Non-System disk or disk error msg

Windows ME has less support for drivers and more so I'd expect problems. Instead, install the original 98 and if you want to upgrade, move to 98se if you need what little it adds.

Bob

A "Non-System Disk or Disk Error" results when the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) cannot find the boot sector or the master boot record is missing or damaged; i.e. the device does not have bootable media. (The Netzero ISP probably isn't the primary cause of this..) The BIOS searches drives in the order usually specified in the CMOS Setup. This order is often, but not always, A: (floppy drive), C: (first partition on the hard disk)? The error will occur during startup if the CMOS is set so the BIOS seeks the floppy drive first and a non-bootable (or blank) floppy is in (was left in) the floppy drive. Remove all floppy disks in the floppy drive. Other causes include:

1. No bootable partition on a hard disk drive
2. A defective hard disk drive
3. The CMOS drive settings (parameters) are not correct for the boot device
4. Defective floppy
5. Defective floppy drive
6. A virus

The "virus" possibility is a frequent cause on computers that have been operating OK prior to the error message. Boot Sector viruses can cause this problem. Make sure to scan your puter with a CURRENT antivirus program. If you don't have one, here are links to a couple of free "online" scanners.

Symantec/Norton Online Scanner

href=http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

If no viruses are found, and there is no floppy or CD in a driver, here are some things to check out and try. The Operating System boot-up files have probably been corrupted and hopefully you have a boot disk floppy, prepared earlier from your machine, that can be used to transfer system files to the hard drive.

1. Verify the BIOS setup. Push Del key or F2 key(or which ever one is appropriate for your computer) to load BIOS screen after turning on the computer.
Check the following four items.
1) Verify if Diskette Drive A: shows '3.5 inch, 1.44 MB' If not, change it by using PgUp/PgDn key.
2) Designate the BIOS booting drive into 'A THEN C?
3) Primary Drive 0 is presented as 'Hard Drive' or parameter is displayed in the right side of 'Auto'
(IDE hard disk drives only)
4) When "Unknown Devices" is shown or parameter is not shown, it can be the result of hardware
failure.(Possibly the hard drive is headed south)

2. Reboot after activating disk scan

3. Reboot after transporting system files by using the boot disk (made separately) in
preparation for the deletion of IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS, the hidden files. Use the booting
diskette that was made when operating system was working.
1) Insert a boot disk made by the same operating system and turn on the computer
2) Put the following order after seeing A:>
A:>FDISK/MBR[ENTER]
A:>SYS C: [ENTER
3) Turn on the computer again after ejecting the floppy disk from the drive.

Hope this helps.

Grif