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From: browns@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Can't boot off my hard drive
Message-ID: <1140.2700dc30@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com>
Date: 26 Sep 90 21:49:52 GMT
References: <6985@brspyr1.BRS.Com>
Distribution: na
Lines: 39

In article <6985@brspyr1.BRS.Com>, jillj@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Jill Jacomine) writes:
> All  of  the sudden I can't seem to boot off my hard drive, when I try I
> get the message:
> 
> 	Non-System disk or disk error
> 	Replace and strike any key when ready.
> 
> I have no trouble at all booting off a floppy, and can attach to my hard
> drive and access all the files.

Okay, so yopu know that your disk is basically okay.  Good news!

> Everything   looks   good,  the  hidden  system  files  are  there,  the
> command.com is there (I even copied the copy of command.com from my hard
> drive, to the floppy I was booting from to see if it was corrupt, but it
> worked fine).

My guess is that you're on the right track, but it's the two hidden files
that got scrogged (or one of them).  Try this:  put your original DOS
diskette (write protected, of course) in drive A: and boot your system. 
Then type the command
     SYS C:
(I assume C: is the hard disk you're talking about.)  Then remove the
diskette and boot again.  You should be okay.
 
> I  tried  running chkdsk, hoping that if would fix things, but it didn't
> help.  Is my next step to do a backup and reformat my hard drive, or  is
> there something else I can do that may take care of this problem.

CHKDSK is useful for only one thing: putting lost clusters into files so
that you can DEL the files and make the space available for new files.  If
you have overwritten [part of] a file, CHKDSK is no help.  (Actually,
none of the utilities can help either--except of course restoring from
a backup copy.)

Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.      (216) 371-0043
 email: browns@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
Disclaimer:   Your mileage may vary.  Close cover before striking.   Void
where taxed, regulated, licensed, or prohibited by law. I am not a crook.