Invalid System Disk Revisited

[skay]

Hi. I was linked to this site from annoyance.com concerning an Invalid System Disk, etc. error message. The thread here was closed back in February I think. My situation is a little different. I have a Compaq that I'm using as a b/u since the mobo on my AMD 1800 got nuked in a storm we recently had. Everything was running ok - it's a 98SE with a 40 GB HD on the mobo and a 60GB HD on a Maxtor ATA card. I was uninstalling some proggies and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, until I went to reboot. That's when I got the error message. Fortunately, I had just made a Drive Image b/u, and popped in the rescue disks and was back in about 1/2 hour. After some trial and error (and it happening again two more times) I finally boiled it down to one very unlikely program: Key Maestro. I could uninstall virtually everything but the OS, and had no problem when trying to reboot afterwards. But each time I uninstalled Key Maestro, the very next reboot generated that lovely error message. Eventually I intend to do a total reinstall with W2K instead of 98SE (as soon as I can get the right drivers for the Maxtor ATA card to be accepted by the W2K install; but that's another matter.) In the meantime, I wanted to toss my experience into the ring and see what folks here thought. It's obviously such an odd connection that I doubt if anyone here has heard of this happening before. I mean, I've heard of programs that didn't want to uninstall from a computer before; but never one that caused a dos/booting error message after a supposedly successful Windows program uninstall. I'm at a total loss in terms of even trying to understanding it; but thanks to Drive Image, I'm not a total loss of anything else. Man, I really love that program. I don't even want to say how many times it's saved me. TIA.

sk

[Benno]

I'm sorry but I dont really understand everything you are saying. :hu:

Normally this error comes up if you start your pc with a floppy in your drive. :blink:

[CornerPocket]

Seems as though somehow it is connected to your boot up sequence in some fashion. Have you checked the registry to insure all files related have been removed. Maybe the 'win.ini' file, some trace of it is trying to load as part of the drive. Sorry been awhile since I have fiddled with Win98/SE, trying to recall by memory. Have you tried locating/contacting the Mfg site for assistance?

[ooo]

wait did someone delete my thread about this

i know mine got locked a while ago

wait i will see if i can find it... since i solved my problem

[ooo]

sigh* i guess ppl dont do searches read this

http://www.klboard.ath.cx/bb/index.php?act...=31&t=15359&hl= (http://www.klboard.ath.cx/bb/index.php?act=ST&f=31&t=15359&hl=)

that was my thread about invalid system disk i solved my problem

[skay]

Originally posted by Soul814@1 April 2003 - 22:30
sigh* i guess ppl dont do searches read this

http://www.klboard.ath.cx/bb/index.php?act...=31&t=15359&hl= (http://www.klboard.ath.cx/bb/index.php?act=ST&f=31&t=15359&hl=)

that was my thread about invalid system disk i solved my problem
To the contrary. I read all 11 pages or so of your thread. And if it contained the answer to my particular situation, I wouldn't have posted this thread. Also, since that thread is now closed, my only recourse was to post a new thread. If that thread had remained open, I would have posted this in that one. Also, maybe I didn't make my thread clear enough. I am completely able to access my drive(s) as long as I don't delete that one particular program. Unlike in your situation, my system is working perfectly UNTIL I delete that one program. I don't need to reformat my hard drive; I don't need to put in a battery; I don't need to jiggle the cables. I just need to figure out how in the world deleting that one stupid program is causing such havoc on my system.

sk

[skay]

Originally posted by CornerPocket@1 April 2003 - 16:42
Seems as though somehow it is connected to your boot up sequence in some fashion. Have you checked the registry to insure all files related have been removed. Maybe the 'win.ini' file, some trace of it is trying to load as part of the drive. Sorry been awhile since I have fiddled with Win98/SE, trying to recall by memory. Have you tried locating/contacting the Mfg site for assistance?
I have not as of yet checked the registry to insure that all files have been removed since at the present at least, all files must remain installed or else the damn thing won't boot up. And as I said, I think, there is no actual URL listed anywhere in/for this program. To the best of my recollection, it either came with a keyboard I bought, or else I downloaded it from a freeware site. It's turned out to be a real trip. But I will go and check the win.ini and I'll hunt through the registry to see what if anything is installed there, and then report back. Thanks to everyone for your responses. This seems like a very helpful board.

4/2/03: Update: I scoured the registry and Win.ini and cannot even find a single reference to Key Maestro.

sk

[ooo]

well just format it!... do u want a computer w/ an error or a working one ur choice

[skay]

Originally posted by Soul814@2 April 2003 - 22:58
well just format it!... do u want a computer w/ an error or a working one ur choice
Hmmmm. Could you please repeat your question? I'm sure exactly what you were trying to say.

sk

[imported_QuietSilence!]

Originally posted by Soul814@2 April 2003 - 22:58
well just format it!... do u want a computer w/ an error or a working one ur choice
be vary carful when formating a compac comps hard drive as compac uses a wherid bios that keeps a lot of info on a hidden partision on the hard drive so it can use dumb stuff like a mouse and such in the bios
hopefully HP has changed this since they bought them out so it may not be a issue on the newer ones

[CornerPocket]

Althought this may not be the cause, I found it interesting. Since you are still looking for the answer thought I might as well post it, worth looking at:

ACPI Key Enabled (only for Windows NT4.0, Windows 95, or Windows 98)

The ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) keys, Power off, Sleep, Wake up, are the power management keys of your keyboard; they are processed and performed by Windows, not KeyMaestro driver.

As these ACPI keys are performed not completely under Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0; the KeyMaestro driver provides an option to enable the ACPI keys. When the option is enabled, the driver will take Windows' place to process these keys.

The default state of this option is enabled. If you want to disable the option, click the 'KeyMaestro' icon on the taskbar and then select 'ACPI Key Disabled' command. Depending on your system compatibility in ACPI, you may decide whether the ACPI keys are enabled and performed by driver or not.

In case some errors occur or system hang due to setting conflict or other unpredictable reasons, you had better disable the ACPI keys and check the motherboard setting of ACPI.



If the program has somehow taken control of the ACPI settings, it's possible as to why the error message occurs when you delete it??

[ooo]

Originally posted by skay+3 April 2003 - 04:09--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (skay @ 3 April 2003 - 04:09)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Soul814@2 April 2003 - 22:58
well just format it&#33;... do u want a computer w/ an error or a working one ur choice
Hmmmm. Could you please repeat your question? I&#39;m sure exactly what you were trying to say.

sk [/b][/quote]
do you want a computer that isnt working?

or

do you want a working computer?