PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => General Tech Discussion, News & Q&A => Topic started by: kabluckyj on January 08, 2006, 21:47
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i think Ive killed a large family members Toshiba satellite 2180cdt laptop,tryed to format hard drive ,first two steps ok <1 recover entire hard drive 2 caution> then ERROR extraction failed.now all that appears is a message asking me to insert system disk have i killed it can it be fixed will the large family member thump the soft in the head do good er ,the above never happened when i formatted my own laptop using my recovery cd
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ok looks like the recovery cd might have an error... i.e. stractch or something.
Is this a PC World or similar store bough laptop? Under warranty? If so they can probably (and should!) give you another recovery cd.
A few things I'd like to clarify. You reformatted the machine using the recovery cd and not manually using a dos prompt or something similar?
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pc out of warranty,so i can,t go in that direction . with regards to the recovery disc having a problem i,ve used it 2 days earlier on my own laptop with no probs
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Unless both laptops are the make/model/version then you cant use your recovery CD on it.
They only work with the pc they are supplied with :(
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thanks for the advise ,but i,ve still got the problem of a laptop with no operating system ,and when i put the system disk in it leave a message any ideas .any help much appreciated .how do to load the o/s
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ok.
so this computer, does it have any recovery cds? / windows operating systems with it?
If not then you are going to need to get an operating system to install since you have no wiped the harddrive. If you have windows xp, this should be a nice simple procedure as it will just boot from the cd and take you through the nice step by step install procedure.
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You may have to contact Toshiba and ask them to supply a recovery cd for that particular model.
The other option is to do as Sam suggests and install an OS from a full CD not a recovery one.
This may leave you with problems getting the drivers but you should be able to get them from the Toshiba site.
One other option depends on why you formatted the pc in the first place.
If it was just a tidy up thing and the PC was running ok then you could possibly find a recovery program that would "unformat" it and restore it to how it was before you formatted it.
Sometimes recovery programs work quite well but sometimes they dont.
You have one advantage in your case as you havent been able to load anything on it so it wont have overwriiten anything, its really just killed off the MBR hopefully.
How about this for an idea Sam, would booting from a floppy and running the fix/mbr command restore it do you think ?
We really need to know why you formatted it in the first place, as if it had a corrupted OS then theres no point trying to get it back to that state :roll:
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How about this for an idea Sam, would booting from a floppy and running the fix/mbr command restore it do you think ?
yep that sounds good.
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operating system was erratic and not working properly so formatted it, which leaves me at this stage - black screen with message insert system disc in drive press any key when ready, so put windows 98 or windows Xp in and press any key and nothing happens, disc wont read or run. what can i do step by step instructions if possible please.
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You haven't still got a floppy disc in the drive, have you? That could produce that message. If so, take it out! :)
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Ok did you format with a floppy or with XPs recovery CD ?
If it was with the cd then it should be set to boot from the cd if from a floppy then you need to reboot from the floppy and tell it to start the pc with cd rom support.
The XP wont install if its a recovery cd so I suggest you put it on 98 for now.
Boot from a 98 boot disk and at the A prompt type X: and hit enter (X is the drive letter of your CD drive), NB this will be one letter up from usual as it creates a virtual drive and moves everything after C up a letter.
Then type Setup and hit enter and follow the onscreen instructions as a normal install :)
If you dont understand this or dont have a floppy drive let us know.
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pc was formatted from cd using an xp recovery disc, tried rebooting from a 98 floppy, done what you suggested (x:) comes back as invalid drive specification. Then tried rebooting from a 98 cd, comes back as press any key to continue - when key pressed nothing happens. It wont reboot from anything that i try. the only thing that i do get is when i insert floppy i get information on the screen about cd device, driver device, device name, transfer mode, driver and port firmware version and then the A prompt.
Driving me nuts, have you any other ideas. if this is going to be long winded would a conversation help.
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Presumably when you formatted the drive from the XP recovery cd then you would have done it in NTFS.
98 will only install on a FAT partition, preferably FAT 32.
So lets get back to basics.
Boot from the 98 floppy and this time at the A prompt type :
FORMAT C: /S
Press Y and enter after the warning message, just press enter when it asks for a volume label, unless you want to name it, I never bother.
This will format it as FAT 32 and make the partition active and ready for 98 to install on it.
Reboot again and Type :
E:\SETUP
If it still says invalid drive then just before it gets to the A prompt and it gives the info about the cd device, take note of which letter it says is the CD rom, thats the letter you need to use where I said X in my last post or E in this one.
