Invalid Partition Table

The meessage I recieve is 'Invalid Partition Table" at boot up

System: Hewlett Packard Vetra VE (486)

*I don't have a boot/system disk*

What to do?

WINDOWS 95

 

You can download a file that will create a boot disk from www.bootdisk.com Download the file and double click on it to create the boot disk. Make sure to download the file for the version of Win95 that's installed on that system (Win95, 95a, 95b or 95c).

Boot the system from the boot disk. At the A:\> prompt, type FDISK and press Enter. Choose to enable large disk support if that's an option, then have fdisk display the partition information. Please post back with the results.

And, if you could post back with the details of how this came about, it just might help.

 

brendanfalconer,

I've posted your email in an effort to get your problem as much exposure as possible:

Have you tried booting from a boot disk yet?

Is the system CMOS set to boot from the A: drive first?

What happened just prior to this error message appearing? Any system changes, other error messages etc?

 

All I can say is that I got a boot disk I don't know if it is the right one which one do you prefer? also I don't have a DOS command Prompt at ALL, and the boot disk I got all the computer says is the first part of this disk etc.... and won't work I AM DIEING Here!

 

Is the boot disk you're using the same version of Win95 as the Windows that's installed on the hard drive?

If you're not sure, it might be advisable to download one you're sure is correct from www.bootdisk.com It's not which boot disk I'd prefer, it's which one is compatible with the Windows that's installed. If the installed Windows is Win95 or Win95a, the boot disk for either of them should work OK; if the installed version is Win95b or Win95c, then either version should work - and a Win98 boot disk might be OK, but I'd stick with a Win95 boot disk.

When the system is booting, does it try to boot from the floppy drive?

Is the system CMOS set to boot from the A: drive first?

What happened just prior to this error message appearing? Any system changes, other error messages etc?

Is the boot disk you're using a good disk? Try it in another system to make sure it works.

 

I have no clue if it's a b or c I do know that before it had a FAT 32 problem and windows 98 was put on then taken off and widnows 95 was installed again and it started problems. I don't understand bootdisk.com's crapy layout so would tell me what bootdisk to get for just plain windows 95 please

 

Making an assumption or two:

If the system had a problem with FAT32, then Win95b or Win95c was most likely installed. Since Win95c is realitively rare, I'm going to guess that Win95b was the installed version.

This link should get you the file to create a Win95b boot disk:

http://dos.li5.org/IMGS/WIN95B.EXE

Going by the above statement, you haven't got anything on the drive yet except for Win95. It may be best to boot from the Win95 boot disk and use fdisk to delete any and all partitions on the hard drive, reboot, use fdisk to recreate the desired partition(s), reboot, format and reinstall Windows.

If this is a Compaq system, do not delete any small non-DOS partitions that show up in fdisk.

More information on the system would really help.

When the system is booting, does it try to boot from the floppy drive?

Is the system CMOS set to boot from the A: drive first?

What happened just prior to this error message appearing? Any system changes, other error messages etc?

Is the boot disk you're using a good disk? Try it in another system to make sure it works.

And any information on the hardware that you know of - hard drive make/model, system make/model etc.

It couldn't hurt to download and run the hard drive manufacturer's drive diagnostic program.

 

It doesn't work it says insert system diskette into Drive A

 

A system disk is the boot disk.

More information on the system would really help.

Is the boot disk you're using a good disk? Try it in another system to make sure it works.

When the system is booting, does it try to boot from the floppy drive?

Is the system CMOS set to boot from the A: drive first?

What happened just prior to this error message appearing? Any system changes, other error messages etc?

And any information on the hardware that you know of - hard drive make/model, system make/model etc.

I'm gonna be gone for a few hours, hopefully someone else will be along shortly.

 

It's a brenda new disk
No it does not try to boot from the A drive
and a guy from Radio Shack Deleted the Partitions on the hard drive charged me $50 and gave the computer back crapped up worse then it was.

 

Here is some info about my computer
Hewlett Packard Vetra VE 4/100 Windows 95 (486)

Admin Password: Not Set
Flexible Drive 1: 1.44 MB
Flexible Drive 2: None
Start Ffrom Fdd: Enabled
Flexible Disk Drives: Enabled
Primary IDE Interface: Enabled
Hdi: none Hd2: none
Secondary IDE Interface: Enabled
Translation Method: Extended CHS
Data Transfer Method: Extended CHS
Start from HDD; Enabled
Memory base,on system: 512 kb
Memory Hole below 1mb: 64 k from d000h
PCI Bus Master: enabled
Pnp cards activation: full
so? ????

 

Given the info provided in your most recent post, I assume that you were able to access bios. If that's the case, the item listed as "start from HDD" should be set to "disable ". Making this change should allow the computer to boot from the floppy drive with the new boot disk.

Tin

 

What good does that do?

 

Well, as I understand the problem, you presently can not boot from the hard drive. Cliffh has offered a method to access info about the hard drive that requires use of a boot disk in the floppy drive. You have indicated that the machine is not attemping to boot from the floppy. The bios information you posted shows that the hard drive is "enabled" has the primary boot device. As long as it is the primary boot device you will continue to get the same result when you attempt to start the computer.

So, to answer your question "What good does that do?" It is the first step necessary in solving your problem!

Tin

 

tin,tin I don't understand now I have a win 95 boot disk and the **** thing still doesn't work

 

Sorry to have left so abruptly. Have you solved the problem yet?

Tin

 

No I have not

 

Down loaded Win95a and Win95b boot disks. Will check them on a machine at work today. Will post back this afternoon.

Tin

 

Good Afternoon,

Beautiful day here in Atlanta! O.K., here's what I did and why I did it. You need to get your machine to boot from the floppy drive. To do that you must have a working boot disk, a properly operating FDD, and bios must be set to boot from the FDD. When you said that the boot disk you tried did not work, it only further muddies the water because we don't know if it's due to the disk or the FDD.

I went here http://www.mirrors.org/archived_software/www.bootdisk.com/original.htm last night (thanks to Cliffh for the link, very useful) and downloaded both the Win95a and 95b boot disk. Today I tried them on a machine at work which runs on Win95b. My suggestion is for you to download the same two files at this website so that we know that you have a good, working boot disk.

Download to a harddrive. Have two blank formatted floppies ready. Click on one of the .EXE files and it will ask you to insert the floppy disk. Once inserted it will write the necessary files to the disk. Label the disk. Repeat for the second .EXE file. Don't be offened by the simplistic instructions. By explaining it in this manner I will know that you have a good boot disk.

Once the boot disks are complete, insert into the floppy disk drive with the power to the machine off. Turn on the machine. If all goes well, you should get an MSDOS command prompt (A:\>). If you don't, shut down and try the other disk. If the second foot disk fails to work then you have a problem with the FDD. Post back with your results.

Tin

 

It says that the boot program in sector something is invalid