Sections of the hard drive's magnetic coating are failing.
This is usually a progressively degenerative problem that will continue to
haunt you.
If you can find another drive at a swap meet or flea market, it might be
worth the effort to replace it. (but remember that the interface card and
drive must match)

If not.....

You need to low-level format the drive -- unfortunately, there are too
many cobwebs in that section of my memory to give you accurate details.
There is a location within the BIOS that can be accessed via the DEBUG
program and there are several generic freeware/shareware programs that can
accomplish this.  I would check the manufacturer to see if they have a
program.

The low-level format will block out the bad sections.  Then you can FDISK,
FORMAT /S, and reinstall your software.

Jim Meagher
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-----Original Message-----
From: Dreamer's Den <[log in to unmask]>


>Now, now, don't laugh too loud.
>
>I was given an old 286 with a 40 mb Hard Drive. I would like to
>

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