Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: thegammingperson1994 on June 11, 2007, 04:30:30 PM

Title: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 11, 2007, 04:30:30 PM
Seeing as how Microsoft doesn't tell you where to find any of the files they listed, I'll see if I can get any help here.

I have an extremely old Windows 98 IBM Thinkpad 600 laptop. (It pretty much stopped working after a 192 error message, but that's another story.)
Windows 98 started to have these problems when I booted it up:

So now I am going to try and reinstall Windows 98, since I don't have anything to loose on the laptop. So here I am in MS - DOS mode, and I'm trying to access the CD ROM drive in my laptop. I know that the drive letter should be D:, but when I type that in, MD DOS always replies, "Invalid Drive specification". I even tried what someone had reccomended earlyer by going one letter down to E:, but that still didn't work.

So if anyone has any answers to this problem, that would be greatly appreciated. (Not to get off topic, but if anyone can explain why I keep getting a 192 error when booting up my laptop, that would be great.)

P.S. I can only use one drive at a time; floppy or CD. I have to shut down my laptop and insert the drive to be able to use it.

Thanks in Advance!
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: 2k_dummy on June 11, 2007, 04:38:49 PM
click 192 error (http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/LWIK-3SR4PW.html?selectarea=ThinkPad+600E&brand=IBM+ThinkPad|ThinkPad+600E|2645)
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 11, 2007, 04:40:58 PM
Well, I already knew it was a fan error, but the fan works prefectly well.
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: 2k_dummy on June 11, 2007, 04:47:10 PM
1. Measure the voltage of the backup battery. If the
voltage is not correct, replace the backup battery.
2. Fan
3. System board

Did you bother to check anything besides the fan? Battery voltage? Diagnostic?
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 11, 2007, 04:50:02 PM
Yes, I did read it.

I'm very certain it isn't the fan.
Could be the system board.
How do you measure the voltage?
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: 2k_dummy on June 11, 2007, 04:51:44 PM
Remove the battery and test with a VOM (volt-ohm meter).
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 11, 2007, 04:55:57 PM
Well, I apologize for asking so many questions, but can I use that on a normally battery tester? I'm pretty sure I don't have one of the things that you suggested.
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: 2k_dummy on June 11, 2007, 05:03:53 PM
Depends on the battery tester - If has a digital readout and is capable of testing the correct voltage range. The voltage should be +/-5% of the battery's rated voltage. Slightly higher is always better than under.
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 11, 2007, 05:30:33 PM
Well, the batter tester is a hang-on-the-wall battery holder, but it comes with a little tester. I'm afraid that it's only meant to test batteries such as 9 volts, AAs, etc.

Anyways, do you think I should just buy a new battery?
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 12, 2007, 06:49:38 AM
Umm... Well, I still need help on MS DOS saying that D is not a valid drive...
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: patio on June 12, 2007, 10:53:54 AM
Umm... Well, I still need help on MS DOS saying that D is not a valid drive...

You will need to use a bootdisk for Win98SE with CDRom support to do so...DLoad from bootdisk.com..

At the A: prompt after booting type D: and hit Enter. Then type setup and hit Enter and the Win98 setup should start.
( Some bootdisks make R: the CDRom drive so if D: doesn't run use the above instructions with "R:"...)
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 12, 2007, 02:20:22 PM
P.S. I can only use one drive at a time; floppy or CD. I have to shut down my laptop and insert the drive to be able to use it.

Remember, I can only use one drive at a time

Anyways, I think I fixed the problem by reformatting my hard drive, but I'll post again if it isn't fixed.
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: patio on June 13, 2007, 01:39:23 PM
Did you try the above suggestion ? ?
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 13, 2007, 01:43:11 PM
Once again, I can't access D: without it giving me an "Invalid drive specification" error. Second, I can't even have both floppy and CD in my laptop at the same time.

P.S. I have also tried A-Z in drive letters. Same thing.
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: patio on June 13, 2007, 06:30:54 PM
Return to bootdisk.com and DLoad the file that will create a Win98 bootable CD and follow all the instructions...
Title: Re: "Invalid Drive Specification" when trying to find CD drive in command prompt
Post by: thegammingperson1994 on June 13, 2007, 07:13:43 PM
I don't have a CD burner :(

Anyways, I've just wiped the hard drive, and reinstalled the operating system. I still do need help on the 163, 173, and 192 errors.