Use this diskette to boot the system and follow on screen instructions and choose the IDE CD ROM support. Once you are to a dos prompt all you need to do is type FORMAT C: and hit ENTER it will tell you that all data will be lost and ask you if you are sure that you want to do this. Type Y and hit ENTER and the format process will start. When the format is done you will want to reboot the system without the BOOT DISK and go to the BIOS of your system and set the CD ROM as the primary boot device. Put the recovery CD in the drive and the system will boot from the CD and you will get the windows load from the disk follow the onscreen instructions and accept the default settings.
Les, Thank you very much. I followed your solution and with the boot disk you supplied, I can now get to the A:> prompt. I get the following message when I try to FORMAT C: 'ENTER' as you suggest:
Cannot format a network Drive
I also see this during bootup:
Drive c: Driver MSCD001 unit 0
If you have any suggestions on how I can rid the system of any configuration which reads this machine as a network drive, I would appreciate it. It is a standalone machine, but evidently seems configured still as some kind of network system.
All the data you've reported suggests that the hard drive on your system is completely inoperative. Does it show up in the BIOS setup? "MSCD001" is the name assigned to the CD drive. Since that's what "C:" is, you're hard drive's not present in the configuration.
First check in the BIOS of the system to see if the hard drive is being identified. If it is then go ahead and boot the system with the boot disk again. Then doing FDISK and remove all partitions from the drive. Then repartition it and format the drive and try again.
I have suspected a bad hard drive may be the case. I am not sure if the hard drive is showing up in the BIOS setup. I don't see any reference to it. It may just need to be formatted as "Les" suggests or it may not be working at all. Where should I see it in the BIOS? What should I be looking for to determine if a working hard drive is present in this old BIOS setup?
Les, you are incredibly responsive. The FDISK actually seemed fairly self-explanatory and it worked as far as creating a partition. There were none, so none to delete. I am now in the midst of trying the FORMAT C: step
I have no information on the BIOS for your system so am not able to give you a specific location. There should be a section where it lists the drives of the system and it should name the hard drive and the size of the drive. What happened when you tried to FDISK the system? If you get nothing try reseating the connections to the hard drive. If you are getting options for FDISK you should be able to repartition the drive and format it.
Les, once again, I very much appreciate your advice. I don't know exactly where in the BIOS I would find out whether the hard drive is okay. As I mentioned to the other gentlemen, I started to suspect that I may have a bum hard drive. I just don't know how to determine it. I will look into the FDISK command. I am not sure I know how to remove partitions and repartition the drive.
Perhaps if you could forward a link to educate me on that topic, I could do it. Also, I would love to know what to look for in this old BIOS to determine whether a hard drive is intact.
Les, I was told I had to load DOS 6.22 before I could load Windows 95, is that not true?
The FDISK worked and after creating a partition, I was able to Format the hard drive. Now, I have DOS 6.22 on diskettes and was going to copy them on to the hard drive. Once I had that up, I believed I could load the Windows 95 CD I have. Is there anything else I need to know?
Thanks, again, You helped me solve the really tough boot problem I was having.
I believe that only 3.1 had to have DOS installed before you could install it. I think that it is actually part of windows 95. All I can really say is just try it and see what happens. If it does not install then you will need to install DOS then windows. I know that it is not much help but it has been a long time since I used 95.
Once you look at that you will see that there is a jumper to take you into the BIOS. Once you set that you can boot the system and it will go straight into BIOS. Once you are done you will want to move the jumper back to stop if from going into the BIOS every time you boot the system.
Invalid System disk
Replace the disk, and then press any key.
I cannot get to the BIOS setup to change anything. I have removed all diskettes and CDs from all drives and turned the machine off and on, to no avail.
I found the GX1 documentation about the BIOS setup.
Here's the link. Take a look at the first few pages.
As the document explains, pressing the F2 key while the system is starting will get you into the BIOS. Take a look at "System Setup Screens". You'll find that the hard drive should be listed there.
As far as the "invalid system disk" error is concerned, when you formatted the drive, did you use the "
/s" switch, as in "
format c: /s"?
This is actually fun for me at this point. I have read several texts and some links and did uncover quite a bit of new information, but I still cannot quite solve this yet. I did uncover how to get to my BIOS, again, using F2. As per Les' instruction, I went in and reset the system to boot to CD-ROM first. Unfortunately, it did not fire up my Windows 95 CD. I am still receiving "Invalid system disk"
"Replace the disk, and then press any key"
In partitioning my hard drive, I only created a primary partition. (1) Is it that I perhaps need an extended partition, as well? (2) Is it perhaps I am missing a few key system files or drivers?
From Scott Mueller's book "Upgrading and Repairing PCs", which I obtained online through Netlibrary, I picked up this, which is a similar error message:
"16. If the disk was prepared with FORMAT or SYS using DOS 4.0 and later versions, and the specified system files are not the first two files in the directory, or if a problem was encountered loading them, or the boot sector is corrupt, this message appears:
Non-System disk or disk error
Replace and press any key when ready "
Again, I thank you very much for your continued support and I am convinced we will shortly have this working.
DELL-Les
2 Intern
•
641 Posts
0
January 20th, 2004 20:00
bloozman,
Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.
