Disk Boot Failure

I building a new computer and every time I try boot from any disk it says Disk Boot Failure. First let me give you the low down on the system. Asus A7V Mobo; 256MB SDRAM; 700Mhz Athlon; 16x Acer DVD-ROM; 20GB Maxtor ATA 100 HDD; FDD; ATI Rage Fury Pro 32MB VGA; SB Live MP3 ; 12x CD RW;
Right now all I have installed is the mobo, cpu, VGA, DVD(in the primary IDE set @ master, FDD, and HDD(in the primary ATA 100 set @ master). I am not using the jumper free mode at the advice of the guy at the mom and pop shop I got it at. I know that all the hardware is properly configured. I do not know if the bios is completely configured though but I am pretty sure most of it is. When I boot up the computer after it goes through all of the usual stuff it stops and says "Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk and Press Enter" so I put in the Maxtor diskette in an attempt to format the HDD but the FDD grinds for a moment and the screen displays the same thing "Disk Boot Failure bla bla bla" So I put in the win98 upgrade and the win98 start uo disk I made on the working computer and again the same crap.
So I resort to using my old win95 cd and and the same crap yet again. I am at wits end here about what to do and I am disgusted that has taken half a week to only get this far in the build of my dream machine. All I want to do is format my HDD and get on with things. Please help me Larry

1. RE: Disk Boot Failure
lbyard Sep-27-00 03:55 AM
In response to message 0

The error indicates that the motherboard cannot find the DOS system files on any of the drives. Be sure the BIOS is set to boot from the floppy drive. Be sure it is set for the right kind of floppy drive as drive A: Check the floppy drive cables. The end with the twist plugs into the drive. If the floppy drive LED stays on all of the time, the cable is plugged-in backwards. Check your boot floppy and make sure it boots on another computer. Unplug all expansion boards except video and all drives except the CD-ROM and hard disk. Hope this helps. I can imagine that you are pretty frustrated. I do not understand, "I am not using the jumper free mode at the advice of the guy at the mom and pop shop I got it at." Jumper the drive as either a Master or Chip Select. The first choice is the safest bet, although AT/100/66 drive cables are supposed to be confugured for Chip Select--Master will still work, if that is the case. I would refer to the Motherboard Book on that issue. Larry

2. RE: Disk Boot Failure
Zarny Dec-12-00 11:45 AM
In response to message 1

Thanks for that- the floppy cable was the one that did it. Ive got a similar system to the one in the original post, and the Jumper Free Mode is a motherboard setting that allows you to bypass motherboard jumpers and set that data in the bios.
As far as the floppy cable is concerned- mine was in backward cause the floppy manual inconveniently decided NOT to tell me which end pin 1 was at- so seeing as all my other drives have it on the right, i figured maybe that was convention. Hah!
Anyway, thanks

3. RE: Disk Boot Failure
lbyard Dec-12-00 02:40 PM
In response to message 0

According to your post, you have two drives set as Master on the Primary IDE. If you have two drives on the same cable, one must be jumpered as a Master (with Slave present) and the other one must jumpered as a Slave (chip select may work) . The hard disk should be jumpered the way you received the drive, as a Master. (It should also work if it is set for chip select). Put the DVD drive on the Secondary IDE interface. It will slow down the hard disk drive on the Primary. The hard disk should be connected with an ATA/66/100 cable. The very end connector of the end of the cable with two connectors should be connected to the hard disk and the connector at the other end of the cable should be connected to the motherboard. Most ATA/66/100 cables are labeled. Some are not and may have a blue connector to signify the motherboard end. ATA/33 cables (40 conductors) are not fussy about what connector connects what. If the floppy disk LED stays on, you have the cable backwards and you will get the error you describe. See How to Build Your Own Athlon Computer at http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/buildcom/athlon/ath_1.htm for details on installing and preparing the hard disk drive, etc. Larry