I am trying to install DOS on a older PC no one uses anymore and I have completely formated the HD and created a FAT 16 partition and once i use the DOS install disks, I get an error message "Error Non System Disk". Is there any way around this?

You could start the system from a working boot floppy and then proceed with the installation - you could even make the hard drive bootable by entering

sys c:

from the a: prompt

(Could have also done that with the 'format c: /s' option too)

Best to use the same version bootdisk as the DOS version you're attempting to install (you haven't listed any relevant specs)

Bootdisk images can be found at bootdisk.com (& elsewhere)

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Ok I cant even get to a command line prompt because there is no OS on the HD. but the computer specs are Celeron 700mhz, 10gig HD gateway PC. im doing a DOS project and i want to use this computer. so the boot disk for DOS will work but wouldnt the DOS floppys be boot disks? i will try that website also and see if i get anything from that.

also i forgot to add that the previous OS was Windows ME. i used a HD disk to wipe the HD and used it to create the FAT 16 partition. but im not sure if it had to do with the BIOS set up or what not.

An HD disk??

What version of DOS are you attempting to install - MS-DOS 622? There are many different versions.

BIOS really isn't involved, as long as the hard drive is properly recognized there - which I assume it must be.

A FAT16 partition will be, at most, 2Gb and should be the C: drive and be set as 'active'

"wouldnt the DOS floppys be boot disks?"

Well - only the first one - how many do you need to boot the computer??

At any rate, depending on the source, occasionally the first disk won't boot, but that's not a big deal, as there are alternatives - as mentioned earlier.
If you already have a working bootdisk (of the correct DOS version), really, there is not much point to getting another one.

You say this is a 'DOS project'? Seems like it's your first.

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Where did you get your DOS disks from?

Are they downloads? If so in what format (i.e. Zip, Img or what)....

If so maybe Disk One may not be Bootable!

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The version of DOS is DOS 6.22. Yeah and when I set up the FAT 16 partition, its auto set the drive to 2gigs so no problem there.

[i]Well - only the first one - how many do you need to boot the computer??[/]

Well i have three for the install and Im using the first disk of three to install but again it gives me the non system disk error. so do you think that the boot disks from that website will work?

[i]You say this is a 'DOS project'? Seems like it's your first.[/i]

Well at home it is. I actually go to school for Networking and DOS is one of my classes and for me to do school work, I have to be in class but I would love to have a DOS computer so I can do school work at home.

Where did you get your DOS disks from?
Are they downloads? If so in what format (i.e. Zip, Img or what)....

I got them from my teacher at school. They did work because before I went home I tested them on a DOS computer in school and reinstalled DOS on a machine with these disks. They are on three floppy disks.

If so maybe Disk One may not be Bootable!

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OK, maybe not sure. I will try and make one from that website and see if that works. I was thinking because the computer is to high of specs to run DOS but my teacher said thats not a problem because it will only use 1mb of ram and 2 gigs of HD.

An HD disk??

Oh missed this one, my brother bought a new HD for a new computer and it came with a cd disk to be able to wipe the HD clean if needed and its able to create partitions and what not. pretty cool. but i used it on this older HD and it wiped it clean and let me create the fat 16 partition because it was previously fat 32.

Well, that's not exactly true - as mentioned, a FAT16 partition can be at most 2Gb - a full installation of DOS622 (I assume??) would only take up - what? maybe 3Mb or so - not much more. DOS normally utilizes the first Meg of memory (640K conventional) but can address more with the appropriate settings.

I'm just wondering how you were able to perform an fdisk & format unless you do indeed have a bootable floppy (??) What's this 'HD disk' you've mentioned?

Didn't your instructor give you any reading material on the subject? You seem to have a few misconceptions about DOS (I'm just sayin')

The files from bootdisk.com are disk images - you would need to execute the file (run it) in order to create a new boot diskette

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Ok - I missed your previous post.

It may be that your machine is not setup to boot from a floppy. Check the BIOS and ensure that the option is enabled there, and that the floppy drive is the first boot device.

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I'm just wondering how you were able to perform an fdisk & format unless you do indeed have a bootable floppy (??) What's this 'HD disk' you've mentioned?

I used the hard drive disk that was provided with a western digital hard drive to format the disk. this disk came with a newer hard drive and it has the ability to wipe a hard drive and create multiple partitions.

Didn't your instructor give you any reading material on the subject? You seem to have a few misconceptions about DOS (I'm just sayin')

Im not sure what you mean by that statement. I do have a DOS 6.22 book but really doesnt help me if DOS is not installed yet. I can't get into the floppy to execute it. THats why i get the "Non system disk error" message.

