HP Pavilion 5040

I have the task of fixing the machine, it needed Win95 reinst. etc.
(Pentium 120, 1.2GB Hdd.)
The machine was functional before I started making changes.
I decided that the windows instalation was too messy from 5 years of 95, and a partial 98 upgrade install on top.
I started fresh, repartioned and formatted with FAT32. previously it had been FAT16. I put the HDD in another pentium system that I have that is many times better to provde a quicker, more stable instalation means. Once I put the HDD back in the HP, and power up, It flashes the HP logo, and states
"Invalid system disk
Replace the disk, and press any key"
If I put in a Startup boot disk, it will give a different message,
something about a I/O .....
(I might have the two messages flipped with the events)

What should I do now?
I have never been this stumped.

gj

 

If it was me, i would reformat and reinstall to the computer it will be in.May be slower, but is it really? Shortcuts seldom work in computing. Also, was this a reinstall from a oem(hp) disk?

 

Not that this is the problem, but.
It really isnt good to install windows onto a HD that isnt in the system it is to be used in. Windows will check for hardware while it installs and will set it up.

I suggest starting over and installing windows in the same system it will run in.

 

Yeah, I'd say start over and just use the other computer to format and system the disk. Then install from the computer you want it on. It will take a while on a P120, but if it works, it's worth it.

 

Decided to start from scratch again, before reading the replies for the same reason stated.
Windows setup follows through,
and eventually requires restart. NO go after that.
It still refuses to boot from the hard disk, and requests for bootable media to be inserted.

I am installing from a wim95B OEM disk. (standard issue, non HP)
I have used this Windows disk many times before, I know it works perfectly, no scratches etc.
I have non of the HP disks supplied with the system,
I wish I knew where the were. The machine has changed hands
several times, but the disks should be filed away with the manuals somewhere.
On Wednesday I should be able to ask about the original documentation.

gj
If I put in a windows boot floppy, what commands should I enter to get windows to start?
(I am not familiar with the nitty gritty DOS commands, though I wish I was!)

 

c:\win or a:\win
This will start windows if the path is complete.

 

That sounds like a low-level problem (format or mbr maybe?)

Try repartitioning the system - make sure you partition for FAT32. Then reformat with the /s command. I know that's a pain to do after you have already installed twice, but it really sounds like an mbr or partitioning problem of some kind.

Before you do that, you could run Fdisk to make sure you have the partition active.

 

I entered C:\windows\win and it attempts to get windows started, but gives additional errors:
While still in dos:
Regisrty file not found, Registry services
may not be operable this session.
XMS cache problem, Regisrty services
may not be operable this session.

Then a blue screen follows with:
VFAT Device Initialization Failed

A device or resource required by VFAT
is not present or is unavailable.
VFAT cannot continue loading.

System halted._

I am mystified. I will attempt taking out all non-essential hardware, and check memory. I'll post back later with the results.

 

Still sounds like a MBR or FAT problem.

What kind of partition do you have it setup for? FAT16/FAT32/NTFS?

Have you formatted with /s to make it a system disk?

Did you try "fdisk /mbr"?

 

Yup. It is format time. Time to install a new operating system. In this case one that will work.

 

I want to make it good and clear:
THE hard drive is perfectly functional: partition, formating, and windows installation from a standard win95 disk, all on the HP.
The failure is booting to the HD after windows installation.
A fresh win95 boot disk will not get it to go.
Also, I cannot get the HP recovery disk to successfully run,
it complains of the active partition not being correct.
In deed, it is correct (fat16 or 32), 100% size, and active.
The recovery disk is the "correct way" to have fixed the HD in the
first place, however I decided to do everything the common way
(not the proprietary HP method).

It will function 100% if I put it in another computer.

Does this sound like a failure of a contoller on the MB for booting to a disk?
Any good suggestions?

gj

sorry I have not been back to the post for more than a week,
I had to work on a major project that was time consuming for school.

 

Hook another HD to it and see if it boots.

 

Yep, that's what I would try too. Process of elimination. Have you checked the BIOS to make sure it supports that drive? May need to be flashed. It certainly sounds like you have an I/O problem somewhere between the HD and MoBo.