harddrive won't boot

[David]

I had win 95b and I added one too many conflicting programs so I decided it would be a good time to upgrade to win98. I formated, even repartitioned, but when it boots it say it is a non-system disk. The harddrive seems to have all the files in it. Also when the motherboard bios is set to virus detect, it gives me a warning sometimes. I don't know if I have a boot virus or just didn't format correctly. Most virus programs run off of win95 and I am only in dos. Can I serial link another computer and virus clean from another computer or add the harddrive to my other computer? Thanks

[Dr Dick]

Most common reason for your problem is forgetting to set C drive to active in FDISK. I am so smart because I have done it myself so many times.

[ahurtt]

try using format c: /s
This copies the system files to the target drive and should have the side-effect of making it bootable.

[David]

I tried the /s also. I am just worried if I stick the drive ino my good computer, it may mess that up too. I guess I might have to spend $50 to have a tech look at it.

[erikus]

how about:
fdisk /mbr

It "cleans" the master boot record - may not work if you've got virus checking on.

[David]

I did use option 3 to delete partition, then option 1 to create it, then option 2 to make it active. Thanks. The motherbd bios sees the harddrive.

[darrell]

I don't think you will run into trouble sticking the drive into your other computer. Just set teh jumper to Slave and put it on the computer along with your original drive for that computer. I have had to do that a couple times. Didn't run into any problems doing it.

[JP]

**All previous posts will most likely not fix the problem!**
You must "sys" the drive BEFORE you copy any files to it. Type "format c: /s". This will format the drive then copy system startup files to the drive. Unfortunatly, you can't do this after you have copied anything to the drive.
-JP
http://members.xoom.com/PSComputers

[Susan]

JP,

**All previous posts will most likely not fix the problem!**

Ahurrt did state to do the format /s to make it bootable and David tried it.

David,
Did you try turning off the BIOS virus detect and reinstalling? WIN98 doesn't get along with it well.

Susan

[CompGuy]

Actually you can sys the drive after installation of hardware but first you need a system **** that you know is good. boot the computer from the disk. Get to the A: then type "sys c:" THat will replace all system files without having to reformat your whole drive again... i have had a few computers that for an unknown reason don't accept the system fies when i first load the OS but sys ing always fixes it for me

[David]

Thanks for all the help. If I have time I will try getting on my computer tonight. I will try turning off the MB virus detector format/s and try again, sometimes it is just a combo that I missed. Win 98 and win95 load with the menu and looks perfect until I boot from C:

[CMonster]

CompGuy is right - I transfer the sys files AFTER cloning a drive with xcopy...do it all the time...but the partition was set active already.

[DavidX]

Susan is right! For God's sake turn off that Virus Detect in your BIOS! It is a total pain (I think the BIOS makers only put it there to annoy us) and it causes grief with either Windows95 or 98.
David