invalid system disk, replace the disk and then press any key

Question

I think some crucial files needed to run Win 98 on my Dimension 4100, were accidentally deleted and I'm having a problem. I get this message every time I boot up and when I press any key nothing happens, it doesn't go anywhere from there. I put in my Dell product recovery CD for Windows 98 second edition and still nothing happens, I need some files from this harddrive so getting a new hardrive is out of the question.

Please Help
Thanks

Denny Denham · Answer

Ricta1930, Is there a non-bootable floppy disk in the disk drive? If not, see if restoring an earlier version of your registry can resolve the problem. The procedure for this is here.

RIcta1930 · Answer

I hold ctrl at the screen where it says invalid system disk and nothing happens at all? Please tell me theres a way to fix this.

RIcta1930 · Answer

I'm sorry I'm not very computer savy about this particular subject, how do you run the diagnostics? Is that the disk I have?

Denny Denham · Answer

Ricta1930,

No, you can hold Ctrl forever and the boot menu appears and then nothing happens until you make a choice from the menu. It sounds like you are facing a hardware problem. Run the Dell diagnostics and see how your hard disk fares.

RIcta1930 · Answer

ha I'm sorry, alright I did it and it looked like a boot menu comes up, but then the comp beeps and says keyboard error and goes back to invalid system disk, maybe I'm holding control too long?

Denny Denham · Answer

Ricta1930, Hold down the Ctrl key and restart the computer. The boot menu should appear.

RIcta1930 · Answer

If it is the disk, I have tried it and nothing happened, same problem.

Windows General

invalid system disk, replace the disk and then press any key

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