Can't boot from startup disk.....

Beaux · #1 January 11th, 2003, 10:54 PM

Hi, I'm looking for some help and I'm sure someone here can easily help me. I'm going to reformat my hd but I've already run into a roadblock. I've backed up my important files and created a boot disk for Win98. When I restart my computer, it seems to bypass the floppy and boot my hd drive. I thought when the floppy boot disk was in the drive, it would automatically boot from it? I have 3 different 98 boot disks all made at different times on this pc, one was made today. I've tried them all and I get the same results from all of them. My floppy drive seems to be working fine. Any idea on how I can force it to boot from the floppy? Thanks

wingless · #2 January 11th, 2003, 11:07 PM

You need to look in "Setup" (CMOS) for this.
When you first boot up your computer a DOS screen
usually gives an instruction for Setup...most likely by
pressing the Del key. Search through the options for
the one designating whether to boot from HDD, Floppy,
or CDROM first.

Beaux · #3 January 11th, 2003, 11:37 PM

Thanks for the info. Sure enough that solved my problem. It was loading C,CD-ROM, A. I changed it to A first then C. I went ahead and let it boot the startup disk to be sure it worked and I told it to start with CD-ROM support. It started loading and finally said that "Command.com" was missing. Just curious what that meant?

I really want to go ahead and just reformat. Will this msg affect me?

wingless · #4 January 12th, 2003, 12:20 AM

Sounds like your Win98 boot disc is bad.
So, your computer didn't boot to an A:\Prompt...
and you had no CDROM support?

If this is right, try another boot disc and make
sure you can boot to an A:\Prompt and access
your CDROM drive.

If you can do that you should be fine.

Alfons · #5 January 12th, 2003, 12:32 AM

Beaux, go HERE and download the bootdisk creation file called Windows 98SE OEM to an appropriately named folder. Then double click on the file you just downloaded and follow the prompts and you'll be the proud owner of a working Windows 98 Startup Disk. This should boot your computer, provide you with CD-ROM support and get you started with the new installation.