HI all, I'm using a boot disk created on a pc with Windows 95 to start up another older computer that has no OS on it at all. I want to format before installing Win95, but I can't get it booted. I get the message "Verifying DMI Pool Data", and that's where it hangs. Any suggestions?

Is the BIOS set to boot from the floppy first? The error is more often related to a defective hard drive, or one that does not have an active partition set.

------------------
reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME

Thanks for the reply Reid, the frustrating thing is that I can't get my hands on this pc again until Friday night but I'm hoping to accumulate some ideas for checking when I can get to it! I've found some similar (older) posts about the same probem, and they suggested disabling the external and internal cache, then rebooting, then re-enabling. I'm furiously taking notes on this so I can try everything on Friday night, so all suggestions will be gratefully accepted...and duly tried.

The official fix is to reformat, you might try to re-install windows without reformatting sometimes that works.

Might not be a bad idea to try a win98 boot disk. That will also give you CD ROM support.

Thing I don't understand is when booting from a floppy, I thought it tried to boot to the A drive before the Verifying Pool Data point in the boot process. Maybe I'm wrong, haven't used a start up disk in a while, and haven't used a win95 disk in years...

Maybe I don't quite understand the situation, if you've already formatted the drive and tried to install windows, try fdisk_/mbr using a space in place of the underscore used here. Looks like you haven't formatted though, you might need to fdisk and repartition first, but that means you have to get it to boot to a floppy...maybe a different floppy cable? Long shot, but I guess it's possible...

OK, I'm confused... But I'm going on the same basic principle as Reid, the Verifying Pool Data message is usually related to hard drive, not floppy. If it gives you that message it must be trying to boot to the hard drive instead. Reid may have pegged it...boot sequence.

Also make sure Swap Floppy drive and Floppy Mode 3 Support are both disabled in BIOS. Check to be sure the correct floppy size is set as well. I hope Reid's right, that would make it fairly simple...

------------------
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

This is interesting, I haven't been able to format yet because I can't get it booted from the floppy. I'm hoping you may be right about it trying to boot from the hdd first. Like I said earlier it's frustrating because I can't do anything until Friday night, but I'll post what happens then. Fingers crossed it'll be fixed!....thanks again all.

Well, hello all, I finally got to have another go at this pc. The first thing I did was check the bios settings for boot sequence, and it told me floppy WAS first on the list. So, then I did what I saw recommended somewhere else on this site, I disabled both the external and internal cache. That worked like a charm. It booted from the disk, (I did use a Win98 boot disk), then I formatted the drive, and then installed Win95, all without a problem at all. Once it was all done I went back into bios and changed it to enable the cache again. Thanks to all for the replies. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Cool! thanks for the update, glad it's up and running.

I never would have guessed it might be related to cacheing...

------------------
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)