Err Msg When Booting System: NO ROM BASIC (67365)


The information in this article applies to:
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.1
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.2
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.21
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3a
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.01
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
    • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q67365

SYMPTOMS

After you partition your hard disk and install MS-DOS or Windows 95, you may receive the following message when you turn on your computer:

NO ROM BASIC

SYSTEM HALTED

CAUSE

You did not select an active partition. (You must do this in addition to partitioning the hard disk.)

Note that this error message can also occur if the motherboard in your computer is failing.

RESOLUTION

To select an active partition, choose the Set Active Partition option on the FDISK main menu. The only MS-DOS or Windows 95 partition that can be set as active is the primary DOS partition.

MORE INFORMATION

When the computer is started, the boot routine polls drive A for a valid boot disk. If no boot disk is detected, the system reads the boot sector from the first physical hard disk. The partition table is examined for a partition with a boot indicator. If no partitions are marked as bootable, the system executes an interrupt 18H, which transfers control to ROM Basic.

Only IBM personal computers have Basic included in ROM; on a compatible, interrupt 18H typically displays the message "NO ROM BASIC," then "SYSTEM HALTED," and the system halts.

Under these conditions, some older Compaq DESKPRO computers display the message:

Non-System disk or disk error
replace and strike any key when ready
It is also possible for some systems to return the message:

System does not support resident BASIC
If this behavior occurs when there is a bootable floppy disk in drive A, make sure that the boot sequence is set to drive A and then drive C in the computer's CMOS settings (instead of drive C and then drive A).
Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 5/10/2003
Keywords: KB67365
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