I can boot Win 3.1 thru the A drive, but if I try to boot without a disk, I get the message "Missing Operating System" Any suggestions? Thank you!

Boot with the boot disk. Enter the command: fdisk/mbr If fdisk.exe is not on the boot disk, change to the c drive and repeat the command.

Or instead yar may wanna consider installing the missing operating system - it's called DOS

For your hard drive to boot all by itself, it requires 3 files to be loaded in the "boot strap" portion of the hard drive. The three files are io.sys, msdos.sys, and command.com. Usually, you use the DOS command "sys.com" to do this. Boot up using the floppy drive with a copy of sys.com on it. Once booted up to a DOS prompt, run the sys.com program: a:\sys.com c: This should transfer the bootup files into the proper place on your hard drive. You'll also need to make a config.sys and autoexec.bat file. Ask a friend to help you.

For your PC to Boot into MS-DOS then start Windows 3.1 you need more than just the System Files! Plus if you intend to do any copying to disk you may need FORMAT. What I think you should do is install MS-DOS 6.22 then re-install Windows 3.1 on top. This will give you a WORKING System.

Was getting bored with all this bullshit so here yar are NO ROM BIOS Bios Chip corrupted - replace Hard Drive faulty - replace Motherboard faulty - replace or technician repair DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER Unpartitioned Hard Disk - partition the disk. Boot off a startup floppy and at the A:\> type FDISK and press Enter. Follow the onscreen instructions. Rebooting is automatic. PRESS A KEY TO REBOOT Non-active (bootable) primary partition - make the partition active (bootable). Boot off a startup floppy and at the A:\> type FDISK and press Enter. Follow the onscreen instructions. Rebooting is automatic. "_" (no other message) Corrupt or otherwise damaged master boot record - reinialise the Master Boot Record Boot off a startup floppy and at the A:\> type FDISK/MBR and press Enter. Remove the startup disk and reboot. Missing Operating System Primary partition is active but unformated - format the drive. Boot off a startup floppy and at the A:\> type FORMAT C: For further information, at the A:\> type FORMAT/? Remove the startup disk and reboot when finished. Non System Disk or disk error Replace and press any key whrn ready Corrupt or missing system files. Boot off a startup floppy and at the A:\> type SYS C: and press Enter. Remove the startup disk and reboot. Startup floppy/disk - floppy disk containing the basic operating system files. Each operating system has it's own unique files. Identical names can cause confusion - mixing and matching can cause later problems. Booting off a floppy - starting a computer using the operating files on a floppy disk. Booting off the hard drive - starting a computer using the files on the hard disk. Booting - switching the computer on. Rebooting - restarting a computer that is going - either by pressing the keys Ctrl-Alt-Del all at the same time or pressing the reset/restart button on the case. Restarting - term used when rebooting a computer that is running in Windows mode, rather than DOS mode. Fdisk - Microsoft hard disk partitioning program. There are others about - gdisk, efdisk, Partition Magic etc. The Windows 95 version of Fdisk is known to cause drive problems. Format - software preparation of a drive for use. Usually known as a high level or DOS format. Low level format - initial (factory) preparation of a hard drive. Broadly speaking, it sets the tracks and cylinders as well as divisions for sectors. This can destroy a hard drive and should not be attempted. Master Boot Record - area on the hard drive containing information about an installed operating system and and the File Allocation Tables for all FAT formatted drives - Norton Disk Doctor refers to the FAT as the first of two records. The MBR is accessed by BIOS at the end of POST. There is one Master Boot Record per hard disk. Boot Record - files on the hard disk containing information about an individual FAT formated drive. Each created logical drive and primary partition has it's own Boot Record - Norton Disk Doctor refers to it as the second FAT record. There are as many boot records as FAT drives. POST - Power On Self Test. Set of diagnostics and checks run by the BIOS when a computer starts up. Limited to hardware checks. A POST with no problems is signalled by a solitary beep. BIOS - Binary Input Output System. Program designed to carry out the above. Usually specific to individual motherboards and thus manufacturers. Some user input - hard disk information, time etc - via an area refered to as CMOS. CMOS - Complimentry Metal Oxide Silicate. Stuff the BIOS is made out of. Also used in conjunction with accessing an area of the BIOS - CMOS settings. Boot order - the order startup files are accessed according to BIOS. Usually the order is A drive then C drive. Can be altered via the CMOS settings.

Very impresive indeed! Why not always be so helpfull? Me think? - You are the master..