DOCUMENT:Q140060 08-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :Error Accessing Floppy Disks Using Windows NT PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER::; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbother ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you access a floppy disk from your Windows NT computer, following error message appears: STOP: The disk media is not recognized, it may not be formatted. The same disks on the same computer work correctly with MS-DOS or Windows 1. The same disks also work correctly after your re-format them under Windows NT. CAUSE ===== This occurs on disks that are preformatted or are from a product where the disk manufacturer failed to write the media descriptor byte to the disk. MS-DOS and Windows 95 do not require the media descriptor byte be set, hence this problem does not show up with these operating systems. In most versions of MS-DOS, the first sector contains the media descriptor field. The media descriptor field specifies a value that identifies the type of media that the disk is. Some device drivers use the media descriptor to determine quickly whether the removable media in the drive has changed. Following are the valid media descriptor bytes for MS-DOS: Byte Capacity Media Size and Type ------------------------------------------------- F0 2.88 MB 3.5-inch, 2-sided, 36-sector F0 1.44 MB 3.5-inch, 2-sided, 18-sector F9 720K 3.5-inch, 2-sided, 9-sector F9 1.2 MB 5.25-inch, 2-sided, 15-sector FD 360K 5.25-inch, 2-sided, 9-sector FF 320K 5.25-inch, 2-sided, 8-sector FC 180K 5.25-inch, 1-sided, 9-sector FE 160K 5.25-inch, 1-sided, 8-sector FE 250K 8-inch, 1-sided, single-density FD 500K 8-inch, 2-sided, single-density FE 1.2 MB 8-inch, 2-sided, double-density F8 ----- Fixed disk The media descriptor byte is located in sector 0 of the diskette, and looks like this: addr data: 0000 EB 3C 90 4D 53 44 4F 53 35 2E 30 00 02 01 01 00 0010 02 E0 00 40 0B F0 09 00 12 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 xx <---- This byte above XX is the media descriptor byte and is at offset hex 15. Using NORTON DISKEDIT program, you can manually change that byte based on the table above. Additional query words: prodnt ====================================================================== Keywords : kbother Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTW310 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS310 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinNTS310search kbWinNT310Search kbWinNTW310Search Version : :; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.