Start troubleshooting by removing all of the drive data cables from the motherboard. 
 Then power up and see if the computer goes through POST (Power On Self Test) to 
a screen where it indicates no drive found, and/or, try to get into the BIOS at that 
point.  If it does POST farther into the sequence, then you have a bad drive or the 
cables reversed/turned 180' backwards at the drive or the motherboard.  A cable won't 
just go bad.  They usually go bad when they are pulled off/inserted  incorrectly 
which ends up seperating or breaking the cable, or cable to plug connection.

You then would continue to troubleshoot by plugging in the floppy drive and try to 
boot, then the hard drive and try again, then the CD/DVD ROM drives and try again. 
 If it is a drive, it will fail at some point, then you know which drive is doing 
it.  Make sure the jumpers are set correctly for Master/Slave on hard drives and 
CD drives

If the machine won't boot even when disconnecting the drives, then you have a problem 
with the motherboard or anything else that may be connected, even a bad keyboard 
or mouse can do it, an add-on card, memory etc.

If it's still the original hard drive, it was borrowed time so it could well have 
failed, or been infected with a virus, but failing is more common than a boot sector 
virus.

The Trend Virus option is enabled in the BIOS so that's why you are seeing that on 
the screen.  We usually disable it because it's almost useless and causes more problems 
than it's worth.  If you run a good antivirus, you don't need it anyway.  It's only 
for a boot sector virus which has become more rare these days and usually ends up 
interfering with other software that you may have on your machine.  It does nothing 
for all the other thousands of viruses out there.  Good Luck! 







On Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 4:12 pm, Ruth Riddle wrote:

>Windows ME and it was built in 8/2000.  It has 32 G hard drive and 128 Ram.  I have 

>a print out of the Belarc Advisor for this computer.  I have been unable to even 

>get into the BIOS or safe mode.  My sister-in-law only used the computer to go online. 

> There is also a chance she let the virus protection run out.  But even then I thought 

>I should be able to get into the C drive.  What I know about computers I've learned 

>by experience and reading a troubleshooting book.  When I couldn't fix it any other 

>way I reformatted and reinstalled windows.  I  appreciate your help.    

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