I am trying to update the BIOS on an HP 8760c desktop 733MHz with Windows 98SE (pre-installed). When I follow HP's instructions to create a system disk floppy and boot from it into DOS, then type in "C:" or "C:\" at the A:\ prompt, I receive the message: "invalid drive specification." I don't believe my hard drive is bad (as HP's apparently clueless support technicians suggest) as I have been able to access it and run applications without problems in normal Windows. Can the drive be bad and still function properly? I have run ScanDisk (thorough) and it found no errors on my hard drive. I have defragmented, run Norton's System checks and checked for viruses as well. The only reason I want to run the update is to correct an error with by Default Primary Video Adapter (I recently installed an AGP card and the update allegedly corrects screen corruption caused when the default is set at AGP - I experienced said corruption, so, currently, the default is set at PCI even though I am using the card in the AGP slot). I set my BIOS to all default settings and tried again, but to no avail. Any suggestions?

Try this: 1) Boot up into Windows, normal mode. 2) Click Start|Run, type in: command and press [Enter]. 3) Insert a blank diskette in drive A: and type the following four commands, pressing [Enter] after each: c: cd\ format a: /s /v:"win98boot" exit 4) Reboot from this floppy and now try to get to drive C: by typing: c: (and pressing [Enter]).

It sounds as if the boot up floppy is using a version of dos (or whatever) that does not recognise the presence of the hdd. This can happen for a variety of reasons, old dos version, type of hdd formatting, a hdd disc manager program is required (but only works from the existing hdd). TO be honest I wolud never try to update a bios except only a sa lst resort. There are too many horrow stories from such attempts. TO prove, boot from A: and enter DIR C: it probably will not see the presence of the hdd at all. Try the same with a W98 startup disc and it will probably work. Good luck - Keep us posted.

You normally and it is recommended that the BIOS files are on a bootable floppy, therefore there is no need to access hard drive.

I have a reply off HP which may help