# Help! fdisk major problem



## darbydarb (Jun 7, 2002)

In trying to wipe the hard drive i ran fdisk from the dos prompt, successfully erased the partition, but unfortunately did not follow up by creating a new one. Now when I start the computer i get "Operating System not found, Invalid partition table". These errors will not allow me to get back to the dos prompt. What can I do? Oh yeah, I have phoenix bios.


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## Paul Nagel (Sep 19, 1999)

You must boot with a bootable floppy, and from A:\ do the Fdisk thing again and create your partition and make it active. Reboot, and from the A:\ prompt again, format the new partition by typing A:\Format C:. You can also transfer the basic system files by typing from A:\sys C: to get started with out the no os message after the format, but you still need to install the OS of your choise.


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## darbydarb (Jun 7, 2002)

Thank you, I have tried that but there is still a problem. I've change the boot sequence in the bios to read the a: and when it starts I can hear the a: with the bootable floppy turn on an run for a little while, but then it stops and gives me the "Operating System not found - Invalid partiton table" error still. I've also put my (bootable) winXP cd in the cd drive and changed the bios for that only to hear it run and then display the error message again. Any ideas? Or should I just trash it! ha hah ha. By the way, this is a laptop that I am dealing with, wether or not that means anything, I don't know, doubt it, but thought I would mention it anyway.


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## Paul Nagel (Sep 19, 1999)

I guess you can go to the bios setup again and make sure that A:\ is the only boot option enabled. If you got one or can get one, try and use a Win98 boot disk that you know is good(try it on another machine). Does you hard drive show up in the bios program? Is it set to auto detect? laptop, dont think it makes a difference although i am not real versed in the differences encountered with them.


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## darbydarb (Jun 7, 2002)

Yes, my bios is set to auto detect, and yes it does recognize the fixed disk. I've even changed that option, then rebooted, only to get the same error, then change the bios back to auto detect, for which it read "none", then rebooted, and checked the bios again and it showed that the fixed disk was present. This thing is driving me nuts! I've used a good win98 boot disk and even used my desktop pc to create a dos boot disk, but to no avail. I've tried all the above and still get the same error message. Could there be a hardware problem, even though I hear them running? Hard to believe that both the cd-rom and the floppy would go bad at the same time? Before I ran fdisk, though, the cd-rom was working fine. Didn't use the floppy for quite some time, so I'm not sure if it was working or not. I'm stumped! I can't even get to the dos prompt with a dos boot disk! Thanks for all your help, Paul!!! I hope you have some more suggestions, cause I feel like I've tried everything other than removing the battery from the motherboard for a couple of days. I say that because, I've heard that can reset everything. Although, the way things are going, that would probably be a waste of time as well.


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## ZachBenj (Jul 6, 2001)

When you boot up next time rebuild the boot parition. This can be done by running: fdisk /mbr
This should bring the boot partition to the level that your boot os can handle.

Scott


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## darbydarb (Jun 7, 2002)

I'd like to thank you guys for all your help! If I was able to get past the error message, I am positive your advice would have worked. Again, Thanks! But listen to how I fixed the problem. I physically removed the hard disk, then ran a copy of win98, setting the bios for the cd-rom. That booted me past the error message and into the setup for win98. Eventually the setup detected no hard drive and asked me to use f3 to exit the setup. At this point I reinstalled the hard drive and hit enter twice. That rebooted the system, and for some reason, got me past the error message and back into the setup. This didn't work previously. But, after entering the setup again I was able to format the hard drive and run the setup to completion. Amazing! Well, to me at least. Thanks again for all your help and maybe this info might help someone else along the way with the same problem.


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## Paul Nagel (Sep 19, 1999)

Thats a very strange fix, but it worked, so great. I would be very cautious putting anything on that hard drive that you cannot afford to lose. It my be just a glitch or not, but watch for any probelms arrising from the posibility of the drive failing.


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## alicejack200 (Jun 12, 2002)

I have the same problem Only with building a new desktop machine. I partitioned the disk Now I getthe message No operating System. Can someone please tell me what kind of bootable floppy I should use?
Thanks Simon


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## Paul Nagel (Sep 19, 1999)

Win98 is the best boot floppy due to its greater compatability with many CD-rom drives. When you fdisked the hard drive and made a partition, did you make it ACTIVE? Do fdisk again and check the partition that you installed the OS on an make sure it shows Active.


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## alicejack200 (Jun 12, 2002)

Thanks for your reply.
I didnt get as far as loading the OS. What I did was put the pc together got the bleep then following instructions in a pc mag. ran FDISK i was then asked about the size and i chose the largest. The pc asked me to reboot when it had finished, Which i did. I was then hoping to format C but it came back with the missing OS sign. What i cant manage to do is get back to a dos prompt and start again. I think part of the problem was i chose to partition the whole disk. I tried using an ME boot i got from the net using my other PC but all igot back when using it was the message Invalid Sytem Disk. If I can get back to the dos prompt I can begin to work it out with your suggestions but i fall at this hurdle all the time.


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## Paul Nagel (Sep 19, 1999)

You need to find a Win98 boot disk(floppy) and boot from the A: drive in order to be able to run the format command for the hard drive. Check in the bios setup program to make sure that the boot option are set to look for the floppy drive. Temporairly disable the boot seak for the cd-rom, hard drive etc.. and force it to attempt to boot off the floppy drive. So long as it is working correctly, the boot floppy will allow a basic DOS environment with commands to setup the hard drive.


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## alicejack200 (Jun 12, 2002)

Thanks very much. I am back on track.


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## Paul Nagel (Sep 19, 1999)

Glad to hear all is well.


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## rhettman5 (Dec 3, 2000)

HERE are all the bootdisk, except XP, and it's on the way...Rhett


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