Windows 95 Err Msg w/a DISTEC Drive: Missing Operating System

• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When Windows 95 reboots after Setup is complete, you receive the following error message:

   Missing operating system

CAUSE

This error message occurs when your DISCTEC removable hard disk drive is set as the boot drive.

DISCTEC removable hard disk drives set the CMOS to drive type 2. The DISCTEC removable drive device driver (DISCTEC.SYS) then uses an INT 13 function 9 call to reset the BIOS with the proper hard disk drive type. The hard disk drive type is stored in the partition sector.

Windows 95, as well as some earlier versions of MS-DOS, rewrites the partition sector when installed. This causes the code the DISCTEC device driver inserted to be removed. Therefore, the BIOS can no longer identify the proper hard disk drive type.

WORKAROUND

• If you have already installed Windows 95 and are receiving the above error message, perform the following steps:

  1. Boot your computer with a bootable floppy disk.

  2. Insert the DISCTEC installation disk in the floppy disk drive and

        change to this drive (A: or B:).
  

  3. Use DISCTEC's hard disk drive partitioning software to rewrite the

        partition table as follows:
  

           HDPRT /w /0
  
        NOTE: The last character above is a zero.
  
        You are returned to a drive prompt without any messages being
        displayed. This step works correctly as long as the formatting of the
        hard disk has not changed.
  
     4. Reboot your computer from the hard disk.
  
  

• If you have not installed Windows 95 yet, perform the following steps:

  1. Manually set the CMOS to the proper hard disk drive type.

  2. Remove the DISCTEC.SYS device driver from the CONFIG.SYS file

        and reboot your computer.
  

  3. Install Windows 95.

  4. Reinstall the DISCTEC software.

MORE INFORMATION

After booting from a floppy disk and attempting to access your hard disk drive, you may encounter "Sector not found" error messages. To correct these errors, make sure that the DISCTEC device driver (DISCTEC.SYS) is loading in the CONFIG.SYS file on the floppy disk.

The DISCTEC removable hard disk drive is manufactured by Disk Technologies Corp., a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.