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hi, with regards to last reply, done all the above down to reboot again and type E:/setup, it did what you said it would do formatted it as FAT 32. Now at A prompt. I think the CD drive is R (have been through the whole keyboard) and can only change drive to A, B, C & R, whilst in R done what you suggested \SETUP, but it comes back with Bad Command or File Name. The CD rom is working because it tries to read the CD when it is first put in. But still cannot get operating system to run. H E L P i'm drowning
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Ok a tthe A prompt type R:
Then at R try Setup, you dont have the \ infront of it.
I noticed that you worite it as / once and as \ another time.
With dos commands you have to be exact with spaces and characters although upper and lower case dont matter.
If that still says bad command then again while at R type DIR /P and see if it lists a whole lot of folders, files and directories as that wil be reading the 98 CD.
If it still says Bad Command then it hasnt loaded the drivers for the CD rom.
When you booted from the 98 boot disk did you select Start computer with CD rom support ?
You need to select that option for it to load the CD rom drivers but if its reading it as R then it should have loaded them :?
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Hi Again!!!!
At R:\>SETUP it comes back with CDR 101 not reading drive R abort, retry fail.
At R:\>DIR/P It comes back with CDR 101 not ready reading drive R abort, rety fail.
How do I enable drivers for CD at the A prompt?
Thankyou for all your help, dont know what I would have done without you and I am determined to get to the bottom of it now and sort it once and for all.(With your help of course!!!!)
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Again I notice that you arent typing in the exact command.
You put "DIR/P" it should be DIR /P , the space is critical.
Ok it looks as if the 98 boot disk you are using isnt loading the MSCDEX which makes it see the CD rom.
Do you get the option to start with or without CD rom suport when you boot from your floppy ?
If not then its not on your particular floppy.
Go to :
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
And download Windows 98 SE OEM (10th one down from top )
Make a boot floppy with that and select Start PC with CD rom support when the option comes and do as I said earlier, taking note of which letter it says is the CD rom drive :)
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Did what you said, made a boot disk 10th one down, when I A:\>DIR it comes back with BOOT98SE EXE 863,218 01-17-06 6:43
1 FILE(S) 863,218 BYTES
0 dirs(s) 594,432 BYTES FREE
but when i put my boot disk in and A:\ >DIR IT comes back with 29 files including MSCDEX
IF I A:\>MSCDEX it shows usage MSCDEX (/E/K/S/V) (/D: ...) (/L:)
still can not get the cd ROM to read following you re instructions but seem to be getting nowhere .set by step instructions please the simplest tasks to you, are difficult to myself as i said i no NOTHING about pc,s how do i get the option to start with or without cd rom suport when you boot from a floppy all i get is the a :/>
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When you boot from the floppy it will run through the normal first screen, possibly quite quickly depending on the speed of your PC.
Then it will show a second screen detailing you hard drives and cd/dvd drives and your RAM plus some other information.
At the bottom of that screen it should pause and then start to boot from the floppy.
The next screen that should appear should have 3 options listed as :
1 Start computer with CD rom support.
2 Start computer without CD rom support.
3 Cant remember at the moment but I think its pure MS- Dos or similar.
It should highlight no 1, if it doesnt press the number 1 key on your keyboard.
You have 30 seconds before it will automatically load the highlighted option.
Have you not seen that screen before ?
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if i start the pc with boot disk in it starts with
1 a toshiba screen
2 starting windows 98
3 cd-rom device driver for ide (for channels supported)
(c)copyright oak technology inc 1993-1996 driver version :v340
device name
transfer mode program i/o
driver o port=170(secondary channel)
master irq =15
firmware version 1a08
mscdex version 2.25
copyright(c) microsoft corp 1986 1996
all rights reserved
driver r=banana unit
a:\>
if i start without disk screen shows
microsoft(r)windows 98
(c)copyright microsoft corp 1981-1998
c;\>
and no i have not see any of the options from your last message
if possible back to basics am i booting up from the floopy if so why don't i see the options you mention
0
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I think its hiding the info under the logo splash screen as it boots, if you press Esc as soon as it shows the logo it should show the screens as I describe.
As its loading the mscdex its selecting option 1 for you automatically.
I cant understand why its not installing 98 from the cd at the A prompt :?
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Ok, another thing yo can try is at the A prompt type the CD roms drive letter and press enter.
Then type win98\setup
It may not have the auto run file on your cd for some reason :?
I think 98 maybe didnt have but 98 SE has.
Do you know which version of 98 you are using ?
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If I press Esc as you suggested (check the system then press(F1) key appears). on pressing F1 2 system set up screens appear. When i exit the system it asks to remove disks or other media's. If i press any key to restart it returns with C:\> I f i type WIN98\SETUP still nothing happens!
