"invalid system disc: replace and hit any key" message.

Deboman48 · #1 December 2nd, 2004, 04:19 PM

Hello!
I'm having basically the same problem. I think someone in the house was using th computer yesterday but im not sure. I came home and my mom was saying that the video drivers were acting up. If that happens, i usually would just reinstal them. But this time when i booted up i got the "invalid system disc: replace and hit any key" message. I thought it was the message that you get when you have a floppy in the disk drive, but that is "NON-System disk". The c drive responded normally when i went through the registry restore that Ann Marie posted. I did a scandisk on it, and it said something about a messed up file and it fixed it. Now when i do it, nothing comes up. I also did a surface scan with nothing. I'm just wondering if theres anything else i can do to make sure the hard drive doesnt have to be replaced. I really dont wanna have to replace it. Thank you all!

Strider · #2 December 2nd, 2004, 05:38 PM

Hi Deboman,
It sounds to me like you have a corrupted system file (the one Scandisk 'fixed') but not a bad hard drive. If you have a real Windows ME install CD (not a restore CD from your computer manufacturer) you can do a repair install without having to reinstall all your apps. Boot from a floppy disk, select 'with CD-ROM support,' and run Setup from the CD.
CAUTION: if your documents, spreadsheets, photos, etc. are saved in the default locations (My Documents, etc.) they may be deleted during the reinstallation. In that case you would need to find everything you want to save and copy to a safe location using DOS commands.
FYI, you will get more exposure and responses to your question if you start a new thread, rather than adding on to an existing one.
HTH,

Deboman48 · #3 December 2nd, 2004, 06:11 PM

Thank you for your reply Strider. I would start a new thread, but in many of the forums i participate in, it is frowned upon to start a new thread when theres already a thread on that topic. But i will keep that in mind, but I'll post this here since i've already gotten a reply here. I dont have an original Windows ME CD...this computer came originally with Windows ME installed so i only have the reinstallation cd provided by Dell. Today i tried to run the setup by typing in the a drive prompt: E:\setup.exe. It runs, but after a while, it causes an error with a file named "Suwin". i've tried to run it twice already and it does the same thing.Any suggestions? I really dont like windows ME...too many problems. I dont have many problems with my laptop which runs XP. If i go out and get XP or 2000 will i be able to install or do i need to fix this problem first? Thanks again!

~Debo

Strider · #4 December 2nd, 2004, 07:58 PM

I see several possibilities, depending on what you want to do.
1. Try to repair Windows ME. If there are data on your computer that you want to save, search both in this forum and on the web for 'suwin.' You may find information that will allow you to repair ME. GretaP was instrumental in some of the solutions here at CTH, but I haven't seen her around lately.
2. If you don't have data you need to save and you don't want to pop for XP, you could try formatting your C: drive and then using your restore CDs from Dell. That will put the computer back to exactly the way it was when you bought it new.
3. If you don't have data you need to save and you want to upgrade to XP, this (I think) is the best solution. I think XP will install right over the top of ME without any problem. Verify that you have enough computer horsepower to run XP. I don't know what the minimum processor is; I think you need at least 256 MB RAM. It runs fine on my Duron 800.
Post back and let us know whatever you do and how it works.

Deboman48 · #5 December 3rd, 2004, 02:27 AM

Ok, i made a little progress. I did and over-the-top installation of windows ME. It wouldnt work at first, but i followed what Gretta P. Said in another thread which is as follows:

<i>
Hi StevenMe,

That is a common error message when doing an "over the top" install when you have Windows Media Player 9 installed.

Boot from a startup floppy disk and delete or rename the file wmploc.dll in the C:\windows\system directory, and then try reinstalling WINME.</i>

i did that and the installation went through, but im having a problem now. It installed over, and it said it saved my files. I can log onto windows like normal now, but whenever i try to open a program that i've installed, it says it cant be found. For example Winzip or msn/yahoo messenger. My programs should still be there right? Is there any way to make it back to normal.