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Ok, your ntdlr error might be fixable to get to the boot stage . If you have a xp cd you can boot from it then go into that and get to the recovery console command line. Once there, run "fixmbr" from the command line and that should reinstate the boot record on the drive. Once that is ok, it might start to boot from the drive at least,
It was running OS/2 Warp.
I've still got the installation disks for this, I think there was about 20 3.5" floppies!
I hear people about up to date kit but why should electronics and by extension computers need to be "current", it if does the job and is still running then its good enough for the job.
Because electronic stuff does degrade over time.
Sooner or later the lab kit will stop working.
Been following some retro computer groups and a lot of the old kit needs work to replace components that degrade. Caps in particular, and often on board batteries leak and kill the motherboard. Tracks can lift too or crack.
In companies, the problem with depending on old kit is not only this but then finding it's a major cost to upgrade as things have moved on so much, and the time it takes to get a complete new system in means downtime. Incremental upgrades would soften the blow.
Is there new software that the lab equipment runs with that can be bought off the shelf? How much is it ? Reason I ask is that sometimes the expense is simply worth it. For example you could spend 15hrs researching and fixing the problem, if not more. As a rough example, if your paid hourly rate was worth £10/hr then that time has could be considered as worth £150. If the new software was £100 , was the time spent worth it? You could buy new, and be up and running in an hour, leaving you 14hrs of your time for other things.
A very simplistic view but sometimes worth looking at it in those terms.