Download the file at the following location to the desktop of the system and then unzip it to a blank diskette.
http://support.dell.com/filelib/format.aspx?releaseid=r19387
Use this diskette to boot the system and follow on screen instructions and choose the IDE CD ROM support. Once you are to a dos prompt all you need to do is type FORMAT C: and hit ENTER it will tell you that all data will be lost and ask you if you are sure that you want to do this. Type Y and hit ENTER and the format process will start. When the format is done you will want to reboot the system without the BOOT DISK and go to the BIOS of your system and set the CD ROM as the primary boot device. Put the recovery CD in the drive and the system will boot from the CD and you will get the windows load from the disk follow the onscreen instructions and accept the default settings.
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 03:00
Cannot format a network Drive
I also see this during bootup:
Drive c: Driver MSCD001 unit 0
If you have any suggestions on how I can rid the system of any configuration which reads this machine as a network drive, I would appreciate it. It is a standalone machine, but evidently seems configured still as some kind of network system.
Thanks, again, Joe
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 04:00
All the data you've reported suggests that the hard drive on your system is completely inoperative. Does it show up in the BIOS setup? "MSCD001" is the name assigned to the CD drive. Since that's what "C:" is, you're hard drive's not present in the configuration.
Jim
DELL-Les
2 Intern
•
641 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 12:00
bloozman,
First check in the BIOS of the system to see if the hard drive is being identified. If it is then go ahead and boot the system with the boot disk again. Then doing FDISK and remove all partitions from the drive. Then repartition it and format the drive and try again.
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 19:00
I have suspected a bad hard drive may be the case. I am not sure if the hard drive is showing up in the BIOS setup. I don't see any reference to it. It may just need to be formatted as "Les" suggests or it may not be working at all. Where should I see it in the BIOS? What should I be looking for to determine if a working hard drive is present in this old BIOS setup?
Thanks, Joe
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 20:00
Thanks so much for your assistance.
DELL-Les
2 Intern
•
641 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 20:00
bloozman,
I have no information on the BIOS for your system so am not able to give you a specific location. There should be a section where it lists the drives of the system and it should name the hard drive and the size of the drive. What happened when you tried to FDISK the system? If you get nothing try reseating the connections to the hard drive. If you are getting options for FDISK you should be able to repartition the drive and format it.
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 20:00
Perhaps if you could forward a link to educate me on that topic, I could do it. Also, I would love to know what to look for in this old BIOS to determine whether a hard drive is intact.
Thanks, again.
DELL-Les
2 Intern
•
641 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 20:00
bloozman,
Here is a link to a page that has instructions on how to use FDISK.
http://service.dell.com/dell/step/1,,33732+30+26742+26760+26784,00.html
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 20:00
The FDISK worked and after creating a partition, I was able to Format the hard drive. Now, I have DOS 6.22 on diskettes and was going to copy them on to the hard drive. Once I had that up, I believed I could load the Windows 95 CD I have. Is there anything else I need to know?
Thanks, again, You helped me solve the really tough boot problem I was having.
Joe
DELL-Les
2 Intern
•
641 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 21:00
bloozman,
I believe that only 3.1 had to have DOS installed before you could install it. I think that it is actually part of windows 95. All I can really say is just try it and see what happens. If it does not install then you will need to install DOS then windows. I know that it is not much help but it has been a long time since I used 95.
DELL-Les
2 Intern
•
641 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 22:00
bloozman,
Go to the following location and you will find a diagram of the motherboard and jumpers.
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/ban_gx1/jumpers1.htm
Once you look at that you will see that there is a jumper to take you into the BIOS. Once you set that you can boot the system and it will go straight into BIOS. Once you are done you will want to move the jumper back to stop if from going into the BIOS every time you boot the system.
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2004 22:00
Invalid System disk
Replace the disk, and then press any key.
I cannot get to the BIOS setup to change anything. I have removed all diskettes and CDs from all drives and turned the machine off and on, to no avail.
Can you offer any insight here?
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 00:00
I found the GX1 documentation about the BIOS setup. Here's the link. Take a look at the first few pages.
As the document explains, pressing the F2 key while the system is starting will get you into the BIOS. Take a look at "System Setup Screens". You'll find that the hard drive should be listed there.
As far as the "invalid system disk" error is concerned, when you formatted the drive, did you use the " /s" switch, as in " format c: /s"?
Jim
Message Edited by jimw on 01-23-2004 06:49 PM
bloozman
26 Posts
0
January 25th, 2004 20:00
This is actually fun for me at this point. I have read several texts and some links and did uncover quite a bit of new information, but I still cannot quite solve this yet. I did uncover how to get to my BIOS, again, using F2. As per Les' instruction, I went in and reset the system to boot to CD-ROM first. Unfortunately, it did not fire up my Windows 95 CD. I am still receiving "Invalid system disk"
"Replace the disk, and then press any key"
In partitioning my hard drive, I only created a primary partition. (1) Is it that I perhaps need an extended partition, as well? (2) Is it perhaps I am missing a few key system files or drivers?
From Scott Mueller's book "Upgrading and Repairing PCs", which I obtained online through Netlibrary, I picked up this, which is a similar error message:
"16. If the disk was prepared with FORMAT or SYS using DOS 4.0 and later versions, and the specified system files are not the first two files in the directory, or if a problem was encountered loading them, or the boot sector is corrupt, this message appears:
Non-System disk or disk error
Replace and press any key when ready "
Again, I thank you very much for your continued support and I am convinced we will shortly have this working.