"Invalid Media" Error Message Formatting FAT32 Partition (155349)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q155349

SYMPTOMS

When you try to format a FAT32 file system partition larger than 8025 MB from within Windows 95, you may receive the following error message
Verifying <xxx.xx>M
Invalid media or track 0 bad-disk unusable
Format terminated
where <xxx.xx> is the size of the partition.

CAUSE

This error occurs if there is a non-DOS partition preceding the extended DOS partition and the primary DOS partition has been formatted using the real-mode FORMAT.EXE command.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, format the volume using the following steps:
  1. Click the Start button, click Shut Down, click Restart The Computer In MS-DOS Mode, and then click Yes.
  2. Type the following command and then press ENTER

    format <drive>:

    where <drive> is the drive letter for the partition you want to format.
  3. When the partition is formatted, type exit to restart Windows 95.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/27/2001
Keywords:kbDiskMemory KB155349
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.