make a starup disk

Go to www.bootdisk.com and download a startup disk for your dos version.

i have faced i a promblem when i wanted to format my floppy disk ... when i want to format in Dos this massage appears

Checking existing disk fromat
format 1.44 M
Invalid media or Track 0 bad- disk unusable
format terminated


I have tried to format in Windows
but also a massage appears

File Manger cannot format this disk
Make sure the disk is in the drive and is not write-protecd, damaged or the wrong density.


My floppy disk is
Sony 2HD IBM formatted
for IBM pS/2, PS/1 + compatible with Dos 3.3 & up

I have Dos 5.0 with windows 3.11

mkhalidmn,

Here are some comments on your last post but also want to clarify
regarding my notes on formatting and copying the system files...
My suggestion presumed you were ultimately formatting the hard drive
from a boot disk having the same operating system and version
that you intend to install, which is what I'd recommend if possible.

You originally mentioned only Windows 3.11... If you currently have DOS 5.0
but plan to upgrade to a later version, you can format the hard drive using a boot disk
from that version and use Format's /S switch or SYS.COM to copy the system files
to the hard drive after formatting. Although you can still do it with a 5.0 boot disk
if you're upgrading to something like 6.2x and then installing Windows
you'll increase your chances of a successful setup if using the same version.
Please mention your current DOS version and what you'll be installing
after fdisking and formatting the hard drive.

Once you've determined why your floppy drive won't access disks
I can provide a way of creating a boot floppy having programs
you'll likely need for DOS 5.0 or 6.xx or whatever you're using...
Indicate whether you need one or want a list of other suggested utilities
to place on the boot disk after you're able to access a floppy.

The "2HD" on your floppy disk signifies a Double-Sided High-Density disk,
so be sure your floppy drive supports that size and is not Double-Density.
That error message can also be generated when using the wrong size media,
such as when attempting to format a high-density disk as double-density
or in a low-density drive, although that doesn't appear to be the problem.

The Format message you get saying "Formatting 1.44M" indicates the BIOS
is configured for a High-Density drive but it's something to check anyway.
For example, if you attempt to format your disks in a 1.44 floppy drive
with the BIOS set to 720k or if the settings are otherwise incorrect
it will generate the "Invalid media or Track 0 bad" error message
and can render a disk useless. Ensure the BIOS is configured
with the correct parameters and the settings match the drive.

You can also verify while you're in there whether the BIOS' boot sequence
is configured to read A: first, for when you're ready to use the boot disk.
Post back if you want more info on that. If the boot order settings
in the BIOS are A: then C: you may get further clues from the
messages when booting with a disk in the floppy drive.

That "Invalid media or Track 0 bad - disk unusable" error message
is also generated when trying to access a floppy disk in a faulty drive.
I encountered that recently and the drive ruined a couple of floppies.
Fortunately floppy drives are easy to find, easy to replace and cheap
if you determine that's the problem.

Have you successfully used that floppy drive recently?
You say you're getting the error on multiple floppy disks...
Have you been able to read a disk that you know is good?

You noted that the floppies are already formatted...
You should be able to do a directory listing  ( Dir A: )
assuming the drive is good (even if no files are found)...
Or type  A:  and attempt to change to that drive.
Post back with error messages received if trying that.

If you've verified that the disks you're using can be
read and formatted (and/or repaired) in another drive,
then it's obviously a hardware or configuration problem.

I'll mention again that a faulty drive can damage a floppy disk
when simply trying to access the disk in that drive.
The disks can typically be repaired but may initially exhibit failure
during subsequent testing in other drives.
If your drive is bad, it may have damaged your floppies
as you were trying to format them...
You may want to check that if testing on another drive.

Please post back with your results or if you need other test methods
to determine whether the problem is the drive or the floppy disks
and whether you need more info on creating a boot disk...
 

mkhalidmn,

Have you had success determining the problem
with reading and writing your floppy disks in that drive?
Hopefully it's something easy to diagnose and repair.

My initial instructions were for creating a boot disk in DOS mode,
presuming you were unable to launch Windows. Now you've mentioned
formatting a floppy in File Manager, so I'll include some brief instructions
for creating a system disk (meaning a startup or boot disk) from there,
(which is definitely easier than doing it at a command prompt.)
You've probably already noticed the options in File Manager,
but I'll post some info on it here, hoping it's helpful...

In File Manager, open the "Disk" menu and choose either
"Format Disk" or "Make System Disk" ...
Both selections bring up the same "Format" dialog box,
but the latter will already have the "Copy System Files Only" option checked.

Either way that you choose to access the "Format" dialog,
it's best to select "Full" from its "Format Type" options,
which also works on disks not previously formatted
and tests the disk for bad sectors.

Under the "Other Options" section, select the "Copy System Files" option
by placing a check mark beside it...
That will copy IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM to the floppy,
creating a bootable disk.

Other Options include entering a Volume Label (of up to eleven characters)
and displaying a summary of information about the disk after it finishes formatting.

This following doesn't apply to DOS 5.0 but here's a note about versions >= 6.x ...
During copying of the system files, either the drvspace.bin or dblspace.bin files
might also be copied to the floppy. These files aren't necessary
if you don't have any compressed drives and can be deleted from the boot disk
in case you need to create some space for copying other files to it.

Those files (and IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS) are Hidden and System files
and you'll need to specify those attributes to view them in DOS or in File Manager.

At a DOS prompt you can view all the files regardless of attributes
using the Dir command's /a switch on the A: drive like this:

Dir A: /a

To see Hidden and System files in File Manager; from File Manager's "View" menu
choose "By File Type" and select the "Show Hidden/System Files" option.
(Also ensure the "Save Settings on Exit" option is selected on the "View" menu
to have File Manager retain your new settings upon exit.)

Once you've created the startup disk, you can then use File Manager
to copy FDISK.EXE and FORMAT.COM from the DOS directory to the floppy.
You can also drag and drop whatever other utilities you want to place on the boot disk.

Please post back if you want suggestions for useful programs to have on the boot disk
or if you need a 5.0 boot disk image having diagnostic programs and utilities
or if you have any other questions about it...
 

My flopyy driver can't read and write the floppy disk

mkhalidmn

      Either you have an old style (720K) drive, or the sensor on your drive to detect whether floppy is 720k or 1.44M is faulty. I havn't seen the symptoms you are describing for a long time, they were common when 1.44M drives first came out. If I am right you should be able to format disks at 720K regardless, they will not be useable in any other PC though. I would suggest investing in a new floppy drive, they are not dreadfully expensive.

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Have you got a working drive yet, mkhalidmn?
Still glad to provide a DOS 5 boot disk image
you can download for creating a boot floppy.
Please let us know your current status...  :)