MSDOS Startup Disk does not recognize c drive

[TC Spiek]

I have WinXP. I created an MS-DOS Startup Disk from the format menu. But
when my computer boots into the MS-DOS screen, it will not change out of the
A: floppy drive. When I enter the command c:\ or c: it only says "Invalid
Drive Specification".

How do I run programs off of the C drive if the MS-DOS Startup Disk will not
recognize the drive?

Is there another way to reboot into MS-DOS?

 

[Ron Sommer]

Dos will not recognize disks formatted in NTFS. They must be Fat or Fat32.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

If "C" is using NTFS, then a DOS boot floppy will not recognize it. A boot
floppy is only useful for FAT/FAT32 file systems. To run DOS programs, boot
WinXP normally and start/run cmd to initiate the DOS emulator (there is no
true DOS in WindowsXP).

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Jim Macklin]

There are programs you can add to a DOS bootable floppy that
will allow you to READ a hard drive formatted as NTFS, but
the programs will not provide more than that, just read the
drive.


| Hi,
|
| If "C" is using NTFS, then a DOS boot floppy will not
recognize it. A boot
| floppy is only useful for FAT/FAT32 file systems. To run
DOS programs, boot
| WinXP normally and start/run cmd to initiate the DOS
emulator (there is no
| true DOS in WindowsXP).
|
| --
| Best of Luck,
|
| Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
|
| Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
|
|
|
| | > I have WinXP. I created an MS-DOS Startup Disk from the
format menu. But
| > when my computer boots into the MS-DOS screen, it will
not change out of
| the
| > A: floppy drive. When I enter the command c:\ or c: it
only says "Invalid
| > Drive Specification".
| >
| > How do I run programs off of the C drive if the MS-DOS
Startup Disk will
| not
| > recognize the drive?
| >
| > Is there another way to reboot into MS-DOS?
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Right, like NTFS for DOS from:
http://www.ntfs.com/products.htm

However, I believe the OP is looking for a means to boot and run DOS in
WinXP, which is not possible.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have WinXP. I created an MS-DOS Startup Disk from the format menu. But
when my computer boots into the MS-DOS screen, it will not change out ofthe
A: floppy drive. When I enter the command c:\ or c: it only says "Invalid
Drive Specification".

How do I run programs off of the C drive if the MS-DOS Startup Disk willnot
recognize the drive?

You probably have your hard drive formatted in NTFS instead of FAT - DOS
does not handle NTFS, and while you can get add-ons allowing you to
manipulate files there from a DOS boot, this will not support running
programs. You would need a separate FAT 32 partition for DOS if you
want to run real mode DOS programs