PLEASE help me! I'm in deep trouble!

[shifted90]

What do you mean?

I made a MS-DOS startup disk... isn't that how you make it? I right-clicked and clicked Format. Then a thing came up and I checked off Create MS-DOS Startup Disk. Everything else got greyed out. I clicked start. The bar went up. Complete. It said the MS-DOS Startup Disk was made. Did that just format my whole computer or something?

[wedor]

If you did it under XP you just made an MS-DOS boot disk and nothing more.

[shifted90]

Okay, so can someone answer my question? Did I just do anything to the computer I created the disk on?

Also, I put the disk in the "dead" computer. The thing came up where it was all black and said A:\. How do I change prompt to C:\?

[wedor]

Type C:\ then hit enter

[shifted90]

I typed C:\, but it said:

"Invailid Drive Specification"

Am I screwed? What do I do? Can I still recover data?

[wedor]

All it means is that the drive cannot be read by DOS nothing more, a data recovery program could possibly still recover data from the drive.

[shifted90]

Okay. So to make it easy for ALL of us, (so I don't post anymore!!!) can someone make a step-by-step list for what to do now?

[Dodge7]

That is the prompt... where you said

" The thing came up where it was all white and said A: " Ok, now type C:

When you type C: or C:\ it should respond with C:\> That means the C drive is working.

Then try typing dir to see if there was any data on C:

Then

[wedor]

It appears that this has already been done with no useable results.

[Dodge7]

Try tying C: just like that... see what happens using C:\ doesn't always switch drives.

[shifted90]

No dice, Dodge... It said Invalid Drive Specification... PLEASE... SOMEONE!... TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!!... =/

[wedor]

Speed is not of the essence here, going slow would be far more beneficial at this point in time.

[wedor]

You will need to find a recovery program, use the recovery program to see if it can indeed "see" any data on your drive in the first place.

Until these first steps are taken there is no clear path to follow to a conclusion.

[Dodge7]

Yeah, if you type C: and then enter, and it says there is no such drive, than your drive has crashed. The good news is that you couldn't have reformatted it, and a drive recovery program or maybe computer shop can help you. Many times it is just he electronics card on the outside that goes bad. You might have shorted it when you moved the drive. That shouldn't be too much $$ to fix.

[wedor]

Here is a page of possible programs to try and some info to go with it,

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...overy+programs

[shifted90]

Okay. I WOULD do what wedor said, but I am afraid to ruin this computer right now. This is my only computer left. When I installed the drive from my 1st comp to the 2nd comp, the 2nd comp get messed up too. Do you think that the drive has a virus on it?

[wedor]

If the drive spins up and is recognized by the BIOS you do not likely have an electronics issue.

[Dodge7]

Yeah... slow down... if the HD is bad.. it is just bad. And could possiblity blow out any computer you attach it to.

I think your next step is to take the drive to Compusa or a computer repair place and get them to test it. They can tell if the electronics have gone bad... or if the data diskt itself crashed. In either case you may get your data back.... but it can cost you. Then again, maybe not.. the tech may find a simple solution there.

[wedor]

You do not need to mess with the working system, just use it to download the recovery program and install it on a floppy, all work will be done on the none working system.

[shifted90]

I might try it later, when I feel it is safe, but all the good ones seem to cost money. I downloaded the trial version of GetDataBack, so I will use it to try and see if the drive has the data left in it. Then, if it does, I will purchase it.

[shifted90]

Originally Posted by Dodge7 Yeah... slow down... if the HD is bad.. it is just bad. And could possiblity blow out any computer you attach it to. I think your next step is to take the drive to Compusa or a computer repair place and get them to test it. They can tell if the electronics have gone bad... or if the data diskt itself crashed. In either case you may get your data back.... but it can cost you. Then again, maybe not.. the tech may find a simple solution there.

What do you mean BLOW OUT? Does that mean if the HD is bad, it'll screw up the whole computer do it won't work again?!?!?

[wedor]

Good plan, but do not panic if one program does not see the data, another may be able to.

Does the system see the drive in the first place?

[Dodge7]

I fried a drive and almost a computer by installing a drive wrong on a MAC. It would spin to speed at first, then it shut down. That was a case where the electronics was bad.

Personnally, I would just take the drive to a computer tech, or good computer store. I don't think there is much you can do.... and it worries me you had problems with two computers.

[shifted90]

Wedor: I am not sure, because I didn't care to put the drive in a working computer. Too afraid.

[wedor]

Even if it could it would be a little late to worry about that now wouldn't it? After all you have had it in the system already so you have little or nothing to lose at this point.

[Dodge7]

P.S. did you say you could hear the HD turn on and spin to speed at any time? Does it seem to be reading any data [you know that clicking sound]...

[wedor]

It does not need to go in a working computer.

Put it back in the original, now, does the computer see the drive?

[shifted90]

No. I had 3 different working computers. This is the last of them.

[Dodge7]

I think he said the second system he put it in quite working? or maybe I misunderstood. I would try any tests and running off the floppy on the orignal system to be safe.

[wedor]

Well put it back in the original system and tell me if the system sees the drive.