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SUCSESS AT LAST O/S UP AND RUNNING ALL SINGING AND DANCEING AND I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITH OUT YOURE HELP A BIG THANK YOU YOURE VERY VERY NICE PEOPLE. :P :D
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You can't get away without telling us how you did it! :)
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after reviewing all your help i tried every thing you suggested one by one step by step even high and low case. the later worked changed the A prompt to R in higher case and typed WIN98\SETUP and bingo Ive now got a working laptop instead of a very large paperweight , again many many thanks
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Dos isnt case sensitive, spaces and characters are critical so I assume that you had mistyped before and done it correctly this time and it was just coincidental that you happened to be in upper case.
Pleased that you got it working though :)
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SUCSESS AT LAST O/S UP AND RUNNING ALL SINGING AND DANCEING AND I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITH OUT YOURE HELP A BIG THANK YOU YOURE VERY VERY NICE PEOPLE. Razz Very Happy
job well done guys! Excellent work :-) ...now tell all your friends about us! :-) lol
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Apparently as I said earlier DOS commands arent case sensitive but I have just been informed that you cant mix upper and lower case.
So maybe you typed win98\Setup or similar :?
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Hello there, i have a similar problem!:(
i try to recover (from Windows XP SP1) to the original "toshiba windows 98 (se) (recovery cd) to my Toshiba Satellite 2180 CDT (amd).
I insert the CD 1 to the drive and press C while boot the machine!
and there is a dos message:
Starting Windows 98 .....
MSCDEX Version 2.25
Copyright ........All rights reserved ect...
Drive Z: = Driver TOSCD001 unit 0
TOSHIBA MACHINE
Path not Found
Invalid drive specification
Path not found - C:\TOOLS\TOSCDROM.SYS
Invalid drive specification
Invalid drive specification
Syntax error
and automaticaly reboots...
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So, i follow this steps:
1) i was download and boot from the windows 98 / boot disk with CD Rom Support!
2) i called D: (CD dir) and noticed that the TOOLS\TOSCDROM.SYS lives in D:\TOOLS\TOSCDROM.SYS
QUESTION:
what step i have to follow to make the nesecary changes? to make a new recovery?
thanks in advance
g
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When starting from a boot disk for 98 it creates a virtual drive one letter higher than the hard drive so it is usually D.
This could change your CD drive letter to E, although reading your post again it appears to have created a drive Z.
Have you tried booting from a boot disc then removing it and inserting the recovery disc and typing D:\TOOLS\TOSCDROM.SYS, if that doesnt work try E or even Z.
I havent used DOS for so long now that I cant remember if you need to type CD or not before the line so you wil have to try the various combinations.
Good luck with it and :welcome:
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Have you tried booting from a boot disc then removing it and inserting the recovery disc and typing D:\TOOLS\TOSCDROM.SYS, if that doesnt work try E or even Z.
yes i did that but nothing ....
also checked that TOSCDROM.SYS lives in recovery cd at:
D:/>PREPINST/TOOLS/TOSCDROM.SYS
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I am not used to using recovery discs as I usually do a clean install from the standard OS disc.
I dont supose you have tried just D:/run or setup ?
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:)
i try everything you can imagine ... no results...
i believe that this problem borns from the time that a friend installs the windows XP (sp1) to an old machine that is designed for Windows 98 (se).
i have this problem 2 years now... and the laptop does'nt works properly with XP (warms quick = noise) and the CPU goes to 100%
so i need to make this change!
do your best please! he he
thanks,
g
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I am looking for info on it now but not having much luck so far :(
I am wondering if the hard drive had a hidden partition that some recovery CDs look for and that has been deleted or damaged in some way when your friend installed XP ???
It would probably be easier to get hold of a 98se windows CD and do a clean install from that but dont give up yet, we dont give up easily on this forum :)
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yes i think we can make it! ;)
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I dont suppose that you get any options like it says on this page do you ?
http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/kb0/FAQ350072001GR01.htm
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Most stuff I have read on using the supplied recovery disc on toshiba laptops seem to use it to make recovery discs with, from a running system.
Hope that this isnt the case here :dunno:
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Having spoken to the forums resident but painfully shy old dosser, (aka Scrumpy Jack), he suggests this :
Boot with the 98 CD then remove it and put the recovery CD in and see which files are on it, find the drive letter its on and type DIR /P to explore the CD.
Look for a file called setup.exe or recover.exe or similar.
Then type that filename and hit the enter key and hopefully it will start installing windows.
He says the TOOLS/TOSCDROM.SYS is only there to load the CD drivers so you shouldnt need that as the 98 boot CD has already done that.
Hope that fixes it as I havent been able to find anything else :(
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It Works! :thumbs:
I wanna thank you so much!
My best regards to Scrumpy Jack and You!
All the best
g
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Good news, thanks for letting us know. :thumb:
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Pleased we finally got it sorted, was the required file just a setup.exe ?
:)