Desktop

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Restore MS DOS?

0 helpful
10 replies

by k.dietrich

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

I have formatted my hard drive now my pc will not re-install win 98 se, the error says ,"invalid sytem disc". I have tried all my recovery discs. Do I need to re-install dos? Where can I get a download for DOS?
Help is appreciated.
Thanks
K

10 replies

by sixfourtykilo

If you have formatted your HD, you have removed everything from it, including and means for your computer to "boot". You need a Startup disc or a bootable CDROM to get the installation of Win98 going. Win98se is a bootable disc, you just need to make sure that your PC can boot from it! If you have it in your CDROM and your PC is not going into the setup program, check your BIOS (when it says press whatever key to enter system configuration) to see if you can somehow get your PC to boot from the CDROM. Most systems have an area that allows you to select a boot-sequence, and sometimes the boot-sequence reads, "A, C, CDROM" or "A, SCSI, C" or something to that effect. You need find the option that will allow you to put the CDROM BEFORE the C.

If this does not work, you absolutely must obtain any sort of Win98SE bootable floppy disk.

Good Luck!
640k

by k.dietrich

Thanks, but I have tried all this and still no luck. Do you think maybe I need to re-install the BIOS?
Thanks
K

by curacao_dejavu

It happened bacause you didn't do: format c: /s (/s=transfer system files to make it bootable)
answer 1 will help you for sure for 99%.
If it fails , 1%, :( you need a rescue disk from win98se, not a bootable since with a normal bootable disk youwont be able to access the cdrom, with the rescue disk you will get a choice to start the pc with a cdrom (1 of the 3 choices actually).

success.

Leopold

by k.dietrich

Thanks but, yes I did formatt this way, and none of the bootable discs or rescue discs are helping, I have tried every rescue disc I can find. Can't even get to the 3 choices with F5, F8 or CTRL at boot. It goes straight to the screen that askes for system disc. I guess I have a real problem here.
Thank you
K

by sixfourtykilo

can you get to the c: drive at all? or even a command prompt? try booting from your startup disk and then select, "bypass startup files" or shift-F5 or F5 or whatever you need to do to get to the command prompt and then let me know!

640k

by grbeckmeyer

Check your Bios and verify that your floppy is set as the first boot device, and make sure it is connected properly. Do you know for sure that your floppy drive works? Sounds like the PC is not even trying to boot from floppy, once you can get it to do that you should be good to go with your Win98 startup disk

by k.dietrich

Hi folks: I found the answer. When I formatted all drivers for my a and d drive were deleted so I had to re-install the floppy and cd rom from dos, then I was able to re-install everyting. Thanks for all your advice.
K

This discussion is closed to new replies.