK eventually, it looks like your system might support a maximum of 384mb of PC100 system memory. The original hard drives seem to have run in the 3gb to 10gb range. Windows 98 2nd Edition would run fairly well on such a system, but I wouldn't recommend visiting the Internet running Win98se, it's just too hard to secure (hard to find good up-to-date yet compatible antivirus tools that run quickly enough) and it would load today's complex webpages a bit slowly. XP would be rough to run on only 384mb of memory, because you'd need to update it to Service Pack 3 for security & stability reasons, and XP SP3 runs best with 512mb or better. An XP disk would be an easy way to test the ablility of the system to run, though, like blah789 mentioned.

Linux is simply an idea for older systems when Internet access is desired. It's a less-common target for malware, and most Linux versions have built-in "firewalls" that help boost protection from exploits & other attacks. Xbuntu Linux is a light-enough version to run on your Gateway. Here's a quote from their webpage on the minimum requirements:

Quote:

You need 192 MB RAM to run the Live CD or 128 MB RAM to install. The Alternate Install CD only requires you to have 64 MB RAM at install time. To install Xubuntu, you need 1.5 GB of free space on your hard disk. Once installed, Xubuntu can run with starting from 192 (or even just 128) MB RAM, but it is strongly recommended to have at least 256 MB RAM.

Linux is an operating system, just as Windows is an operating system. The recent versions of the Apple Macintosh operating system are based on Linux, as a matter of fact. The difference with Linux is that most versions of it are developed under the "Open-Source" license - which is generally free-of-charge. Over twenty years ago Bell Labs developed the Unix operating system for large computer systems - Linux is a Unix-like operating system meant for PCs, and started as a project by a fellow named Linus Torvalds (he was actually adapting an already-existing minimal-Unix-like OS called "Minix"). If you're interesting in reading a bit more about Linux, Wikipedia has a nice quick summary of its history --- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux
_______________

Enjoy your project, it's fun to revive the classic computers & let them compute a few more sums for us.

Best of luck,
. . . Gary

P. S. --- I still have a 1998/1999 500mhz Celeron notebook with only 512mb running Windows XP SP3 that runs slowly but surely & gets to work every now & then for testing purposes.

09-28-2009, 11:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
shsaneeneeh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5 OS: win 98	Recovery Disk Error Please help! I am trying to wipe my computer clean. It has a virus i am pretty sure. Anyway, I put the recovery cd in the drive, restart the computer, and it gives me the choices of what I want to do. I then choose format hard drive. It goes to the screen that says it is working, then shortly there after it displays "runtime error 103" and then gives me an A command prompt! I need to format. What can I do?? Thanks in advance for your time and help! reneé

09-28-2009, 11:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
shsaneeneeh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5 OS: win 98	Re: Recovery Disk Error the complete error code reads runtime error 103 @ 0000:3C5C

09-29-2009, 01:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: Recovery Disk Error Hi renee Run time errors can be anything from badly written programming code to faulty hardware. To rule out the simplest hardware causes: 1) Check to see if the Recovery Disk is free of smudges and scratches (and clean if necessary). 2) If the CD or DVD drive that the Recovery Disk was in has had some problems reading disks, try it again using a different drive (you might borrow one if you don't have a spare). 3) To rule out the possibility that the hard drive is failing, run hard drive diagnostics. It's best to use the diagnostic from the manufacturer of the hard drive (the manufacturer is clearly listed on a label on the hard drive - or if the PC can still boot OK from a CD, you can use a diagnostic CD like the UBCD to start the PC, and then use a program such as Astra 16 or Astra 32 to detect the hardware in your PC). The UBCD project is open-source & entirely free. UBCD info is here --- http://www.ultimatebootcd.com --- The UBCD includes diagnostics for most hard drives, and memory diagnostics as well). If you need to run the diagnostics from a floppy drive, go here for diagnostics --- http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287 4) To rule out the possibility of faulty memory, run memory diagnostics. MemTest86+ is a good choice - and it is included on the UBCD. Should all the hardware prove OK, you might be best off erasing the hard drive with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility (or an eraser program like Darik's Boot & Nuke -- which is also on the UBCD), and trying again. Of course, first save any data that is irreplaceable onto removable media first. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________

