Non-System Disk Error

The “Non-System Disk or Disk Error” results when the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) cannot find the Boot Sector, or the Master Boot Record (MBR) is missing or damaged such as when the device does not have bootable media.

The BIOS usually searches drives in the order specified in the CMOS Setup.  This order is often, but not always,

a:\ Floppy Drive

c:\ 1^st partition on Hard Drive

d:\. CD-Drive (or whatever drive letters are assigned to CD-Drives)

One extremely common way this error will occur during startup is if the CMOS is set so the BIOS seeks the Floppy Drive first and a non-bootable floppy was left in the Floppy Drive. Just eject the Floppy and press any key to continue, and everything is usually OK in this situation.

More serious causes may include:

· No bootable partition on a Hard Drive

· Defective Hard Drive

· CMOS Drive settings (parameters) are not correct for the boot device

· Defective Floppy

· Defective Floppy Drive

· Virus