Crash and Invalid Boot Diskette

[Guest]

My PC crashed and I can not get to any set up screen. The only screen I can
get to tells me to insert a boot diskette into drive A. I created new boot
disks from the MS site: XP Home Edition, service pack 2. I did this on my
laptop. When I go to use the boot disks, I get the error message "Invalid
Boot Diskette. Insert BOOT diskette in A". I know the windows version and
service pack are correct. I even tried as couple of other types of boot
disks. Same message. HELP!!!!!! How do I get my computer to boot?????????

 

[Poprivet]

My PC crashed and I can not get to any set up screen. The only
screen I can get to tells me to insert a boot diskette into drive A.
I created new boot disks from the MS site: XP Home Edition, service
pack 2. I did this on my laptop. When I go to use the boot disks, I
get the error message "Invalid Boot Diskette. Insert BOOT diskette
in A". I know the windows version and service pack are correct. I
even tried as couple of other types of boot disks. Same message.
HELP!!!!!! How do I get my computer to boot?????????

It sounds like you didn't make the disk bootable. ANY boot disk should work
IFF it's a bootable disk, meaning it contains the right boot files.

HTH
Pop`

 

[Guest]

My PC crashed and I can not get to any set up screen. The only screen I can
get to tells me to insert a boot diskette into drive A. I created new boot
disks from the MS site: XP Home Edition, service pack 2. I did this on my
laptop. When I go to use the boot disks, I get the error message "Invalid
Boot Diskette. Insert BOOT diskette in A". I know the windows version and
service pack are correct. I even tried as couple of other types of boot
disks. Same message. HELP!!!!!! How do I get my computer to boot?????????

Try to access the BIOS and make sure the First Option for Boot up is the
CD-ROM then the HDD and see if that will enable the Boot up from the CD and
perform the Recovery Procedure.
If not then I will doubt the Hard Drive is Dead or there is loose cable in
the Case somewhere from either the MOBO or the HDD side, check your Cables
connections and clear the Dust out of the Case.
HTH.
nass

 

[Guest]

I took the boot disk right off the Microsoft. I've tried 5 different boot
disks. No results.

 

[Guest]

Can't get to the BIOS. Can't get to anything. Just the Invalid Disk screen

 

[AJR]

Nass is right on - the message indicates the HD with the boot/system files
is not being "detected" - usually requiring resetting BIOS. Evidently you
are not uusing the proper "technique" for accessing the BIOS by not hitting
the DEl or F1 key (two most common access methods) at the proper time during
boot - it is usually a small window.

- the messsge is dbeing displayed indicates access is available

 

[Poprivet]

Can't get to the BIOS. Can't get to anything. Just the Invalid Disk
screen

You need to try harder to get to your CMOS BIOS or System Settings, whatever
they might have been called on your computer.
You DO need to check the BIOS; it could be as simple as a bad battery
problem.

At some point, during the initial POST when you first turn the computer on,
there should be a flash on the screen telling you how to access your BIOS
settings. Various keys are used to access the BIOS depending on who made
it, so you need to find that information in the docs that came with the
computer if you don't know what it is. F1, F2, DEL, Esc are a few of them;
there are several more of them.

If you're getting to the point where it can tell you there is not a valid
disk attached, then you can get into the BIOS. This is where the drive
assignments are made. I think you -must- figure out how to do that.

When you start the computer, does it beep at all from the internal speaker?
If so, how many beeps? Describe them exactly. The place to start is the
BIOS settings, period, since boot disks aren't working.

Do you even know if you can boot from a CD? Setting the CD to be bootable
is also done in the BIOS settings.

If you cannot get to the BIOS, your whole machine may be kaput as in
anything from a PSU to a mother board failure to a drive failure and a lot
of things in between, even something as simple as a CMOS battery failure.

Once you get the BIOS access sorted out, then the rest can be attacked
logically. But if you're right, and I'm not so sure you are, inability to
get to the BIOS settings is a catastrophic failure.

HTH
Pop`

 

[Poprivet]

I took the boot disk right off the Microsoft. I've tried 5 different
boot disks. No results.

See my previous comments about the BIOS settings; not being able to get to
it is possibly a serious problem or simply something you're not doing right.
Either way it needs to be sorted out first.

Pop`

 

[Guest]

I guess I don't understnad what you're trying to tell me. I can't get to the
BIOS. Can't get to anything. F8 won't send me to the set up screen...nada,
nothing. Can't get to anything but this screen regardless of the boot disks
I try.

 

[Guest]

I have tried this but the BIOS screen will not pop. I can only get to the
scrren that tells me it's an invalid disk. The f 1 and f8 don't work.

 

[Guest]

I have a Dell and it's about 8 yrs old. the setup key is supposed it be f8.
I've tried f8, f1, f2, and f3. Nothing. I will try again in the morning and
make note of the beeps. The computer does not seem to be recognizing
anything. When I put in the boot disk, the A drive doesn't light up or make
noise.

I just ordered a new computer system. Can I take this hard drive and make
it a slave to the new one and retreive my data?

I really appreciate the help.
Jen

 

[Guest]

Ok. I followed the instructions. Downlad, extract. Follow the prompts and
use 6 disks to make the disks. I made them write protected. What else
should I have done?
Jen