NanoScope IIIa controller PC problem

Romeyn posted on Tue, Feb 26 2013 8:14 AM

rated by 0 users

Late last Fall the PC controlling our AFM stopped booting.  NT would start to load, then "glitch" (no error) and then the computer would simply reset, POST, attempt to boot, and repeat.  I replaced the RAM, disconnected all peripherals (including the AFM controller card (ISA)) with no luck.  My next step was to clone the hard drive to another disk.  No errors were detected.  I assumed that the OS had become corrupt somehow.  (Which would have been strange, as this is a turnkey system and not on our network.)

I eventually ended up in communication with Pat in technical support and we determined that some CDs I found in the room with the device were the image restore CDs.  Pat sent me instructions for applying them, but they don't work.  EZRESTORE errors out when used as instructed.  I have tried several other methods of "inflicting" this .img file onto a hard drive with no success.  My latest attempt was the closest.  I executed 'pqer /?' and then initiated the image restore with every "ignore error" flag I could discern from the help menu.  That seemed to deploy the image--took about 15 minutes--but failed to properly set up the partition table.  So next I burned an NT 4 workstation install CD thinking I could boot from THAT and tell the installer to repair the installation on the hard drive.

But the NT4WS boot CD does the same thing the OS did!  As soon as it gets to the blue screen where it displays how much RAM is in the system, it "glitches", pauses, and then the system rests, POSTs, and the cycle begins again.  The only peripherals I have attached at this point are the keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive, and CD-ROM drive.  The ISA controller card is removed.  

I'm stuck.  I either need a way to fix this PC, or an option to upgrade it to something newer.

Help?