DOCUMENT:Q83972 18-DEC-2000 [win95x] TITLE :File Manager Cannot Format Drive the System Was Started From PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product PROD/VER:MS-DOS:4.x,5.0; WINDOWS:3.1,3.11 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 - Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 4.0, 4.01, 5.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= When you use File Manager (WINFILE.EXE) in the Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1, you cannot format the drive that the system was started from. For example, if the machine was started from drive A, you cannot format a disk in drive A from File Manager. If you try to do this, Windows generates the following error message: Cannot format the MS-DOS startup drive NOTE: This problem occurs only with versions of MS-DOS later than 4.01. MORE INFORMATION ================ File Manager attempts to read the boot sector from the boot drive the system was started from in order to format a disk. If File Manager tries to format the disk in the drive the system was started from, it has to assume that the drive has no boot sector on it and that it cannot to obtain one. Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows version 3.1 File Manager. We are researching this problem and will post new information here as it becomes available. Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311 kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS401 Version : MS-DOS:4.x,5.0; WINDOWS:3.1,3.11 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.