The message "NO ROM BASIC" is displayed and the computer does not boot
- Document ID: 94000383
- Posted Date: 1996-08-19
- Last Updated: 1996-08-19
- Distribution: View Public Website
- Applicable Models
Satellite 100CS Satellite 110CS Satellite 110CT Satellite 200CDS Portege 610CT Portege 650CT Portege 660CDT Tecra 500CDT Tecra 500CS Tecra 510CDT Tecra 530CDT Tecra 700CS Tecra 700CT Tecra 710CDT Tecra 720CDT Tecra 730CDT Tecra 730XCDT Tecra 740CDT Satellite Pro 400CDT Satellite Pro 400CS Satellite Pro 415CS Satellite Pro 425CDS Satellite Pro 430CDS Satellite Pro 430CDT
- Issue
The message "NO ROM BASIC" is displayed and the computer does not boot
- Procedure
- The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.x, 4.x, 5.x, 6.0,6.2, 6.21, 6.22
- Microsoft Windows 95
CAUSE
You did not select an active partition. (You must do this in addition to partitioning the hard disk.) NOTE: This error message can also occur if the motherboard in your
computer is failing.
RESOLUTION
To select an active partition, choose the Set Active Partition option on the FDISK main menu. The only MS-DOS or Windows 95 partition that can be set as active is the primary DOS partition.
MORE INFORMATION
When the computer is started, the boot routine polls drive A for a valid boot disk. If no boot disk is detected, the system reads the boot sector from the first physical hard disk. The partition table is examined for a partition with a boot indicator. If no partitions are marked as bootable, the system executes an interrupt 18H, which transfers control to ROM Basic.
Only IBM personal computers have Basic included in ROM; on a compatible,interrupt 18H typically displays the message "NO ROM BASIC," then "SYSTEM HALTED," and the system halts.
It is also possible for some systems to return the message:
System does not support resident BASIC
If this behavior occurs when there is a bootable floppy disk in drive A,make sure that the boot sequence is set to drive A and then drive C in the computer's CMOS settings (instead of drive C and then drive A).
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