computer wont boot

[slang417]

i have a laptop that has a cd drive and no floppy drive. i formatted the c drive and now when i turn on the computer it says "Invalid system disk Replace the disk and, and then press any key".
i went to boot.com and tryed to download a boot disk but nothing seems to work

[GretaP]

Hi slang417,

You are getting the "Invalid system disk Replace the disk and, and then press any key" message because you formatted the C drive without transferring the basic system files that would allow you to boot into DOS on the C drive (transferring the system files is not a necessary step if you're going to install Windows immediately after formatting). Do you have the operating system install CD that shipped with the laptop (might be a Recovery or Restore CD), or a retail install CD for Windows? If you have the operating system CD that shipped with the laptop or an OEM install CD for Windows, you could change the boot device order in the BIOS to boot from CDROM first, and boot from the install CD in order to run Setup and reinstall Windows.

[slang417]

i dont have the disk that came with the laptop but i have a 98 se disk and a xp disk, but they don't work. i appreciate your help

[GretaP]

Which operating system would you prefer installing on the laptop, 98SE or XP? Did you try booting from the install CDs by first going into BIOS Setup and ensuring that the first boot device was CDROM? If booting from CDROM is an option in the laptop's BIOS, you could also, if you have access to a computer that has a floppy drive and a CD burner, d/load the file to create a WIN98 startup floppy disk from here (http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm)....click on the link for Windows 98 SE OEM, and d/load the file to hard drive (do NOT d/load it directly to floppy disk, as this does NOT create the startup disk)....put a formatted floppy disk in the drive and then double-click on the d/loaded file in order to create the startup disk. When the startup disk is created, use the computer's CD burning software to first create a bootable CD and then copy the files from the WIN98 startup floppy disk to that bootable CD. Once the WIN98 startup CD is created, boot the laptop from the startup CD. Choose to start WITH CDROM SUPPORT. Once at the A: prompt, take out the startup CD and replace it with either the WIN98SE install CD or the XP install CD. If WIN98SE, you could key in SETUP and hit ENTER, and setup should commence. If XP, navigate to the i386 folder on the install CD and key in WINNT and hit ENTER, and setup should commence.

I have to go to work right now, so I'll be back to check this thread either after midnight tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

[slang417]

when going to bios, it says boot priority hdd->fdd. just want to make sure that is the right boot priority that you are talking about i have tried it both ways and it still doesn't work. when i start the computer it goes directly to the error message invalid system disk.
thanks for your help

[GretaP]

From the looks of that (i.e., "boot priority hdd->fdd"), it seems that booting from the CDROM is not an option, which is going to make things a little difficult as you have stated that there is no floppy drive in the laptop. When the laptop is attempting to boot, it will look for system files either on the hard drive (which you have formatted, therefore no system files are currently on it) or the floppy drive. Is it possible for you to procure a floppy drive that you can swap for the CDROM drive in order to at least transfer the system files from a startup floppy disk to the hard drive?

[slang417]

i really appreciate your help. my parents gave me the laptop so i will try to see if they have a floppy but i dont think they have it. is that the only way? thanks

[GretaP]

Yes, you're pretty limited in your options, as you only have a choice of booting from floppy or hard drive.

[slang417]

i got an adaptor to hook up the hard drive to my other computer but after scandisk it said there were some errors . then i tried to format the drive again and it terminated the format and said invailid media or track 0 bad, i dont know if that is because i already formated it or not.

[GretaP]

I would d/load the drive diagnostics tool from the hard drive manufacturer's website and run the diagnostic on that drive in order to determine its integrity. If there are major errors, such as bad clusters, in track 0, you won't be able to use that drive as a boot drive.

[slang417]

once again , i appreciate you taking time to try to help me. here is where i am at now. i took the hd out and switched it with another computer and followed installing instructions from the cyber tech website. i deleted the partions, created a new partition, and tried to format the partion but it wouldn't format. it had an error. so i am able to get to windows setup now and it says to format and i hit ok . but now it says it is formatting drive c and 1% complete but does not go any further. i am able to get a prompt now at least but don't know where to go now. any more help is appreciated

[slang417]

just to give you more info. when i put the hd back in the laptop , it doesn't do anything now . it doesnt say invalid system disk, it just says test done and stays on that screen

[GretaP]

it wouldn't format. it had an error Try it again, putting the HD in another computer, and take note of the error message. Post the error message here.
Booting the other computer from a WIN98 startup floppy disk (as I'm assuming this is how you did it when you deleted the partition, created a new partition, etc.), run Scandisk including a Surface Scan. Post any error messages that occur.

