Err Msg: Error: Unrecoverable Write Error on Drive A Side...

ID: Q187692

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to copy a floppy disk, you may experience the following symptoms:

When you use the DISKCOPY command at a command prompt in Windows 98, you may receive the following error message:

Error: Unrecoverable write error on drive A Side <n>, track <n>

When you right-click the disk drive in Windows Explorer, and then click Copy Disk, you may receive the following error message:
Error: Unable to write to the destination disk.
Check to make sure the disk is inserted properly in the drive, the drive door is closed and the disk is not write-protected.


CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the floppy disk to which you are attempting to copy (target disk) is not formatted.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use either of the following methods:

Method 1

Format the floppy disk before using the DISKCOPY command. For information about how to format a floppy disk, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q141598
TITLE : How to Format Floppy Disk in Windows Explorer or My Computer

Method 2

Use the DISKCOPY command in MS-DOS mode. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, and then click Shut Down.


  2. Click Restart In MS-DOS Mode, and then click OK.


  3. At the command prompt, type the DISKCOPY command you want to use. For example, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

    diskcopy a: b:


  4. When the copy operation is finished, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

    exit


Additional query words: 98 


Keywords          : kberrmsg win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: February 5, 1999