Invalid System Disk

[acedog2475]

I have a IBM Thinkpad 385 that was having Window problems with, so I decided I was going to format the harddrive and reinstall Windows. I created a startup disk but when I tried to use it after the harddrive was formated it didn't work. I guess my Window problems carried over to the startup disk.

When I turn on my computer,I get an "Invalid System Disk" error. I tried downloading a startup disk for bootdisk.com but got the same error. I also tried hitting various F-buttons as well as ESC and DEL before I get the erro but that doesn't get me anywhere. Is there any advice out there that can help me?

Thanks.

[Wainui]

Go back to Bootdisk.com and download a Windows 98 Startup disk. It will contain drivers for your CD-Rom drive.
Insert the disk into the floppy drive and Power up your computer.
At the A:>_ prompt type fdisk C: enter this will start the process to partition your hard drive.
After partitioning the HDD type D: enter. (D being the drive letter for your CD-Rom drive, substitute for the correct drive letter).
Insert your Windows 95 CD in the drive.
At the D:>_ prompt type Setup and hit enter.
Follow the prompt.

[tmbm]

Invalid system disk = FLOPPY DISK NOT A SYSTEM DISK.


did you open the program that you d/l from bootdisk? or just copy it onto a floppy? download the bootdisk and then OPEN the program, it will prompt for a floppy.

haahaha so many people do that!!

[acedog2475]

Wainui/tmbm,

I went to bootdisk.com and clicked on the Windows 98 OEM link and saved the file to the desktop. I then clicked on it and it extracted 24 files to the disk. I then entered the disk into the computer that is not working and turned it on. I still get the same error:

"Invalid system disk
Replace the disk, and then press any key".

If it helps any when I turn on my computer it shows the IBM logo at the top and the Thinkpad logo at the bottom. It then beeps and goes to the error written above.

Any more advice? Thanks for trying to help.

[tetonbob]

Did you format with the /s switch?

Is the onboard BIOS antivirus enabled? If so, disable it in your CMOS Setup.

[acedog2475]

tetonbob,

I am not a computer expert so I don't follow your questions. When I formated the hard drive, I did it by typing format C: at the a: propmt.

I don't know how to tell if the onboard BIOS antivirus is enabled or how to disable it since I can't get anything to come up on my screen except for the Invalid System Disk Error. If you could walk me through the steps, I would love to answer your questions.

Thanks for the help.

[tetonbob]

I'm no expert either, but I know a thing or 2. By formatting the drive without the /s switch, you've emptied it without allowing it to be bootable. The entire command for a logical drive you want to be bootable should be "format c: /s" without the quotes. But, if you can get your system to boot from a bootdisk, you can recover from that by typing SYS: C at the A prompt.

The question is how to get you to a prompt?


http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/36

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/37

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/38

Do you get the error with and without a floppy in the A drive? Take the floppy out of the drive and boot your system. Does it go through the POST procedure? Is there a black screen with a bunch of arcane looking data on it? Is there a line at the bottom telling you to Press <Del> to Enter Setup?

I keeping hoping one of the really smart mods will take up the banner here.
;)

Bob

[Wainui]

http://home.earthlink.net/~leetutor/FixWin/UpDown/invaldsk.htm

[acedog2475]

My computer is up and running. I found out from IBM's website that my laptop requires you to hold down the F1 key down before you turn on the computer and keep it held down once it gets to the BIOS setup. I did that and it worked. I was then able to change the startup sequence to the floppy disk. Then I used the boot disk that I had made and it got me to the A: prompt. I then followed the tutorials that were posted earlier. Now things seem to be working fine. I had to download some drivers off of IBM's website for my video and audio to work properly.

Thanks for all the help.

[tetonbob]

Good job! Glad you figured it out. Thanks for letting us know. I'm making a note of that F1 keystroke fact.

As an additional note, many systems are set that way as a security measure, to prevent unauthorized boot access to the HD. You might consider changing it back now that you've got things squared away, and know how to get in.