MS-DOS Setup Repeatedly Asks for the Same Disk (76792)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22

This article was previously published under Q76792

SYMPTOMS

When you try to install MS-DOS, Setup repeatedly asks for a disk that you already inserted in the floppy disk drive. Or, Setup displays the following message when you insert the Uninstall disk in drive A:
ERROR
This is not the correct disk.
Press ENTER to continue.

CAUSE

Setup may repeatedly ask for a disk for several reasons:
  • The disk is a copy of an original Upgrade disk, and the copy does not have the volume label of the original.
  • The disk you are using for the Uninstall procedure is incorrectly formatted.
  • The device driver that controls your floppy disk drive is not reporting that the drive door is closed after you insert a floppy disk.
  • Your system is infected with a virus.

RESOLUTION

If Setup Repeatedly Asks for an Upgrade Disk

If Setup repeatedly asks for an Upgrade disk, and the disk is a copy you made, do the following:
  1. Insert the disk into drive A or B.
  2. Type the following

    dir <drive letter>: /p

    where <drive letter> is the drive you placed the disk in.
  3. Check to make sure the volume label includes the word "Disk," followed by six spaces and the correct number of the disk. For example, if the disk is Upgrade Disk 3, MS-DOS should display the following message:
          Volume in drive A is DISK      3
  4. If there are not exactly six spaces between "Disk" and the disk number, or if the disk number is incorrect, type

    label <drive letter>:

    where <drive letter> is the drive you placed the disk in.
  5. When MS-DOS prompts you for a volume label, type the correct label.

If Setup Repeatedly Asks for the Uninstall Disk



If Setup repeatedly asks for the Uninstall disk, use an unformatted disk. If using an unformatted disk does not work, do the following:
  1. Insert an unformatted disk into drive A.
  2. Type the following:

    format a: /s

    MS-DOS formats the disk in drive A and transfers system files to it.
  3. Type the following, substituting a value listed in the following table for <x> and pressing ENTER at the end of each line

    copy con a:config.sys
    drivparm=/d:0 /f:<x> /c

    where number assigned to the /d drivparm switch specifies the physical drive number. Drive A is 0, drive B is 1, drive C is 2, and so on.

    The value of <x> depends on the type of disk drive you are using. The following table lists valid values:
          Drive size      Disk capacity      Values to use
          ------------------------------------------------
    
          5.25-inch       160K, 180K,         0
                          320K, 360K
          5.25-inch       1.2 MB              1
          3.5-inch        720K                2
          3.5-inch        1.44 MB             7
          3.5-inch        2.88 MB             9
  4. Press F6.
  5. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
  6. Insert MS-DOS 5.0 Upgrade Disk 1 into drive A.
  7. Type the following:

    a:setup

    Follow the instructions on your screen.
  8. If Setup still does not accept the Uninstall disk, run a virus-scanning program. If you have MS-DOS 6 or later Upgrade, you can run Microsoft Anti-Virus (MSAV.EXE). To do so, boot your computer from MS-DOS Setup Disk 1, insert Disk 3 of the 3.5-inch 1.44 megabyte (MB) disk set or Disk 4 of the 5.25-inch 1.2 MB disk set, and run MSAV. You receive an error message when MSAV attempts to write to the write-protected disk. You can choose Fail and ignore the message.
  9. If the same disk is still repeatedly asked for, do the following:

    1. Make a temporary directory on your hard disk drive.
    2. Copy the installation disks to the temporary directory.
    3. Change the MS-DOS command prompt to the temporary directory.
    4. Run Setup from that directory.
    5. When Setup is complete, delete the temporary directory.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2003
Keywords:KB76792