When I start my comouter i get this error message "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER".

I tried to format the HDD with a win98 bootdisk. I know I cannot format C because it is NTFS but you can remove a non DOS partition with fdisk and create a new one that is FAT32.
But when I started fdisk I got this message "No fixed disks present."

I had W2K installed when it was working.

How can get my computer to work again?

Please help if you can

and sorry for my english I live in Finland.

Usually a NTFS partition can be deleted using FDISK (delete non-DOS partition), however this will not work if the NTFS partition is in the extended partition.
You can delete an NTFS partition using Disk Administrator, by selecting the partition and pressing DEL (as long as it is not the system/boot partition).
There is also a utility called delpart.exe that will delete a NTFS partition from a DOS bootup.

Tip change boot order to floppy first in the BIOS

After deleting all partitions you need to create a new one and format using fat32

http://www.computerhope.com/sfdisk3.htm

if fdisk does not work do the following at your own risk

Boot to Win98SE startup disk (It is the best OS made boot disk ever). Type in debug at the A: prompt.
Enter in the following commands:
To delete partitions on a hard drive:
-------------------------------------------
-F 220 L1000 0 (ENTER)
-A CS: 100 (ENTER)
xxxx:0100 MOV AX,301 (ENTER)
xxxx:0103 MOV BX,200 (ENTER)
xxxx:0106 MOV CX,1 (ENTER)
xxxx:0109 MOV DX,80 (ENTER) <---"80" for hd1, "81" for hd2 >
xxxx:010C INT 13 (ENTER)
xxxx:010E INT 20 (ENTER)
xxxx:0110 (ENTER) <-------BLANK LINE "VERY IMPORTANT" >
-G (ENTER)
Program terminated normally
- (CTRL)-(ALT)-(DEL) to reboot system

re fdisk and format drive

There is also a utility called delpart.exe that will delete a NTFS partition from a DOS bootup.


http://www.ntfaq.com/download/delpart.exe

(Sorry that I posted this thread in this section it should be in the hardware section.)

Thank you for the information but you can't delete a partition on a hdd that does not exist.

If fdisk says "No fixed disks present" that means there are no harddisks.

I think the hdd may be broken because it does not get reconized by the bios anymore.

Thanks for those who helped me and those who tought about to help me.

If there is still hope to get the hdd to work again then please HELP.

Janne

If fdisk says "No fixed disks present" that means there are no harddisks.

Not necessarily true. It simply means the system cannot see or detect a fixed disk.

I think the hdd may be broken because it does not get reconized by the bios anymore.

While this may be true, non-recognition can also be caused by other factors:

1: IDE port is not enabled in bios setup or has wrong settings entered.
2: Bad ide cables, cable not plugged in properly, loose fitting, etc.
3: DC power plug is not plugged-in or is loose.

I'd check all those first before declaring the drive is defective.

First test would be to use ears and observe.....does the drive spin up... does it clang and clatter, or make any noise at all? :gabby:

I have checked all those things it just does not work.
The hdd does start spinning but just does not get reconized by the Bios.
I even connected the hdd to another computer and the same thing happened.

I think it may have a electronic problem that I can't fix.
So I have to buy a new one because its not cheap to get it repaired.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Janne


thread closed

if another hd is detected ok but not the problem drive, then it most likely is a defective drive. Sorry we could not solve your problem.


Note: you may choose not to post additional coments but you cannot close a thread... that option is only allowed by adminstrators. :)

spse the easiest way is to hear the noise made by the hd. just changed my hd bcos of the clang sound after all other attempts failed. my question is, what cud possible be wrong with the hd and can we physically correct the malfunction ourself?

rgds