10-03-2009, 04:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
shsaneeneeh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5 OS: win 98	Re: Recovery Disk Error Hello Gary! Thanks so much for your help. I was able to make a copy of the Darik's Boot & Nuke and erased the hard drive. The problem I am running into now is it seems that one of the disks is missing that I need to fully install my OS. Not exactly sure what to do now. Thanks again for your help! reneé

10-05-2009, 11:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: Recovery Disk Error Hi again Check on the support website for your model - many still have replacement Recovery Disk sets available, even for quite old models. The price can range from around $19 to $50. If you don't need the original software bundle, but still wish to keep using an older version of Windows, auction sites still have older versions of Windows for sale at fairly low prices. Another completely free option is to try a lighter version of Linux -- I believe the "Xbuntu" version of the popular Ubuntu Linux operating system is intended for older PCs. Most Linux installations will include a version of OpenOffice, as well as some multimedia & Internet apps. Also - double-check the Recovery instructions on your model's website. See if there are alternative methods (maybe you can select from several choices, only some of which require more disks). Best of luck, . . . Gary P.S. ... before spending any money on your older system, be sure to run diagnostics on the hard drive & memory (very thorough tests can be run in just a few hours on the smaller drives and smaller amounts of system memory in the older systems). No sense in spending money on hardware that's failing. __________________

10-07-2009, 10:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
shsaneeneeh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5 OS: win 98	Re: Recovery Disk Error Hello... well, I am at a loss. Gateway says they no longer have the disks I need. I have looked on ebay, but I am not sure if what they are selling is brand new and the full operating system not just an update. An update will do me no good. As for the Linux, I am not sure what that is. I have never heard of that before. My friend is used to XP. She has the XP update, but whoever sold her the computer (used) did not give her all of the disks she needed. :( I have an extra "parts computer" for which I have recovery disks. If I put the hard drive from my parts computer into the gateway computer, will it recognize and allow the recovery disks I have for the parts computer? Or does it need to have both the motherboard and the hard drive to be able to use the emachine recovery disks? Thanks so much for your help. I believe that the existing hard drive and memory are fine. Just can't seem to go any farther. Keep thinking I have it tackled and I hit another road block. Have a great day! reneé

10-08-2009, 09:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,304 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: Recovery Disk Error Unless it's the identical same model computer, and it's an OS older than Windows XP, you likely won't be able to swap hard drive and successfully boot into it. The hardware has to match, or you'll probably get a hang at boot time (or a BSOD if you're on Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7). If it's XP or later, it'll probably fail activation (it will recognize if it's a different computer, even if all the hardware is the same). What would help most at this stage is knowing what brand and model computer you have (exact model number), and what operating system it came with, and also if you have a sticker affixed on it with the product ID (don't need to report the ID to us, just say it's there).

10-10-2009, 03:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
shsaneeneeh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5 OS: win 98	Re: Recovery Disk Error It is a Gateway computer Model number GP6-400. It came with Windows 95/98. At least that is what the man gave my friend when he sold him the computer. It took the cd I had just fine and started the re-load process, so I am assuming it is the correct disk. The sticker is still affixed on the computer. I can give you the serial number if that will help. Thanks for all of your help! reneé

10-10-2009, 05:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,304 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: Recovery Disk Error Pentium II 400 sounds circa 1999. Assuming you indeed want Windows 98, you can probably grab a copy off ebay for not too much. http://computers.shop.ebay.com/Softw...=p3286.c0.m282 Be sure it has a certificate of authenticity, and check the feedback history of the seller. Other than that, I'd recommend shooting for Windows 98 Second Edition. The only difference (compared to a gateway recovery disk) might be that the drivers won't be included, and you'll have to download and install them yourself. I want to say a disclaimer though... it's possible that the hardware is bad (not unlikely for something this old), in which case getting another copy of Windows wouldn't work (you'll still run into errors, such as the runtime error you saw). If you know someone with a copy of Windows 2000 or XP, and they wouldn't mind letting you borrow it - just for installation: you're neither going to keep it nor activate it - to diagnose if the system is workable (whether you're getting BSOD's), try that. If it works, getting the Windows 98 CD might be worth it. Otherwise you may have to find out which piece of hardware is faulty.