Invalid Boot disk error!

[ansonova]

I just formatted my c:\ drive and put in the start up dick I downloaded here. Nothing! How do I even get it to the point where I can get cd support? Please advise. I appreciate it greatly.
Thanks

[Jim Smith]

Originally Posted by ansonova

I just formatted my c:\ drive and put in the start up dick I downloaded here. Nothing! How do I even get it to the point where I can get cd support? Please advise. I appreciate it greatly.
Thanks

Your startup disc is not being recognized as a boot disk. I suppose a boot file(s) is missing or corrupt: io.sys and/or msdos.sys.

A successfully generated Windows 98 startup disc using Settings/Control Panel/Add-RemovePrograms/Startup Disc will have CD support as you can see as the boot process proceeds and the CD drivers are loaded.

Generate or download another Windows 98 startup disc.

[GretaP]

If you download another Windows 98 startup disk, ensure that you're not downloading the file directly to the floppy disk, as this doesn't create the startup disk.......you have to download the file to hard drive, then put in a formatted floppy disk, then double-click on the downloaded file in order to create the startup disk.

Also, ensure that the boot order in BIOS Setup is set to try booting from floppy drive before hard drive.

[Jim Smith]

Originally Posted by GretaP

If you download another Windows 98 startup disk, ensure that you're not downloading the file directly to the floppy disk, as this doesn't create the startup disk.......you have to download the file to hard drive, then put in a formatted floppy disk, then double-click on the downloaded file in order to create the startup disk.

Also, ensure that the boot order in BIOS Setup is set to try booting from floppy drive before hard drive.

Touche, GretaP. The bleeding will stop in an hour or two, maybe less.

Jim

[GretaP]

Sorry, Jim, I certainly didn't mean to smite you
It's just that I've seen this invalid disk problem on more than one occasion, and it was usually due to the person d/loading the boot disk creator file directly to floppy disk.

[ansonova]

Ok I did download a new start disk and copied it from the hard drive. The invalid boot disk error is still coming up but as the computer is going through its checks it stops at CMOS battery fail press F1 to continue. I have changed the boot order to A,C and detect floppy at boot up. Have no clue. I cannot for the life of me find the battery on this motherboard. It is a old AT Amptron PM8900 board with an old AMD K% 166 processor. Went to Amptron sight for diagrams and such to see where it was shown with no luck. Any help you good people could provide would be appreciated. Is the battery thing what is keeping the start dick from working? Please advise. Thanks

[GretaP]

I took a look around at the Amptron site, too, and couldn't find a diagram of the motherboard in their manual. Also, if it's a much older board, it may be a battery that's soldered onto the motherboard.
My best advice is to take it in to a service center and see if they can replace that battery for you.

[Murf]

I think GretaP is right, take a look at my CMOS BATTERY PAGE

Any of them look familiar?

[Jim Smith]

Originally Posted by ansonova

Ok I did download a new start disk and copied it from the hard drive. The invalid boot disk error is still coming up but as the computer is going through its checks it stops at CMOS battery fail press F1 to continue. I have changed the boot order to A,C and detect floppy at boot up. Have no clue. I cannot for the life of me find the battery on this motherboard. It is a old AT Amptron PM8900 board with an old AMD K% 166 processor. Went to Amptron sight for diagrams and such to see where it was shown with no luck. Any help you good people could provide would be appreciated. Is the battery thing what is keeping the start dick from working? Please advise. Thanks

I've 'replaced' a Nickel-Cadmium barrel type battery. As I recall, the old battery stayed in place and the new stuck nearby, perhaps on the case. There was a jumper very near the old battery that was reset and the new battery connected to a different connector than the old.

Beware of old men with bad memories!

[ansonova]

Okay I have been working on this intermittantly over he past couple of weeks. I have basically gotten nowhere. Here is where I stand I start the computer it goes through the memory test fine. It detects my hard drive then a checksum erooro comes up and it says cmos battery failed. Press F1 to continue. I press delete to get to the bio to change the boot drive order then save and exit. The computer then reads invalid disk error. If I change the cmos battery will that solve this problem? Or more directly does the boot drive change I make not take effect because the battery is dead? Help a brotha out. LOL

[GretaP]

Originally Posted by ansonova

If I change the cmos battery will that solve this problem?

Well, I can't say "100%, yes it will", but since you're getting an error regarding the battery having failed, I would definitely start with replacing it before knocking yourself out trying anything else.

[ansonova]

OKay I have replaced my motherboard and everything progressed well until I tried to install the software. I have an error message reading CDR01 drive not ready. everything appears to be hooked up correctly. It is in the IDE2 slot on the motherboard and the jumper is set to master. It spins when I reinsert the dick for Windows98 then the message pops back up. I am stewwing. LOL Any more pointer the Great Greta?

[GretaP]

The Windows 98 disk might be dirty/damaged (can it read a different CD?), the CD drive laser lens might need cleaning, or the drive might be on its way out. Have you tried swapping out the CD drive with another "known-to-be-working" one?