Had a new HD installed by a local computer shop. Due to a problem with an application unrelated to the HD install, I have been directed to start the system using my old Win98 Boot Disk. Currently running Win2000Pro SP-3 as my OS.

When I attempt to start the PC with the "98" Boot Disk installed in Drive "A" (a 1.44M / 120M Super Disk), it appears the system no longer looks to the floppy, at any time during the boot sequence, for information. The system appears to go to one of my CDs first, then directly to the HD.

I know there's a way to change the boot sequence to include the floppy, but I can't for the life of me remember where or how.

SnapperOne

You can do it from BIOS.. Restart your PC and look for a message saying "Press DEL to enter BIOS" or something like that (it should be DEL if you have Award BIOS, but can also be some other key, eg. F2 if you've got Phoenix). When you're inside look for a boot tab.

PS: you can also make boot CD

nebulus -

Thanks for the reply. Didn't know you could make a boot-CD. Are there any potential problems setting a system up that way? I thought you were always supposed to go to a floppy first during the boot sequence, just in case there was a problem with the CD or HD.

(System info for a follow-up question: PIII, 512M, 30G Primary master, 12G Primary slave, SuperDisk floppy, Win2000Pro/SP3)

I was able to change the boot sequence from: 1st: ATAPI CDROM, 2nd: IDE-HDD, 3rd: Disabled. The first time around, I changed it to 1st: Floppy, 2nd: ATAPI CDROM, 3rd: IDE-HDD, but got a boot error. Can't remember the error message at the moment.

The second time, I changed the sequence to 1st: ARMD-FDD, 2nd: ATAPI CDROM, 3rd IDE-HDD. This seems to boot properly, until I get to the Desktop, when Windows wants to run the "Found new hardware" proceduce, adding a (nonfunctional) Floppy "B". Floppy "A", the SuperDisk, continues to work properly, reading both 1.44 as well as 120M floppy disks.

Here's the question. How do I stop Windows from adding the non-existant Floppy B? When I "unistall" it using the Control Panel's "Remove Hardware" procedure, Windows just reinstalls it the next time I boot.

Or, rather than chasing this problem (other than to learn), if there is no potential boot problem using a bootable CD, am I just better off returning to the orignal boot sequence; i.e....CDROM then HD?

Thanks..........SnapperOne

No, I don't think there should be any potential problems rather than some applications with "Rescue-Disk" features make their own boot-disks, so, you would need to make bootable CDs out of these diskettes.
That said, back to your problem... Try to disable that device, I mean Flobby B, in Device Manager (right-click on My Computer and choose Properties, then click on Hardware tab).

I rather suspect a few things here:

1. The computer shop probably noticed a problem when installing the new HDD, and changed the boot order rather than troubleshoot the problem.

2. If you're getting a drive 'B' in Windows, I suspect the problem may be in the floppy cable. I would open up your case, if you're comfortable doing so, and ensure that the ribbon cable going to and from the floppy drive is seated properly on both ends. Next, if you can see, check to make sure that the stripe (generally red in color) matches up with pin 1 (usually well-labeled). If you're not comfortable doing this, I'd bring it back to the PC shop that installed your HDD. While you're in there, if everything *is* seated correctly, I would try connecting the floppy drive to the other connector on the cable. With some BIOSs and cables, the position will dictatel which drive is 'A' or 'B'.

3. If I wasn't clear, or if you need more help, please just post.

Adam

I don't think it's a hardware related problem, since..

..and I believe I had a similar problem a couple of years ago, though, I wasn't running 2K. If I remember it right I simply removed this extra drive from device manager. But since..

..so, disabling it might help.

PS: This SuperDisk, is it some kind of combi-drive?

Superdisk was an attempt to update the old floppy interface, in competition with zip disks. It is a 120 MB removable disk drive that will also read normal 1.44 MB floppies.

http://www.superdisk.com/

Now that CD-R(W)'s are so cheap and fast, there's really no need for this sort of drive anymore...