Member Avatar for countchocula

This just happened last night. I have a 6 year old Compaq Presario (one of the worst computers anyone can get), 400mHz K6 processor, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 First Edition.

I was chatting and browsing like usual, and one or more programs started making my computer go all grindy and unresponsive, which happens alot. I tried closing the programs and restarting, but the computer froze, which also happens alot. Then I switched the computer off in the back, waited, and turned it back on... which also also happens alot.

But this time, after the red-on-black Compaq screen came up, instead of going to the Windows splash screen, it immediately had a message that said "Program caused a divide overflow error. Contact program vendor if problem persists." (or something very similar to that). I hadn't ever seen that before, even after having switch it on and off like that probably a few hundred times.

I Ctrl+Alt+Del'ed to restart it, and it did the exact same thing. I put in my DOS boot disk and restarted, and it did the exact same thing. I even put in QuickRestore (the HD formatter), and it did the exact same thing. Then I tried all the other F- keys, and the only one that worked was F10, which seems to bring up the BIOS. That worked. But I haven't dealt with the BIOS before so I wasn't sure what problems to check.

I think it was the POST check that I changed to "full" that made it count from 0 to 65536 when I restarted, and it said something about the memory size being incorrect, I think. I messed around with more options for awhile but it never got rid of the "divide overflow error" on attempted startups.
I'm pretty much lost now. Someone suggested I remove the RAM stick and clean it a little, though I'm not sure that'd work. There's a chance that getting a new RAM stick in there would fix the problem, but I don't want to waste money on a wild guess like that. Has anyone dealt with this sort of problem before

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Thong_Ispector

Dani AI

Generated

This symptom list — Compaq logo, then a “Program caused a divide overflow error” before Windows, the POST memory counter stopping at 65536 and reporting an incorrect size, and the BIOS still reachable with F10 — points away from Windows-level problems and toward very-early firmware or hardware issues. The 65536 count is telling: 65536 = 2^16, which strongly suggests a 16‑bit counter or value is wrapping (corrupt CMOS/BIOS data or bad reads), or that firmware is executing against bad data and hitting a CPU arithmetic exception.

A practical, low-cost troubleshooting sequence (ordered by cost/risk):

  • Clear CMOS (use the motherboard CLR_CMOS jumper or remove the coin cell for several minutes, with power unplugged, then press the front-panel power briefly to discharge residual charge). This restores BIOS defaults and often fixes bad POST parameter reads.
  • Inspect the motherboard closely for failed components: bulging or leaking electrolytic capacitors, discoloration, or cracked solder joints. These physical faults commonly cause sporadic POST failures on older machines.
  • Test the power supply rails. Unstable or out‑of‑spec voltages will produce strange early failures; a simple multimeter check of +5V and +12V under light load can reveal a faulty PSU.
  • Reduce the system to the simplest configuration that will POST: onboard video (or known-good card), keyboard, one power connector, and the minimum drives attached. Note POST/beep behavior and any change in the error.
  • As a last step, consider firmware recovery/reflash only with the exact Compaq model BIOS and vendor instructions; an incorrect flash will permanently brick the board.

Given 's observation that the root is likely hardware, these steps prioritize firmware/board/PSU diagnosis before reinstalling software or buying parts. If the board shows obvious corrosion or capacitors fail inspection, component-level repair or replacement will probably be required.

Member Avatar for Thong_Ispector

Pulling and cleaning the contact on a ram chip is simple and free.
If it has multiple chips, remove one or the other and see if the problem changes.

64 megs... you need more ram

There is an issue with K6 and processors over 350 that might be part of the problem. It was supposed to only be a problem for 95 and not 98 but some PC's that were upgraded also had the problem.

If you do end up formatting and doing a fresh install get a copy of 98se... The second edition fixed many many problems.

Also get a copy od 98 lite and remove Internet Explorer and replace it with Firefox or Opera or some other....

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