Windows 3.1 Dedicated Server

[nscopex]

This wont happen often, I'm usually the one answering questions here. But I've finally ran into a problem which i just cant seem to pass.


This isnt an easy topic so please dont BS here. Nor gripe about me asking something.

This is more of an advanced PC user topic.

I own a dedicated windows 3.1 server. It was purchased from a public auction and it belonged to and kept court records. So guessing the pass for the box isnt probable. My question is this. How would i got about formatting this machine. I cant access DOS, so i have no clue what to do know. Theres no cdrom startup because its a Dedicated server and not a regular pc. Basically in the simplest terms im asking "do you know anything about formatting a windows 3.1 dedicated server? (fyi. dos is inaccessable)"

Reply or contact me. And if its to much to type. We can arrange something.

[baloney_mahoney]

It's called low-level disk read/write.

You take the PC to a place that does this sort of work (an example is a company that retrieves data by accessing the hard drive through low level reading and /or writing; ie a data recovery company). They have the necessary software and hardware to do exactly what you want, believe me or not.

[KANE_6969]

does it load up then ask for a pass... doesn;t an fkey takeyou to dos whileit is loading?would that be a possibility?

[Limpkinw]

Have you tried hitting f8 before windows loads to choose dos...? Can it boot to a floppy?

[KANE_6969]

thats what i was askingif he does itbeforehehas toput pass in.. i bet he can.. nscope is wet behind the ears

[baloney_mahoney]

OK, my first reply was probably a little off the track (even though those companies can reformat it for you).

If you cant boot it up no matter what you try (as stated by the other persons above this post) you could try removing the hard drive and put it in another PC as a secondary drive. Then on the primary drive you will need to install a low-level formatter that doesnt require the hard drive to have a FAT or anything because low-level access to a drive goes straight to tracks and ignores all and everything on that drive.

If you know PC assembly and know how to write assembly code to access drives you could write your own low-level program.

If you want to reformat the drive, which will erase everything, but you are unable to then why dont you just throw it away and get another drive.

[nscopex]

Ok. Limp this is not a regular pc. thats why i stated dedicated server. if it were a pc itd be done within 5 minutes. But i will have to see if i can remove the boot drive and make it the slave on a pc

[KANE_6969]

lol **** it since it was used for cout records crackteh pass wuith abnother pc ... that info could be dangerous

[Limpkinw]

even a dedicated server its possible to put an a: or cd rom in ... its just a matter of knowing how to do it. that is why i asked i guess because i have worked on these types of systems in the past and that is what HAS to be done.

[baloney_mahoney]

Originally posted by Limpkinw
even a dedicated server its possible to put an a: or cd rom in ... its just a matter of knowing how to do it. that is why i asked i guess because i have worked on these types of systems in the past and that is what HAS to be done.

Yes, I agree, but if you put in a CDROM what is going to read from it? I didn't think that DOS can read from a CDROM (I could be wrong, though) and he can't get the C-Drive booted up.

[Limpkinw]

You can make a cd-rom bootable to dos...you can read cd-rom drives from dos.

[baloney_mahoney]

Ok, I stand corrected. You know better than I do.

[pugamsish]

Chris, do the following:
If their is a floppy drive, load up a Boot disk, and let it load, from their you can delete the partition, and format.

If you have a problem with it not booting to the disk, you have to change the Boot settings in the BIOS, to do this when you restart a screen comes up and it says like Press F2 for setup, hit f2 tab over to Boot, and hit +/- to get Removable devices to the top of this list, once you have done Save the settings and restart the computer.


And all of our servers here have college and this WILL work, being that I work on servers all the time.

[baloney_mahoney]

Damn Im stupid. Why didnt I think of that. Oh, well, live and learn I guess.

[KANE_6969]

yeah floppy usually the first thing recognized.. would be the place to start.

[nscopex]

Well. Patrick, I'll have to try that method, I can get into a type of BIOS. But its nothing really important and i cant seem to figure it out. I kinda didnt work with it over the weekend. But i did call the courts tech administrator and asked him he said he'd look into it,

[pugamsish]

okay dokie, any other problems let me know, save you the bill from those TechAdmins.