----- Original Message ----- From: Harold E. Schumacher, Jr. <[log in to unmask]> snip, >as I stated earlier, this is a > re-formatted drive with nothing on it! I have a diskette with > various files on it to start up along with CD-ROM drivers to run the > CD. It goes through part of the setup, then the message. I would look real close at the start up disk... Is it corrupt? proper version, using a disk overlay, etc.??? What is "it" doing to get you on this drive. Is the BIOS right? It seems more like an ACCESS problem or a problem with "something" on the drive. I've had perfectly good drives I could "almost" read, or that were flaky as far as access. If you are absolutely sure the drive is "setup" right, and, since you have nothing to loose, I would do a low level format (they call it that, we know it is not...), then write "zeros" to the drive beginning, or the entire drive. I have some utilities that do that. They "might" be "manufacturer specific", and I think I got them from the IBM WEB site. One is called ZAP, the other WIPE. Another question, --- did you try another HD? Good luck, Rick Curious about the people moderating your messages? Visit our staff web site: http://nospin.com/pc/staff.html