The files from bootdisk.com are disk images - you would need to execute the file (run it) in order to create a new boot diskette

Well then its not going to work? Are you saying since the DOS disks wont install then a boot disk wont even work? I cant even get to a prompt because it just says enter correct boot disk and press enter. so its a vicious circle. and just wanted to say thanks for your help.

Ok - I missed your previous post.
It may be that your machine is not setup to boot from a floppy. Check the BIOS and ensure that the option is enabled there, and that the floppy drive is the first boot device.

Yeah I thought that but its set to boot from CD rom then to Floppy then HD. still doesnt work.

i think by 'HD' he is referring to a hard drive, not a Hi-Density floppy disk.

on boot disks, a disk image is a compressed file. you have to decompress it with winimage or whatever to put it on a floppy. it [i]will[/i] work.

i think by 'HD' he is referring to a hard drive, not a Hi-Density floppy disk.

correct.

When you use a bootdisk, you are using DOS - whether it's installed or not. Familiarity with DOS would be, well... helpful.

"Well then its not going to work? Are you saying since the DOS disks wont install then a boot disk wont even work?"

No, no I'm not saying that at all. Think it through.

You would execute the file from a Windows machine - presumably the one you downloaded the file with.

Once you have a working bootdisk, and if the machine is setup for a floppy boot (assuming there are no hardware problems) then you should be able to start in DOS from the floppy, leaving you at the a:\> prompt.

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DDR_DooG - the disk images from the site linked are, in fact, executable files and do not require WinImage.

.. and yes, we've established just what the 'HD disk' is (more or less) - kind of a non-issue

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Once you have a working bootdisk, and if the machine is setup for a floppy boot (assuming there are no hardware problems) then you should be able to start in DOS from the floppy, leaving you at the a:\> prompt.

Ok i have gotten to the a:\> prompt now but not sure where to go now. is it installed now or do i need to still install DOS?

How could it be installed - all you've done is start DOS from a floppy disk?

You can either try inserting Disk1 and run the installation to actually install DOS to the hard drive - or - (if the bootdisk is of the same version) you can perform

sys c:

.. to make the hard drive bootable, reboot and then run the installation from Disk1.

The first method may be the simplest.

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I have come into this rather late and the thread appears to have become rather entangled.

If the hdd has previously been used, it may be best to start again and wipe totally with a low level format and then start again by partitioning (FDISK) and formatting (FDISK).

Points to remember:-
a) if a partition is going to be greater than 2gb, then fat32 is required.
b)if the pc does not see all the hdd area (generally over 8gb) this is a bios limitation. To overcome this, download the drive manager program from the hdd makes website.

Once this is achieved, then install dos. Version 6.2x comes on 3 floppys and the first generally has the install procedure on, which does everything for you.

I normally set up the complete hdd as just one partition but this is a personal thing.

Good luck - Keep us posted.

Mike:

As I understand it, the disk has already been partitioned as FAT16, (and formatted). While never actually stated, the intended OS appears to be MS-DOS6xx.

There has been no indication of any sort of BIOS problem.

You've given good, general advice, but it really doesn't seem to pertain to the specifics of the question, and, in fact, would seem to contribute to the 'entanglement'

Since the OP has *finally* been able to start with a DOS floppy, one hopes the rest of the installation will proceed normally.

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Ok, so far its not working. The boot disk seems to work fine and I can run a fdisk command to create partitions but once i try and start the install process it doesnt work. i think it might be the floppys format. i think it wont work period. no matter what state the PC is in, the disks are either "non system disks" or "error reading disks". it worked in class but i just think the disks are not formatted for a newer machine. but thanks a ton for all the people that helped out.

It's far from clear what you are actually doing. Wasn't the disk already partitioned & formatted? If so, why keep doing it??

The problem was, as far as could be determined, that you needed to boot to DOS to install DOS - that's the whole idea behind a floppy boot (bootstrapping - as in 'lifted by one's own bootstraps').

Once DOS is running in memory, you should be able to proceed with the setup program.

This does not mean you can now boot with a nonbootable floppy, or that you need to keep partitioning & formatting.

If you are receiving disk read errors, then either the floppies or else the floppy drive itself is bad or dirty.

To help you better, you need to relate just what you are doing, and just what exact error messages occur when you're doing it ("it doesn't work" won't cut it)

That, or wait 'til Monday and talk it over with your instructor.

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On the first post, is a reference to Windows ME that does not appear to have been explained.

Jboy (regards) - under some circumstances a previously formatted disc may not accept a dos installation. This is why I suggested a llf and then create a partition or partitions and format again.

Good luck - Keep us posted.

#3 - - "the previous OS was Windows ME"

That's ok - I missed #6 - - "The version of DOS is DOS 6.22"

You know how muddled these 'long ones' can get.

Kind of sad when it takes 18 posts just to get to the a:\> prompt though : (

(wish I'd had DOS homework as a lad)

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