Hi..Not sure if this would be the right place to get some help--if not I
appoligize, please re-direct me.

I just reformated my pc and when I went to re-boot from the start up disk
that I had made (win 98) it says "invalid system disk..blah blah blah. It
was allowing me to view the directories on both my drives C and D...but now
when I wanted to install the OS I can no longer view anything other than the
Invalid disk message. I have changed the boot sequence to boot first from
the floppy, etc...but that doesnt work. I have tried numerous start up
disks, and nothing works. At one point I could get the DOS prompt but
starting up with my Fdisk in the floppy, but now that wont even work. Any
help would be appreciated.

My email is: is_secur@hotmail.com

Thanks,

Elissa

"Elissa Thompson" <elissathompson@sympatico.ca> Ran in the back door and
shouted news:xGRtb.1810$iT4.189117@news20.bellglobal.com:

Got another floppy drive?
Yours *may* be borked....

--
MrToad

Thanks MrToad...I changed the floppy drive and that seemed to fix the
problem...was also having a network problem before I re-formated (so I may
have some more questions ). I had also changed the video card prior to
re-formating as it was looking very blurry on the screen. The video card
that is in there now, seems to be doing the same thing--maybe my monitor is
now "borked"?

"Elissa Thompson" <elissathompson@sympatico.ca> Ran in the back door and
shouted news:eQ7ub.3783$ZF1.461012@news20.bellglobal.com:


Does the monitor have a degauss button?
[It may be hidden in the on screen control menu too]
I'd try that first, if still no joy. I'd look into another monitor.

--
MrToad

Elissa Thompson wrote:
What sometimes happens if you havn't used the drive in a long while is
that:

1. You ruin the first several disks you put in the drive as they act as
dust/grime collectors. You think the drive is bad so you replace it.
Then you put in the same disks and transfer the dirt/grime to the new
drive and mess it up.

The thing one should do is to first blow out the drive with compressed
air, then use a floppy drive cleaning kit immediately after. Use the
fluid liberaly and let it take time to evaporate. Do a "dir" on the
cleaning disk about 10 times. Of course you'll be booting to your hard
drive to use the cleaning kit. Then use a "disposable" floppy right
after to read/reread to get any leftover dirt/grime. Then try a "new"
disk.

In other words, whilst on the road or even at home if this happens to me
and the first disk I put in cant be seen/read and I know the disk is
good, I put that one aside. If after a drive cleaning the drive works, I
toss out that disk so I dont pollute another drive.

2. Sometimes [again if you havn't use the drive in a long while] what
happens is that
the first disk you put in reads/writes/works fine, but then the next
ones you try dont
work at all. What happens in this case I believe is that that the drive
head was pretty
clean at the start, but after using the drive the dirt/grime around the
head and inside
the drive gets transferred to the head thus messing it up for future
disks. Clean the
drive as above.