I have an older 486 Acer Laptop which I'm trying to revive.
As this unit was an old state goverment computer,thier solution for file security when it was declared surplus was to format the hard drive. I was able to install DOS 6.22 in the laptop initially. Upon attemtping to install Windows, it gave the error code "SU-ooo13"( I believe that is correct) saying that the hard drive was using compression or partioning. I ran FDISK, which said that the drive was not partioned, then reformatted with FORMAT/MBR. The Windows install program still says the same error code and I cannot run FDISK now - it says "error reading fixed disk".
I am able to boot from floppy and transfer files into the hard drive - even using laplink from another computer. I gave a halfhearted attempt to get it to boot from the hard drive by copying the boot disk contents to the harddrive, but it does not work. It will do the BIOS load and the POST and then it just sits there with a cursor blinking. I'm stumped - any suggestions?

Welcome to PCGuide.com!

After you fdisk and format a drive, you need to make it a boot disk (or drive) before you can boot up with it. Simply "copying" the files from a boot disk to it will not work. You must "transfer" the system files from the bootable disk to the hard drive disk. In order to do that you have to have a copy of a file called "sys.com". You should be able to find it somewhere in a C:\windows\command folder, or possibly in C:\DOS (an easy way to find it would be to do a search by using the "Find" command in Windows Start menu). You can get the file from any computer as long as it uses the same DOS version that you used for the fdisk and format.

Get the sys.com file copied to your boot floppy disk. Boot up with the floppy. Then at the A:\ prompt type "sys c:" (without the ""). It should take less than a minute to transfer the files. It will tell you that the system transfer was successful when it is done (or something like that).

Hope this helps ya out.

Been there... done that!

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Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.

I'll try that in a direct fashion. My boot disk contains the "sys.com" file (from an earlier experience)and one of my earlier attempts was to "FORMAT/SYS C:" as I thought it it would do this function automatically. It did transfer several of the files needed for boot to the hard drive, but I cant remember if it contained "sys.com".