Microsoft KB Archive/104888

Uninstall Err Msg: The Boot Partition on Your Hard Disk… PSS ID Number: Q104888 Article last modified on 11-02-1993 PSS database name: O_MSDOS

6.20

MS-DOS

= SYMPTOMS =

When you try to uninstall MS-DOS 6.2, you may receive the following error message:

The boot partition on your hard disk does not contain a valid MS-DOS boot record. If you have an OS/2 dual boot system you should be sure that you are in DOS mode before starting Uninstall.

= CAUSE =

This error occurs when OS/2 (or other software) has changed the master boot record (MBR). If this is not the case on your system, the boot record may be infected with a boot-sector virus, such as FORMS.

WARNING: Do not uninstall if you have changed your partitioning. Since Uninstall does not detect if your partitioning has changed, it rewrites the partition table with the one stored on the Uninstall disk (in the BPB0.DAT file). For this reason, uninstalling after repartitioning may result in data loss.

= RESOLUTION =

To determine if you have a boot-sector virus, run Microsoft Anti-Virus.

Additional reference words: 6.20

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.