DOCUMENT:Q73416  17-DEC-2000  [msdos]
TITLE   :Uninstall Disk Must Be the Same Media as Drive A
PRODUCT :Microsoft Disk Operating System
PROD/VER:MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

If the Uninstall disk you create (labeled "Uninstall Disk") is not the same
media (density) as drive A, you receive the following error message:

   error reading or writing to drive a:

MORE INFORMATION
================

Because Uninstall Disk 1 must be a bootable disk, it must be the same density as
drive A. For example, if drive A is a 1.2-megabyte floppy disk drive, only a
high-density 1.2-megabyte disk should be used for the Uninstall Disk 1.

The ROM bootstrap routine is executed when the computer is booted. It checks to
see if a disk is in drive A; if there is no disk in drive A, it checks the
active partition on the hard disk drive. Note that it never checks drive B;
therefore, it is not possible to boot from drive B.

This behavior is a function of the BIOS, not MS-DOS.

For more information on the ROM bootstrap routine, query on the following word in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   " bootstrap " (without the quotation marks)

Additional query words: 6.22 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 low density, double "Uninstall Disk 1" 2" 720K, 360K, error reading or writing to drive a:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

=============================================================================

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.