Can't fdisk, please help

Try a DOS boot Diskette to start your format/fdisk project.

Good luck-Steve

You can boot with a bootable Diskette that has either Win 95/98 OS. Make sure as well that you have the FDISK and FORMAT commands present on the disk.When you see the message Starting Win 95/98 hit the F5 key. This will terminate all startup files. After performing this you should now be able to perform FDISK and Format.

if you have to hit f5, then you aren't booting up from a boot disk.

adjust the bios to boot from floppy and boot from a boot disk (preferably one created from win98) if this doesn't work, you need to figure that out before you are going to be able to fdisk and format.

At htis point, I can think of 4 possible causes.
1) Virus, make a virus scan disk from a known clean machine and see if you can run it.
2) Bad base memory, depending how old this system is and its configuration, try moving or swapping out the memory.
3) Bad CPU, not much hope for this one but if you happen to have a spare, give it a try.

Hope this helps...

start with a fresh disk. make a startup disk from windows add and remove programs. boot using that floppy . type fdisk /mbr. then fdisk it and format it. if this doesnt work, try and delete all partitions using NT setup disks if you have it. good luck

Since it is not reading the floppy correctly, this tells me one of two things is most likely wrong:

1. BIOS set to boot from C:\ first, which you have deleted (it is a non-system disk now).

2. Floppy is not a proper boot disk.

To solve problem number 1, go into the BIOS setup and make sure that A drive is first in your boot list (unless you have the option to install from CD-ROM, which is unlikely if this is an older machine.

To solve problem number 2, you need a proper boot disk. The easiest spot to find boot disk images is http://www.bootdisk.com. You can find a boot disk for a variety of OSs.

If you want to make sure the hard drive is completely "fragged", you will most likely want a DOS disk with fdisk on it (as you stated you have already done). Delete everything and start fresh again.

Depending on the OS, you will want to start with the proper boot disk. The important thing here is FAT16 versus FAT32 versus NTFS (or even Linux partitions). Most boot disks willdo the partition setup for at least one of the partitions for you, or will provide tools like format and fdisk to aid you in this.

My suggested steps:
1. Create a boot disk (from www.bootdisk.com) for the OS you are going to install.
2. Make sure the drive is completely cleaned.
3. Run BIOS setup and make sure you have it checking drive A first
4. Start the computer with the boot disk.
5. Install OS.

Gregory A. Beamer
MCP: +I, SE, SD, DBA

Well, the easiest thing to do is to low-level format the hard disk. This will erase everything from Fat16/32 to NTFS. You need special software slike Micro2000 or AmiDiag to do these. These software will also check the status of your hard disk. And then perform fdisk and high level format with the Windows 98 startup disk. It should work unless the hard disk is dodgy!
If you haven't got the above software, try make the hard disk as a slave in the bios setup of a working computer and perform fdisk and format it from within. Unless you use second or secondary IDE channel, make sure you check that the jumper on the hard disk is set to slave. Check whether the ex-partition is Fat or NTFS?
Alternatively, create a Windows 98/NT start-up disk and boot from A:\ drive and fdisk and format the hard disk from there.

1st off it sounds like your boot disk has its own copy of startup files on it (config.sys,autoexec.bat,win.ini). Make sure you have a good boot disk with just the basic utilities (this can be found at www.bootdisk.com).2nd what OS was this system running on before, if it was NT your may need to perform a FDISK /MBR which will clean the Master Boot Record. This will repair/restore the MBR from virus infections, disk manager tools,multiboot manager installed,security software installed. Perform the following:

1.Create a boot disk (from www.bootdisk.com) for the OS you are going to install.
2.Make sure the drive is completely cleaned
using the fdisk /mbr.
3.Make sure you have the BIOS setting to boot from the A: drive 1st first(if youhave to disable the other options temporarily).

1. create a bootable floppy with fdisk and format on it.

2. at the dos prompt, ( of the machine you're creating the bootable )

type the following lines

copy con a:\config.sys
stacks=9,256

hit the ctrl-z keys to exit and save the file
boot with the floppy

use fdisk /x ( this switch ignores stack overflow messages )

set up your new partiton, format, then boot with the full 95/98 setup disk to install

enjoy. !

Virus,Memory or Believe it or not Keyboard controller. Try replacing your memory and run a virus scan if this fails then type DELPART at the c:> BE CAREFULL this step is final.

THE XMAN

Here is location for my bootup tool disk. Just format a floppy and copy this files to it. then bootup with it. I have not run across a machine yet that I could not wipe with it.

ftp://ftp.sonic.net/pub/users/renzo/b&b/startup/

-renzo

If you fdisk and you get this problem, it could either be a bad boot disk, or your hdd could be screwed. What i would suggest is debugging the drive. This is about the closest you can come to a low level format. Debug will remove any partitions on the drive and is about the best way to clean up a hard drive. If you need the debug script, send an email to me at tobygri@clientlogic.com. Leave email address and ill get it out when i get the email. Im at work from 6 am - 2:30 or sometimes later PST. Also, i would suggest creating a new boot disk. Goto another system and create one through windows. Good luck

sounds to me like you have a couple of easily rectified problems
First I think youre restarting (c) drive as suggested - go to your BIOS and change boot setup to start A then C
2) I think maybe youre start disc does not have FDISC on it so as alsosuggested either go to bootdisk web site or I just use an old 3.1 DOS disc to FDISC then install youre win 98 start disc and it will recreate the config sys and associated files from scratch
maybe worth a try this hasnt failed me yet.
another way around is to ghost the operating system from another machine although you must remove the hard disc and install it in another working machine.
good luck
Mick

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