Curb side find, 98 won't load.

[nutshell]

I found a Dell L566cx, it had no hard drive in it, so I put one in ,and try to install a Windows 98, I get a error " Invalid Boot Diskette, insert boot diskette in A:_".
I try to install the boot disk and it did not work, I try to install the 98 disk and it didnot work.

[ANZAC_ELITE]

Try a different IDE cable, a faulty cable or a dead IDE channel will give that error message, as well as a floppy in the floppy drive, dead hdd, also do you have a usb pen drive or anything similar attached to the pc? these can also cause this error message.

[JimP]

Originally Posted by nutshell

I found a Dell L566cx, it had no hard drive in it, so I put one in ,and try to install a Windows 98, I get a error " Invalid Boot Diskette, insert boot diskette in A:_".
I try to install the boot disk and it did not work, I try to install the 98 disk and it didnot work.

Hi, Invalid boot disk usually just means that the disk is not bootable. You don't give much info about the drive or what's on it. One way would be to use the 98 Boot disk and run Fdisk and Format /S. That will make it bootable. If there is stuff on the drive that you want then boot with the boot disk and run SYS C:. That will also make it bootable. Luck, Jim

[plthayer]

Just a quick note. When you are in fdisk make sure your partition you are installing to is set to active. If it's not the system won't seek it out to boot from even if it does have system files installed.

[JimP]

Originally Posted by plthayer

Just a quick note. When you are in fdisk make sure your partition you are installing to is set to active. If it's not the system won't seek it out to boot from even if it does have system files installed.

Hi, PLT is correct, but if you set it up as one partition, just take the defaults and Fdisk will do it all for you. Run Fdisk, pick the correct drive and just keep hitting RETURN. Jim

[pip22]

Did it occur to you that the PC was dumped after removing it's HD for the simple reason that some key component has died and spending time and money on it is not cost effective? In other words, it's junk.

[JimP]

Originally Posted by pip22

Did it occur to you that the PC was dumped after removing it's HD for the simple reason that some key component has died and spending time and money on it is not cost effective? In other words, it's junk.

Hi, Pip could be correct. The comp may have something else wrong, but the thinking among newbies around here is that you can not clean off all data on the HD and someone may get your stuff. That's from watching too much TV and beleiving all the neat things they can do. The HD may have been removed and run over by a General Sherman Tank. Jim