[slang417]

bad command or file name

[slang417]

that was when i tried to format from the a: prompt or c prompt. and when i try from setup it just freezes after 1%

[GretaP]

With the laptop's hard drive installed in the other computer, boot from the WIN98 startup floppy disk and run Scandisk, including the surface scan, on the laptop's drive. Do you receive any error messages?

Also, did you try running the drive manufacturer's diagnostic on the laptop's drive?

[slang417]

how do i run the drive diagnostic

[GretaP]

First you have to d/load the setup file for the diagnostic from the drive manufacturer's site.......do you know the make of the hard drive?
Sometimes the setup creates a bootable floppy that contains the diagnostics, and sometimes you have to make a basic boot floppy and then copy the diagnostic files to the basic boot floppy......there normally is instructions on how to create the diagnostic floppy disk, either on the webpage or in a readme file that's contained in the d/loaded file (normally is a zipped file or a self-extracting zipped file).

[slang417]

i am at this website and cannot find a diagnostic download , could you help please. thanks
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modItemList.jsp?ProductMenu_0=Portables&ProductMenu_1=Tecra&ProductMenu_2=1073769795&BV_SessionID=@@@@1851515141.1082914723@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadclflkifdfcgfkceghdgngdgli.0&moid=1073769795&smoid=true&ct=DL&ListType=Model&x=20&y=7

[slang417]

-i am at the a: prompt and typed =scandisk /mount a: and it said cannot find drivespace volume a:\dblspace.ooo.
- then i typed scandisk and it scanned d and a and said that there were no problems
-then i typed scandisk c: and it said it cannot scan the drive

[slang417]

i just tryed format c: again and it says all data lost etc. continue? i put yes
it says formatting and trying to recover allocation unit (bunch of #s).hope it works but normally when i try to format it says bad command or file name. so i dont know why it is going further this time but i will let you know how it turns out. thanks

[slang417]

if the drive formats correctly , should i try to download windows onto it or just the boot info. just wondering because in the tutorial it says
3.) Enumeration/Detection Phase
During this phase, Windows 98 Setup determines what hardware components are installed in your computer. This phase requires you to restart your computer either once or twice, depending on the type of hardware in your computer. This Setup phase can be identified by the Setting Up Hardware screen.
i just want to make sure that when it says "hardware in your computer" that it still will work with my laptop once i put the harddrive back in the laptop.

[slang417]

well it finished formatting and i downloaded windows . when i start up it says "boot from hard dive or cd" . when i hit hard drive it stays pn the microsoft windows 98 page and doesn't seem to be getting further

[slang417]

never mind about the last one it finally continued

[GretaP]

Hi slang417,

I forgot to mention in my last response that I'm working afternoon shift this week, so I won't be on after about 2:15PM EDT this week.

What is the status of your formatting/installing right now?

[slang417]

i really appreciate your help. i am making much progress. i have downloaded windows but after it booted up fine several times, it started giving some error of files missing so i just reinstalled it and i think it is ok for now.

here r a few ?s
-i think it only will boot with a boot disk still (does that sound right and what do i do to resolve that )
-i am trying to get the internet with my cable modem but when i try to it wont recognize the cat-5 cable in the back
-what steps do i need to do to be able to put the hd back in the laptop because i tryed to before but it gave me some I/O error

thank you

[GretaP]

i think it only will boot with a boot disk still (does that sound right and what do i do to resolve that ) No, that doesn't sound right.......when installed, Windows should be able to boot on its own, without the aid of a boot disk.

i am trying to get the internet with my cable modem but when i try to it wont recognize the cat-5 cable in the back Do you have the necessary networking components installed (TCP/IP, Client for Microsoft Networks, for example)? If you're receiving error message(s), could you post the exact wording of them, please.

what steps do i need to do to be able to put the hd back in the laptop because i tryed to before but it gave me some I/O error There's a hardware problem. What it is, I don't for absolute certain, but combining the I/O problem with the fact that it will only boot with a boot disk makes me think back to the "invailid media or track 0 bad" error that you were previously receiving.....if the first sector of that hard drive is damaged, it will render that drive unbootable.....the first sector is, if I'm not mistaken, where the MBR and the partition table reside. The MBR and partition table cannot be written to another sector if the first sector is damaged.

[slang417]

-when you say that "the first sector is damaged". how does that happen because it worked before?
- how do i install the tcp/ip?

[GretaP]

A number of things can cause bad clusters to appear (which is what I mean when I say that the first sector is damaged.......it has probably developed bad clusters).....read/write head crashes, power spikes, etc.

To install TCP/IP, open the Network applet in Control Panel, and, under the Configuration tab, click on Add button, then select Protocol, then Add. In the right-hand field, select TCP/IP then click on OK and OK again. Restart your computer.