🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <9fbdb2d9.0307241006.610ec97b@posting.google.com>, flan
<weft2@rogers.com> writes
 
>Hi, I have an old (currently well used by a relative) Olivetti m300-10
>(bumped up to a 486, I think) which has suddenly started hanging at
>Fixed Disk startup.  When you turn the pc on, it beeps 4 times, then
>hangs at Fixed Disk,then quickly flashes Disk Controller Failure 1782.

1782 is secondary hard disk controller failure.  This is because you've
configured the CMOS setup with two drives when only one is present.  The
first disk is probably working OK, otherwise you would receive a 1780 or
1790 error too.

Try setting the second disk to type 0 (same as Not Present.)

>I'm wondering if it's the battery that's causing the HD to hang/losing
>the settings, and what I can do about it.

As per your later posts, you have a 4.5v CMOS battery reading 3.3v.  You
should replace it.

> And/or, if it's just the
>wrong settings that I'm entering, how would I ever get the right ones
>in there? (There are probably 250 permutations/combos of numbers to
>enter at the F3 prompt).

Therein lies a tale.  If you can read off the make and model number for
the drive, I may be able to suggest a few CMOS drive types you can try.

>In the end, I only want to get this pc up and running long enough to
>get a pile of text files off the HD, and then my relative will likely
>not use the machine anymore

Your best bet then would be to connect it to the secondary IDE
controller of a newer machine, set the drive type to Auto to allow the
BIOS to derive the settings from the partition table, boot, and copy the
files your relative wants to keep elsewhere.

Hope that helps.