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From: bank@lea.ncsu.edu (Dave The DM)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.programmer
Subject: Re: KILLER PROBLEM from HELL... *PLEASE* help!!
Message-ID: <1990Jul9.182553.13287@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>
Date: 9 Jul 90 18:25:53 GMT
References: <90185.162114JCR108@psuvm.psu.edu> <90186.181632GILLA@QUCDN.BITNET>
Organization: Leazar Hall MicroVax II (CSCLEA), NCSU, Raleigh NC
Lines: 40

In article <90186.181632GILLA@QUCDN.BITNET> GILLA@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (Arnold G. Gill) writes:
>
>     I guess this lock-out thing is software, eh?  Then the solution may be as
>simple as opening up your computer, disconnecting your harddrive (just pull
>the power plug out), and then booting from a floppy.  Once that is donw,
>reconnect your harddisk and erase to your heart's content.  The only
>difficulty that I can see is that it might not be a good idea to plug in the
>harddrive while the power is running - but I can't think of a way around that.
>-------
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>|  Arnold Gill                        |                                     |
>|  Queen's University at Kingston     |     If I hadn't wanted it heard,    |
>|  BITNET   : gilla@qucdn             |       I wouldn't have said it.      |
>|  X-400    : Arnold.Gill@QueensU.CA  |                                     |
>|  INTERNET : gilla@qucdn.queensu.ca  |                                     |
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

   Oh, good lord.

   To say the least, this will NOT work.

   If the hard drive is not up and active when the machine boots,
DOS will not recognize it. Period. Even if you re-connect it after
you boot. DOS looks, at bootup, for attached devices and only those
it finds in correct operating order will it acknowledge.

   Next, you're running a fair chance (not guaranteed, but not
miniscule) of blowing something in the hard drive or controller
by pulling a stunt like this. If you hate your computer this much,
just shoot it and put it out of its misery.

   The idea is a horribly crude way to approach the problem, similar
to using an axe for an appendectomy.

                                     Dave the DM

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