Invalid System Disk, Replace Disk Then Try Again...

Hello, I was running a Windows 95 and got a disk to upgrade to Windows 98 SE. I put the Win98 SE disk in at the desktop and I told it to delete everything and install Windows 98 SE. While it was installing I accidentaly pressed the restart/off button with my foot (Yes, I know, i'm stupid). So I turned back on my computer and went to the Windows 95 screen with that stuff and then after that went away it went to a black screen that gave me the choices to run in Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, Normal, etc. and I choose to do the Command Prompt option. Now someone told me to format my c: drive first so i typed in 'format c:' and once that was done the guy told me to put in the Windows 98 SE and to download the Windows 98 OEM boot disk and put that on a floopy disk (I formatted the floppy before I burned anything to it). So I went back to my old computer, put the Windows 98 SE disk and the floopy disk in and it went straight to this error message:

Invalid system disk
Replace the disk, then try again.

So i'm stuck now and I basically need to know what the heck to do! I have the Windows 95 disk, Windows 98 SE disk (not copied, from a friend) and I downloaded the Windows 98 OEM Bootdisk from http://www.bootdisk.com. Now I just need to know what to do. Buying a program is my last resort though (like 'Partion Magic'). So any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

Go into your BIOS setup and make sure that your computer is set to boot from the floppy first.
Then, select "with CDROM support" and at the A:\> prompt, type E:\SETUP (this supposes that your CDROM is normally the D: drive. The boot floppy loads some files onto a RAM disk, thus moving your CDROM up one letter).

 

I can't even get past this screen:

Invalid system disk
Replace the disk, then try again

HELP!

 

Before the invalid system disk screen, there should be an option to enter BIOS setup. Depending on your BIOS, you will have to press a certain key combination. On some machines, it's the DEL key, sometimes F1 or F2, sometimes a combination such as Ctrl+Esc or Ctrl+Alt+Esc. Compaq sometimes uses F10, etc....

I had one machine with AMI BIOS that required holding down thw DEL key while powering up.

 

Ok, so try all those while its at the Helwett Packard blue screen? And i try all the F1, F10, Ctrl+Esc, etc. while its at that screen?

 

Somebody actually posted a week or so ago that all their Win98 and ME CD's were bootable. Never saw that myself, certainly don't have that on any of the dozen or so Win98 and ME CD's I have, and doesn't explain why they always come with a boot floppy so you can access the CD ROM.

But it might be worth a try. I'm not sure who posted that but maybe they'll see this and give some more information.

 

On the bootdisk download, you just didn't save it directly to the floppy disk, correct? Because if you did, you CAN'T do that, save to desktop, double click and follow instructions to create boot disk.

That was me Bob, most Microsoft 98 installation and upgrade disks are bootable. There are some OEM's that are not.

 

Also Froggy, aside from the boot disk problem, have you tried just starting the computer without a boot disk floppy with just the 98 install cd in the drive? For bios, try F 2 or DEL.

 

Ok, so i'll try those and I saved the bootdisk to 'My Downloads' so I don't know if i should download it again and save it to my Desktop.

Thanks.

 

The question is, what did you do with it once you saw it in 'my downloads.' Did you just copy it from there to the floppy? Or did you double click on it and follow the create floppy instructions?

And do me a favor, please remove or change your user photo, per the photo rules it must be a photo of you.

 

Well I double clicked on directions and went into it from the instructions. And is that you in your picture (not to be insulting you)? Just wondering. I can't get into my BIOS though to use my floopy disk!

 

If you are speaking of my avatar, no, if you are speaking about the one posted in 'about us' then yes

Have you tried booting with just the 98 install cd in the drive?

Did you try other bios access keys, usually it's F 1, F 2, or DEL as soon as you restart.

 

Ok, ill try those, i only tried to F 10 and F 11. Thanks.

 

You also might try searching HP support for your exact model number.

Different BIOS chips have different key sequences. For example some:

AMI: Del or F1.
Award: Del or Ctrl+Alt+S.
Phoenix: Ctrl+Alt+Esc or Ctrl+Alt+S or F2.

 

Ok thanks.