Dell Dimension 2300 PC Desktop Logo
Posted on Jan 20, 2008
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Invalid Boot Diskette

I'm trying to help my boyfriend fix his computer problem. When he start his desktop, he kept getting the error
INVALID BOOT DISKETTE
INSERT BOOT DISKETTE in A:
I went into the BIOS and remove the part where it says boot from floppy and set it to boot from hard drive, but this did not solve the problem. There is also a constant ticking noise coming from the desktop. Please help!
Thanks
Ivy

  • 2 more comments 
  • Camero69 Jan 20, 2008

    Thanks. There's no disk in the floppy drive.

  • Camero69 Jan 21, 2008

    Thanks so much! I will give it a try and see what happens.

  • mark_ced Feb 08, 2009

    I have this same problem, only my old hard drive died and I get the boot diskette error after installing a new hard drive. The hard drive does not have an OS on it yet and I am trying to boot from CD in order to install one. I changed the bios to boot from CD Rom and it won't work. I re-started and hit F8 to try and boot it from CD and that doesn't work. Everything brings me back to the "invalid boot diskette insert boot diskette in A:" The computer does recognize the new drive in the bios.

  • Anonymous May 24, 2009

    I have same problemthere is no disk in drive A

    I have disconnected drive A but still I am getting same massage.

    Invalid boot Diskette

    insert BOOT diskette

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2 Answers

Anonymous

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  • Posted on Jan 20, 2008
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One reason you would get invalid boot disk, insert boot disk diskette into drive A: is when windows was installed there was a boot disk in drive A. Now that windows finished it wants the boot disk. Go to this link to fix this problem, scroll down to RESOLUTION and follow the instructions. Everything above explains how this happened.:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/148637
Take your time!
If you need further help just post it here & I'll get right on it.

  • Anonymous Jan 20, 2008

    The ticking noise could be the hard drive or a broken fan blade.

  • Anonymous Jan 20, 2008

    Ok, Sorry I had to think about this problem you are having. My guess it that your primary drive is going south, AKA going bad. Things just were not running correctly. So you decided to reinstall your operating system because your were not sure what is wrong. (this is a normal responce). One way or another you had a windows boot disk in drive A: Ya left it in there while installing windows. Where window now uses the floppy diskette as the boot drive, hence windows ask you to put it back in the floppy in order to continue. To correct this rather than messing with registry keys. Go back to the bios. Go to Boot settings. First boot device should be floppy, 2nd device should be cd-rom drive & 3rd device should be hard drive. Put your windows cd into the cd-rom drive & boot to it. When the pc starts to boot press the F8 key every two seconds. This will bring up a boot menue. Pick your cd-rom as where you want to go. The windows cd will fireup & start to install. The pc will list: To Boot to cd-rom press any key. (press the space bar). Windows will begain to install. There will come a time when windows will restart (again normal) & you will see the: to boot to cd-rom press any key..... DO Not Press Anthing! Just let it go & windows will continue to install. When windows finishes than you can remove the CD. Remember that clicking. Well if windows fails or the system seems weird, that clicking noise your hearing is most likely the hard drive. You can find the name of the hard drive on a white sticker on the drive. Go to the Mfg's web site & download the drive's utilities, that will test the drive for problems. Usually you can create bootable floppys or even creat a bootable CD. Instructions on how to download & creat a floppy or CD will also be on the Mfg's site. Hand tight you'll get through this....

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  • Expert 139 Answers
  • Posted on Jan 20, 2008
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Check the floppy drive to see if there is a disk in it....if so, remove it and try booting up the computer again.

  • Anonymous Nov 20, 2011

    There isn't any disk in the floppy drive

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