Question Looking for Bios initialization solution of Legacy Pentium computer.

[rfdes100]

I need some assistance with how to accomplish the following issue:

I own a piece of test equipment from the late '90s that utilized a Pentium motherboard for controlling the instrument. This motherboard is completely custom and uses a Phoenix 4.04 bios and executes Win 2000. This bios has a couple of hardware initialization issues that I believe I know how to correct but a bios update is not going to happen due to the age, etc.

So, to fix the initialization issue what I would like to do is to chain the boot process so that I could execute a small real-mode program to complete/fix the hardware initialization. Then when the initialization application terminates, Windows would boot normally.

Does anyone have an knowledge as to how to accomplish this? I've seen a tool called grub4dos but I am not sure that this will work the way I want it to. I'm looking for something that would work without user intervention. i.e. Turn computer on - bios executes - small app executes - boot into windows.

I would appreciate any advice you have to offer.
Thanks
Jim

 

[helpstar]

eventually you can use the autoexec.nt of win2000 to execute your tool before windows boots

Was the CMOS battery of the motherboard replaced yet?

 

[rfdes100]

eventually you can use the autoexec.nt of win2000 to execute your tool before windows boots

Was the CMOS battery of the motherboard replaced yet?

OK... thanks for that. I will look into your suggestion.
As far as CMOS battery replacement, that was the first thing done.

Take care

 

[rfdes100]

After looking at your proposal, it appears that the autoexec.nt is only invoked should the user open a command console. So, this doesn't appear to be what will work for me. If anyone has any other possible solutions, your advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Jim