Invalid System Disk Error

[Rip The Jacker]

OK, most of you all know that when you boot your PC with a floppy inside, you'll get a message saying:

"Invalid System Disk. Replace the disk and press any key to continue."

Then you take out the floppy, press any key, and it starts. Well, on my friend's PC, there is no floppy/CD-Rom inside, and it still says that. :blink:

We even tried to boot the PC with the floppy drive removed completely, and we still got "Invalid System Disk. Replace the disk and press any key to continue."

Any ideas people? :blink:

[random nut]

Seems like your HDD's first sector is corrupt, in which case the BIOS will try to read the boot sector off your CD-ROM or floppy disk.

[Rip The Jacker]

So how can I fix this? I'm guessing I need a floppy/CD-Rom with the boot sector? :huh: :blink:

[VB]

Use a floppy bootddisk. You can get one at http://www.bootdisk.com if you don't have one.

Use that to boot the computer.


Run fdisk /mbr to try to repair the bootsector of your friends harddrive.

[Rip The Jacker]

Thanx random nut and Paul! I'll try the bootdisk, and fdisk /mbr.

I'll reply later with the info... friend's not home at the moment...

[Nobody1234]

It could also be that the hard disk is not being recognized by the BIOS.

[VB]

Originally posted by Nobody1234@5 January 2003 - 23:40
It could also be that the hard disk is not being recognized by the BIOS.
Yes. Go to the bios on booting (press DEL, F1, you'll see what to press)

Then let it auto-detect the harddrive(s).

[CornerPocket]

One might check the cables as well, those are known on "rare" occassion to just loosing or just need to be disconnected/reconnected. I've had to do that once or twice over the yrs. Simply take them off and put them back on, in the same position though. (or replace ?)

If all posted suggestions fail, and as a last resort reformat, using the bootdisk of course. If no luck, it may have gone to harddrive heaven and needs replacing :unsure: