020727   Ooops!  HD in 6886 lost it's partition table ( QaPlus/Pro ) 

To the News Group, Dan K. asked LLFing IDE drives in 6885 ( or 6886 ).  I  vaguely remember that  there were such menu in QaPlus/Pro.  Picked up some versions of QaPlus/Pro and run it on my 6886 ( active system for daily internet mail and web browsing and other jobs ).  Examined each menu in QaPlus/Pro and confirmed it has LLF menu.  Funny thing is that selecting DISK Utility line with Enter key leads  you to utility page with HD information section but  LLF menu section is left blank.  In order to get real LLF menu you need to do following steps;

  1. Select DISK Utility line using cursor key. Do not press Enter key there but just highlight the line. 
  2. Press  CTRL  and  A  together  when the cursor is on the HD Utility line.  Nothing will happen there.
  3. Press  Enter key. 
      You'll get HD Utility menu with LLF/DISK erase section active to choose

Well, I checked each menu and read some explanations about its function.  I rebooted the system twice or more to the reference menu ( not QaPlus/Pro ) to see how the drive was reported. I even booted to DOS and checked the drive under FDISK.  Before I quite QaPlus/Pro I  again entered HD Utility menu and run a program that I can't recall exactly what it was. It seemed that the program tried to read HD sectors or clusters so I quite the program immediately.   As far as I remember I didn't run LLFing program nor DISK Erase program.  I quite the QAPlus/Pro and reboot the system.  Few second latter I got I900xxxxx error on the screen . what  happened?   " No system found in the boot drive" !!!    Well, sometime my 6886  lost screen, CPU refused  to run  and needed to be reseated firmly to the socket,  SIMM contacts wanted to get cleaned with Ethanol....   Did all, set SIMMs and CPU back into the box, fired  it up but I still got I900xxxx.  Placed a PC DOS floppy in FDD and checked the C drive,  FDISK notified me that  there was no system partition defined on the drive.   Partition table seemed to be corrupted, erased  and lost . Mails, email addresses, internet articles, program files downloaded from various site,  news group log files in  Netscape local folders, many scripts and draft works for my PS/55 information page, GIF images that I draw with instructions by Louis and william W. and everything gathered during my 2 yearlong stay in Okinawa were
                                                           Gone With the QaPlus/Pro !
 

        Sent a email to Dan about QaPlus/Pro using my daughter's PC.

        6886 without it's boot drive lost it's regular position on my desk and was placed under the 
        desk.       It would sit there quietly waiting  for a day of joy in future.
 

        ********************************************************************************************************************
        Well,  you are now reading my page.  Does it mean I could I find backup copies stored in 9595
        or MO disks?     No, I could not.  I lost a MO disk which should contain back up files dated 
        around 2002 JAN.
        The latest back up available was in 6885 which was backed up when I left my home to Okinawa
        on Jul. 2000.    Did I have to write whole text from scratch ?    No.    to be cntinued to 020819.