Problem starting Windows

[Avril]

Hello,

My friend just called me, She has Windows 98, but the computer won't start.

She says that when she starts, it says "Non- system disk, Replace and hit a key".

She's replaced it with every disk she has. I've given her my floppy disks as well, but none of those seem to work either.

Any idea what's happening?

[jscher2000]

Remove all floppy disks completely and then press a key to continue. Unless you are using a disk specifically created to start up the computer (such as a "system recovery" or "emergency" disk), no floppy disk can start up Windows. Instead, if the floppy drive is empty, the computer will use what it finds on the hard disk. Which is what you want 99.9% of the time.

[DaveA]

Some systems will boot from a CD, so make sure that thers is NO CD or Floppy in either drive and then hit any key.

[Avril]

Which one is the "any" key?

[Avril]

OK, it works now.

Why didn't the message say to remove the floppy disks?

[LegareColeman]

Because it does not know if you are trying to boot from a floppy and just have the wrong one in the drive, or if you want to boot from the hard disk and have a floppy in the drive by mistake. The boot program in BIOS doesn't have room for complex diagnostic routines or messages.

[Avril]

Legare,

Thank you for your help.

But I don't quite understand what you mean by things like "boot from the hard disk" or "boot program in BIOS".

I just wanted to start the computer, and I didn't know that the message meant to take the floppy out.