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"hard drive error (20)" and "boot disk error"
Name: Traci Date: May 11, 1999 at 00:39:26 Pacific
Comment:
I tried to do start/shut down and the computer hung.. so I turned it off then back on. It started to boot but then I received the error "hard drive error (20)".. I rebooted and windows started. When I went to shut it down again, it hung. This time on reboot I got the error "disk boot error" and that is all I get now. I put in the startup disk and nothing happens. Does anyone know how I can get it to boot off the start up disk.. and then what do I do about the initial error "hard drive error (20)". Im running Win95. HELP!!!
Name: cbennett Date: May 11, 1999 at 05:40:45 Pacific
Reply:
If you put in your 3.5 floppy and nothing happened then you may not have your bott sequence set to A,C in your BIOS. Have you been able to boot to a floppy previously? While your computer is just beginning to boot up press del or F1 or whatever key it takes to enter your setup. Once in, look for your boot sequence. It may be set to C,A which means your computer looks to boot from your C drive then your A drive
Name: Traci Date: May 13, 1999 at 16:21:46 Pacific
Reply:
okay.. I checked my BIOS and changed it to A,C... now I put in the boot disk and Im able to get to the Windows Start-Up Window and I choose to start in safe mode. or any other option and it says its starting windows. Then I get the A prompt. If I try to change the directory it wont allow me to. My mother's computer has 3 hard drives.. C, D, and E... it wont recognize any drive other than the A drive. Its odd because sometimes if you just let the computer sit there and you turn it on.. windows will load. But then it sticks and you have to cold boot. That is when you start getting caught up in these "Hard disk failure" and "Boot Disk Error" messages...Im totally lost at what to do.
Name: Sean Date: June 20, 2000 at 12:53:10 Pacific
Reply:
Sounds like you are using a dos bootdisk which won't recognize fat32. If this is the case, maybe you need a win95 boot disk or it could be the reverse.. maybe it is fat 16 and you are using a fat 32 boot disk.. ie: win95. Try both a dos boot disk and a win95 boot disk.. one should allow you to see the hard drive if it exists. If it doesn't maybe you need to fdisk it? check it out.
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