"Wrong Disk" Error When Installing MS-DOS (73090)


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 Q73090

SYMPTOMS

Your computer repeatedly prompts for the same Microsoft MS-DOS 5, 6, or 6.2 Upgrade disk. When you insert the disk, one of the following error messages is displayed:
Wrong disk

-or-

This is not the correct disk

-or-

Please insert the following disk in drive <x>:
where <x> is the floppy drive letter.

The computer then prompts for the same disk again.

WORKAROUND

Run Setup from the hard drive.

To run Setup from the hard drive, do the following:
  1. Create a new directory on the hard drive.
  2. Use the XCOPY command to copy all files from all of the MS-DOS Upgrade disks to the directory you created in step 1.
  3. Run Setup from the directory you created in step 1.

MORE INFORMATION

If the computer repeatedly prompts for one of the Uninstall disks, check the following:
  1. Disable the change line support for the floppy drive. To do this, add a DRIVPARM command to the CONFIG.SYS file. For example, if the drive in question is drive A and the drive supports 1.2 MB disks, the proper command is:

    drivparm=/d:0 /f:1

    NOTE: There is no /C switch in the line. For more information on the DRIVPARM command, see page 455 of the version 5.0 "Microsoft MS-DOS User's Reference" or the Online Help for version 6.0 or 6.2.
  2. Setup cannot use an Uninstall disk that has a volume label that matches one of the distribution disks. Delete the volume label of the Uninstall disk using a command such as the following:

    label a:

    When the following prompt is displayed:
    Delete current volume label (Y/N)?
    press Y.
  3. Try an unformatted disk.
  4. Make sure that you aren't putting a high-density disk in a low-density drive.
  5. Setup prompts for a size if it determines that the disk is unformatted. Make sure that you choose to format the disk as the media requires.
  6. If the Uninstall disk has NOT been created, rename the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, reboot the computer, and try again.
  7. If the Uninstall disk has been created:

    1. Boot off of the Uninstall disk.
    2. Choose to uninstall.
    3. Rename CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.
    4. Reboot.
    5. Start over.
  8. Make sure you are inserting the disk for which the computer is prompting. If the disks are high density, Uninstall #2 won't be needed, and you may have inserted this disk instead of the upgrade disk that is required.
  9. Run Microsoft Anti-Virus (MSAV) from the MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 disks (disk 3 of the 1.44 MB disk set and disk 4 of the 1.2 MB disk set) to scan and clean any virus. The Michelangelo virus may cause the MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 Setup process to hang and repeatedly ask for the Uninstall disk. (This seems to happen when Setup is approximately 5 percent complete.)
If you suspect that your computer has a virus and you are using MS-DOS 6.0 or later, run Microsoft Anti-Virus. If you are running an earlier version of MS-DOS, either obtain MS-DOS 6.0 or later, or obtain help from a third- party virus-correction service or vendor.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2003
Keywords:KB73090
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