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Thread ID: 44854 2004-05-02 02:44:00 Invalid media type reading drive C jai.anila (1187) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
233575 2004-05-02 02:44:00 I cannot start, so using the W98 S/up dsk.

CHKDISK returns the following message" Invalid media type reading drive C.
jai.anila (1187)
233576 2004-05-02 02:49:00 Try going into bios and see if drive will auto-detect. Pheonix (280)
233577 2004-05-02 03:31:00 This is more serious than a BIOS detection problem. :-(

In one of the configuration tables stored on the disk, there is a single byte which indicates the "media type". If that byte is corrupted, which is indicated by that error message, it means that that table has been clouted somehow. If it's gone, there's usually at least "damage" to the partition information too.

There used to be a procedure for replacing that byte only (involving the DOS DEBUG to assemble the programme). I'm not sure it would be safe these days. Norton's "Disk Doctor" used to be able to fix things like that. If you have W98, perhaps it would work for you. It was possible, though not easy, with the NU programme too. I have a nasty idea that a lot of the old tricks and programmes won't work on the modern enormous disks.
Graham L (2)
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