[my poor computer]

"Bad command or file name" is all I get with the format command. I tried to change the spacing to make it work but I got the same result. Could it be my boot disk?

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it actually sounds like you have a poorly burned cd from your network

the error message you are getting sounds like your PC saying the bootsector on the CD is wrong/bad/incomplete.

Can you download and burn a different one

[gerryf]

it actually sounds like you have a poorly burned cd from your network

the error message you are getting sounds like your PC saying the bootsector on the CD is wrong/bad/incomplete.

Can you download and burn a different one

[my poor computer]

I will contact my professor and attempt to get another copy but that is unlikely to happen until mid to late August, especially since I have dial-up But I agree while that sounds like the problem I have used this disk before and it worked with no problems at all, I have a new product key for installing windows, but the disk SHOULD be fine. I've been trying to get my hands on another one.

In the mean time I am going through fdisk again, I deleted the main partition and I am in the process of creating a primary DOS partition then I will try the format again since there is obviously nothing wrong with the command.

I guess that is all that I can do for now.

[gerryf]

you needn't use a floppyand fdisk to do this....in fact, I'd recommend against it

If the CD is working, try using its built in partitioning ability

http://www.geekstogo...howtopic=101068

an aside; you got this drive from ebay? Any idea of its history? Where'd it come from? What was on it when you got it? Could it be bad?

[my poor computer]

As far as the hard drive goes, I bought it brand new, it was still in the plastic when it came. I hooked it up as a secondary on a friend's computer and it was clean. Even if there was a problem with the hard drive (which I am almost positive there isn't) I have another Hard drive, that I know is in working order, in the same situation. Whenever I try anything I try it on both just to make sure.

In regards to the formatting methods, while this cd has worked BEFORE, I cannot boot to it at all. I don't understand why the windows xp boot disks won't work, but at this point I think my problem is either the cd itself, or maybe I am missing drivers for my cd drive? Any ideas why format c: /s won't work in the DOS prompt of my win98 boot disk?

[gerryf]

you do not need cd drivers to install windows xp if the drive was made in the last 7 years--standard atapi drivers included in the setup would work just fine

a completely messed up partition table created by third party partitioning tools might make the format fail

You might consider debugging the drive, by following this:

http://www.computerh...om/rdebug.htm#4

I've had to do this with drives that were imaged by Dell's disk imaging process in order to get a clean slate to partition and format drives every once in a while

[my poor computer]

Okay something is weird here because I cannot even use the command to enter debug mode. Every command that I tried from your link results in "Bad command or file name." I tried this from the command prompt of my win98 boot disk and from a MS-DOS disk as well.

[gerryf]

a:\> dir

is debug there?

[my poor computer]

nope

[gerryf]

fdisk?

Where did you get this boot disk?

[my poor computer]

fdisk is there, I'm not sure where I got the boot disk, I just did a search for win98 boot disk and downloaded a program that installs it on a floppy. Any recommended places to get one?

[my poor computer]

Yay! I got a new boot disk from bootdisks.com and the format c:/s command is working! Some luck at last. Anyway it is formatting now. I will leave word when it is finished as to what happens.

By the way, my new boot disk still would run or show the debug command. Got me.

[my poor computer]

Okay I still cannot boot to my cd but now it will boot the the hard drive.

Here is what I'm looking at:

Microsogt® Windows 98
©Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1998.

C:\>

Anything that I can do from here?

[gerryf]

if you can access your cd-rom (depends on what your bootdisk included)

you could copy the contents of cdrom\i386 and then run the setup from the harddrive by typing (from within the i386 directory)

winnt.exe

But that is darn slow....

Since the drive is formatted, (not sure why that was your goal this way), are you still unable to use the cd-rom?

[my poor computer]

1) How can I test to see if I can access my cd-rom?

2) If I can how do I copy the contents of i386?

3) If I cannot, where can I find a bootdisk that will allow me to access my cd-rom so I can go the winnt route?

4) I still cannot boot to the cd-rom if that is your question.

5) And my goal was to format because that is what was suggested earlier by wannabe1. He/She thought I might be able to boot from the cd-rom upon re-formatting.


Also as for winnt being "darn slow," I don't care if it takes a week I just want my poor computer back. *sniffle*