Invalid System Disk HELP!!!

[Michael Rutledge]

I have recently reformatted a 1gb hard drive. When I reboot the PC all I
get is a message saying invalid system disk. I can't even reboot using a
floppy. I have done this so many times so I can't understand what is
wrong.

HELP!!!

[Ethan Winer]

Michael,

I'll add to Pedro's excellent advice: If you can't boot
from a floppy, and the floppy does have the DOS system
files on it, then it may be that your PC's BIOS is set to
skip A: during the bootup sequence and go directly to the
C: drive. If that's the case, you'll have to go into the
BIOS's setup (press Del when first starting, or maybe some
other key -- the screen will tell you which key). Then set
the boot sequence to start with drive A:.

--Ethan

[John Shirley]

Okay, when you get the system to boot from a floppy:

Type SYS C: and hit Enter.

No need to reformat the drive.

Michael Rutledge <mich...@langford-lodge-eng.co.uk> wrote in message
news:37945D91...@langford-lodge-eng.co.uk...

> I have recently reformatted a 1gb hard drive. When I reboot the PC all I
> get is a message saying invalid system disk. I can't even reboot using a
> floppy. I have done this so many times so I can't understand what is
> wrong.
>

> HELP!!!
>

[Pedro C. Ramilo]

You probably didn't use the /s switch when formatting the hard drive.
You should issue the command: format c: /s to format and transfer the
dos/windows boot system into it, in order to boot properly.
If you can't boot from a floppy, also make sure that it is bootable (format
it with: format a: /s) and then copy the files you need into it (like sys,
fdisk, scandisk, etc.) - it probably doesn't boot because you're not using
the /s switch when you use format.

If you still can't boot, use fdisk, to make sure that there are partitions
in the hard disk (there usually are. If you had the disk working before,
they should still be there).
If you still can't boot, use the command fdisk /mbr
(the two processes above should be made when you boot with a floppy and the
commands should be issued in the floppy drive / folder, and make sure that
you've copied the file fdisk.exe into the floppy)

The solution for your problem is probably just reformating the hard drive
with the command: format c: /s (if the drive letter isn't c:, then change
it).

--
Pedro Carvalho Ramilo
dr...@geocities.com