# Formatting hard drive/Windows re-install **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994 "2003-01-16T16:04:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thurgood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Thurgood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thurgood)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/1 "2003-01-16T16:04:28Z")
After continous lock-ups and “Fatal Error” blue screen crashes of my in-laws’ computer, it was determined that the hard drive should be wiped and Windows (98 SE) re-installed. I gathered what I believed to be all the necessary software (boot floppy, Windows-CD) and performed the Format C command in DOS. In my attempts to re-install the OS, I repeatedly get the message “Non system disk in drive. Replace and strike any key when ready”. I get this message whether or not the boot disk in the floppy drive, or the 98 CD in the CD-rom drive. Can anyone advise me, or have I royally screwed this computer up? PS-I am a computer novice, so please be gentle in any tongue lashings you may feel I deserve. The scary thing is that I’m the most technically adept person amongst my in-laws. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/2 "2003-01-16T16:22:38Z")
Are you SURE you have a BOOT DISK in the floppy drive? If it is the boot disk in the drive are you sure the drive can read the disk? (Try it in another computer if possible) It is possible either the disk is toast or the floppy drive is toast. You also might check the BIOS on your computer (getting into it is different for different computers but you should see an instruction on your machine when you fist turn it on that explains how to do it such as “Hit CTRL-DEL to enter Setup”). Once in there look for something referring to the boot device order. You can change what things your PC looks at first to boot. In general the A: drive (presumably your floppy drive) should be first, your CD drive should be second and your C: drive (hard disk) should be third. Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Thurgood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Thurgood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thurgood)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/3 "2003-01-16T16:37:40Z")
I’m fairly certain it’s a proper boot disk and that the drive is working, but I’ll check those just to make sure. The boot order of the drives hadn’t occured to me. I’ll check those. Thanks for your advice. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/4 "2003-01-16T16:48:06Z")
You should have used: format C: /s That puts the system files on the drive so you can boot from it. You can still do this from that floppy if its a startup disk. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/5 "2003-01-16T16:49:06Z")
If you’re going to reformat, I’d recomend booting from the CD ROM drive with your Win98 CD. Once you do, change to the Win98 directory (IIRC) of the CD and FORMAT C: from there. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/6 "2003-01-16T17:08:28Z")
It is the boot order, its looking to your hard drive first and can’t find the operating system. Check your BIOS as Wack-a-mole said, that’s almost certainly the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/7 "2003-01-16T18:02:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bernse \* > \*\*If you’re going to reformat, I’d recomend booting from the CD ROM drive with your Win98 CD. Once you do, change to the Win98 directory (IIRC) of the CD and FORMAT C: from there. \*\* Bear in mind that certain versions of the 98 cd are not bootable. I believe the retail version, in particular, tends not to be bootable. The OEM CD, which would come with a new PC purchased with Win98, is bootable in my experience. Booting from CD presupposes a certain modernity of hardware, but that level can be assumed with most PCs still in operation in the year 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Swede\_Hollow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Swede\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swede_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/8 "2003-01-18T01:16:09Z")
I recently did this on my old computer and my OEM Windows 98SE CD was bootable and gave an option to format the hard drive to prepare it for Windows as part of the setup/install process that started automatically. I didn’t need a bootable floppy at any time. Everything went fine except that the generic video driver that Windows installed did not allow high enough resolution or screen color to allow some of the install programs to run (an error message popped up saying that 256 color or 16-bit color minimum required, but the Windows driver wouldn’t support it). So make sure you have your video driver disk handy since that will be the first thing you need to install once Windows is in place. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/9 "2003-01-18T15:54:58Z")
“change to the Win98 directory (IIRC) of the CD and FORMAT C: from there.” Why would you reformat without adding system files to make the HD boot? Anyway, to see what options are there for FORMAT you can type at the dos prompt: format /? ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/10 "2003-01-18T17:15:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Why would you reformat without adding system files to make the HD boot? Because you’re putting on a fresh install of Windows. It’ll add all the files it needs. There’s no need for you to put system files on it. **Bernse’s** method of re-intalling Win98. Go into the BIOS and make the CD ROM the first boot device. Boot the PC with the Windows CD in the drive. After you get your D (or whatver your CD drive is) prompt, type: CD Win98 Format C:/q (/q for quick, not necessary) d: Setup Voila! Win98 is installing. Remeber to change your boot procedures in the BIOS back to normal, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/11 "2003-01-18T18:04:35Z")
bernse: Your solution is quick and simple. I’m keeping your post for reference! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![akrako1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@akrako1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akrako1)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/12 "2003-01-18T21:36:08Z")
I’d recommend that you also run fdisk to wipe the partition and create a new one. That will refresh the fat (file-allocation-table) and keep everything running smoother. You’ll have to format after you remove and then re-add the partition. Just another thought - if you only have one Hard Drive, I’d suggest splitting it in 2 with Fdisk (creating 2 drive letters from the one drive). I’d suggest at least 10 Gig’s for your drive C:, where you’ll install all your software. The benefit of this approach is that you can put all of your data files on drive D:. If Windows crashes again (never! HA!) you will only have to format drive C: and reinstall your software - all of your data will still be there. I’d suggest putting anything important on drive D: (email, graphic files, spreadsheets, etc, etc). This sort of setup doesn’t slow anything down. If you’d like to know how to create 2 partitions with Fdisk, go ahead and ask for help. It seems there are lots of knowledgable people in the forum to help you out. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/13 "2003-01-19T00:52:42Z")
I like mine better: Put in manf HD disk to prep HD, then run setup from the cd 🙂 Thurgood, in the future remember that W98 has a program to check system files, its system file checker, run it from the run box with: SFC ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formatting-hard-drive-windows-re-install/148994/14 "2003-01-19T01:05:03Z")
A really excellent step-by-step guide, including a trick or two not mentioned above: [http://www.dansdata.com/sbs30.htm](http://www.dansdata.com/sbs30.htm)