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Boot sector problem
Posted on 2001-06-08
Trying to format my HP Omnibook. When I try I receive this error: 'cannot write BOOT. format terminated.'
I've tried removing the partition with fdisk and partition magic, and I've also tried fdisk /mbr. All of them return with the error that they cannot write to the disk. Partition magic suggests that I may have virus protection software running, which of course is more or less impossible without a HD.
So, any suggestions? I can't do a low-level format either - for some reason the laptop BIOS won't permit it.
I've tried removing the partition with fdisk and partition magic, and I've also tried fdisk /mbr. All of them return with the error that they cannot write to the disk. Partition magic suggests that I may have virus protection software running, which of course is more or less impossible without a HD.
So, any suggestions? I can't do a low-level format either - for some reason the laptop BIOS won't permit it.
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8 Comments
Active today
Could your laptop BIOS be protecting your boot sector? Some BIOSes do this, check the settings in it.
I think you've got it from the above suggestions. A low level format is not recommended for IDE drives, even if it were possible. HD manufacturers often have utility programs for diagnosing their drives. Some provide a program that writes zeroes (or some other character) to all positions on the drive. Good for a total clean-out but seldom required.
Regards
/RID
Regards
/RID
Ensure you are cold booting to a diskette. Run fDisk from DOS boot diskette. As above, make sure BIOS is configured to allow you to access these sectors when you do reboot.
The BIOS doesn't appear to be protecting the boot sector in any way, and if it is these features are not accessible from the setup menu.
There is also no built-in virus protection, and I have done this a couple of times before without this problem.
I've also purchased a new HD, to no avail. It has the same problem.
I did have McAfee VirusScan installed before I tried to do this - do you think that it may have protected my boot sector in some way? If so, how do I reset it?
There is also no built-in virus protection, and I have done this a couple of times before without this problem.
I've also purchased a new HD, to no avail. It has the same problem.
I did have McAfee VirusScan installed before I tried to do this - do you think that it may have protected my boot sector in some way? If so, how do I reset it?
Active today
Hmm, scratches head. Interesting.
I am guessing now. If you are doing this from the floppy disk and it is a boot disk then the hard disk <<HAS>> to listen.
Can fdisk see the disk as it should be and recognise the size correctly? And the present partitions and information there?
You should not need to do a low level format? How are you trying to do this and why?
It still sounds like and smells like BIOS protection.
I am guessing now. If you are doing this from the floppy disk and it is a boot disk then the hard disk <<HAS>> to listen.
Can fdisk see the disk as it should be and recognise the size correctly? And the present partitions and information there?
You should not need to do a low level format? How are you trying to do this and why?
It still sounds like and smells like BIOS protection.
Some HD manufacturers have utilities for doing a total disk cleanout - like writing any specified character to all addresses on the drive, or just to the sectors containing the partition and boot records. This may be a situation when such a utility is called for. If BIOS isn't involved in protecting the drive, it should be fdisk-able after this. However, you say that a new drive behaves just the same, so I have to agree with dbrunton about sound and smell. Can you get any input from HP at all on this?
Regards
/RID
Regards
/RID
HP support had no ideas on this problem. They just told me to use the Recovery CD - which also couldn't write the partition for me :P However, I have solved the problem - I managed to reset the BIOS and this worked (though this is the second time I tried it - go figure). So you're right, the BIOS must have been protecting it somehow...but I'm buggered if I can actually find where. Anyways, thanks all.
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