Problems copying Win98 boot diskette using XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maerko
  • Start date Start date
M

Maerko

I am on XP/SP1.

I want to make a backup copy of a Windows 98 boot diskette.

Using XP, I can copy other diskettes but when I try to copy the Win98
boot diskette I get a message saying -

"Error: Unable to Copy Disks On This Drive".


Why is this? And how can I copy my W98 boot diskette?
 
I'd guess that there's something wrong with your Win98 boot
disk. Floppies don't last forever. You could go to
www.bootdisk.com and get another one.
Click to expand...



Diskette seems fine. I can read its contents OK.

Doesn't the message indicate that there is a problem with XP and the
drive itself?
 
If Win XP can copy other floppies, I would say the problem is that Win98
disk.
Try copying the bootdisk to a clean folder on the hard drive, then copy that
to a freshly format floppy.
 
Maerko said:
I am on XP/SP1.

I want to make a backup copy of a Windows 98 boot diskette.

Using XP, I can copy other diskettes but when I try to copy the Win98
boot diskette I get a message saying -

"Error: Unable to Copy Disks On This Drive".


Why is this?
Click to expand...

An old NT problem that was not fixed in XP, perhaps.
And how can I copy my W98 boot diskette?
Click to expand...

When it asks for the destination disk, insert the disk.

Do NOT click OK.

Start Explorer, and select the A: drive.
Wait until Explorer has recognized the floppy and the light has gone off.

Then return to the disk copy procedure and click OK.
 
Using XP, I can copy other diskettes but when I try to copy

If Win XP can copy other floppies, I would say the problem is
that Win98 disk.
Try copying the bootdisk to a clean folder on the hard drive,
then copy that to a freshly format floppy.
Click to expand...

And yet I can boot off that same W98 diskette.
 
Using XP, I can copy other diskettes but when I try to copy the

When it asks for the destination disk, insert the disk.
Do NOT click OK.
Start Explorer, and select the A: drive.
Wait until Explorer has recognized the floppy and the light has
gone off.
Then return to the disk copy procedure and click OK.
Click to expand...


The error message appears *before* the copy window asks for the
destination diskette. The error appears as soon as I press Start.

Out of interest, I put a floppy diskette in the drive then launched
Win Explorer. I then keyed in "B:\" (without quotes) in the Win
Explorer address bar. I got a message saying "B:\ refers to a
location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this
computer, or on a network. [etc]"

Do other people get the same?

Maybe XP is trying to copy from A: to B: anf it can't find B: on my
system?
 
And yet I can boot off that same W98 diskette.

Booting from and disccopying are two different operations.

I can boot from majorily damaged disk, providing that boot operations do not
try to access damaged areas on the disk Disccopy performs duplication of the
whole floppy, not just a boot and system portions.
 
At the CMD prompt try

Diskcopy a: a:


When it asks for the destination disk, insert the disk.
Do NOT click OK.
Start Explorer, and select the A: drive.
Wait until Explorer has recognized the floppy and the light has
gone off.
Then return to the disk copy procedure and click OK.
Click to expand...


The error message appears *before* the copy window asks for the
destination diskette. The error appears as soon as I press Start.

Out of interest, I put a floppy diskette in the drive then launched
Win Explorer. I then keyed in "B:\" (without quotes) in the Win
Explorer address bar. I got a message saying "B:\ refers to a
location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this
computer, or on a network. [etc]"

Do other people get the same?

Maybe XP is trying to copy from A: to B: anf it can't find B: on my
system?
Click to expand...
 
At the CMD prompt try

Diskcopy a: a:
Click to expand...


YES! Works nice. So why doesn't copying a disk work in my XP?


Maerko said:
Using XP, I can copy other diskettes but when I try to copy
the Win98 boot diskette I get a message saying -
"Error: Unable to Copy Disks On This Drive".
How can I copy this W98 boot diskette?
Click to expand...


When it asks for the destination disk, insert the disk.
Do NOT click OK.
Start Explorer, and select the A: drive.
Wait until Explorer has recognized the floppy and the light has
gone off.
Then return to the disk copy procedure and click OK.
Click to expand...


The error message appears *before* the copy window asks for the
destination diskette. The error appears as soon as I press
Start.

Out of interest, I put a floppy diskette in the drive then
launched Win Explorer. I then keyed in "B:\" (without quotes)
in the Win Explorer address bar. I got a message saying "B:\
refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard
drive on this computer, or on a network. [etc]"

Do other people get the same?

Maybe XP is trying to copy from A: to B: anf it can't find B:
on my system?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I don't know!( because the GUI sucks?)
At the CMD prompt try

Diskcopy a: a:
Click to expand...


YES! Works nice. So why doesn't copying a disk work in my XP?



Maerko wrote:

Using XP, I can copy other diskettes but when I try to copy
the Win98 boot diskette I get a message saying -
"Error: Unable to Copy Disks On This Drive".
How can I copy this W98 boot diskette?



On 01 Dec 2004, Hugh Candlin wrote:


When it asks for the destination disk, insert the disk.
Do NOT click OK.
Start Explorer, and select the A: drive.
Wait until Explorer has recognized the floppy and the light has
gone off.
Then return to the disk copy procedure and click OK.



The error message appears *before* the copy window asks for the
destination diskette. The error appears as soon as I press
Start.

Out of interest, I put a floppy diskette in the drive then
launched Win Explorer. I then keyed in "B:\" (without quotes)
in the Win Explorer address bar. I got a message saying "B:\
refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard
drive on this computer, or on a network. [etc]"

Do other people get the same?

Maybe XP is trying to copy from A: to B: anf it can't find B:
on my system?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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