ms wrote:
| My intent is to format a P166 for use as a DOS computer.
| It had W95, a prior uninstall of Norton AV caused error screens so I
| had to format.
|
| When I tried a W95 boot disk, format, got error: insufficient memory
| to load system files.

Well, here's an article that mentions that...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/177864
Insufficient Memory to Load System Files

.......Quote the article..............
SYMPTOMS
When you try to format your hard disk, you may receive the following
error message:
Insufficient memory to load system files.
Format terminated.

CAUSE
This problem can occur if either of the following conditions exists:
• You attempt to format your hard disk using the "format c: /q/u/s/v"
command at a command prompt, and there is not enough free conventional
memory to use the /s parameter (switch).
• You start your computer using the Windows Startup disk and then
attempt to format your hard disk.

RESOLUTION
To work around this problem, use the appropriate method below:
• Do not use the /s parameter (switch) with the Format command. After
the format process is finished, transfer the system files to the hard
disk using the SYS C: command.
• If you are using Windows 98, restart your computer using the Windows
98 Startup disk, choose Start Computer With CD-ROM Support on the
Microsoft Windows 98 Startup menu, and then use the FORMAT command to
format your hard disk.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products
that are listed at the beginning of this article.
.......EOQ................................

| I then ran Bing, it did format, I rebooted with the W95 boot disk, at
| A:, entered C:, no C:.

BING, if I recall correctly, doesn't have a separate FORMAT command. The
format is done automatically after a partition is created, if it is a
FAT partition.

| Ran Bing again, named the drive C, but see legend that the drive is
| not available to anything as it has Bing installed on it.

It isn't the name of the partition that matters. It's the letter. You
can't assign the letter, that's automatic by these rules...
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=51978
Order in Which MS-DOS and Windows Assign Drive Letters

| Then rebooted with W95 boot disk, message: can't find Bing, assume it
| wants the Bing boot disk.

I'm not sure exactly what you did with BING. Could it be you created
something that was not a FAT partition?

| I need to wind up with a C drive for DOS, and have created something
| else.
|
| Advice?

Maybe...

(1) Boot the BING floppy, & get into the Work with Partitions Screen.
Do that by clicking CANCEL at the Install Requestor.
(2) Uninstall BING from the hard drive, if you've installed it.
(If you can, do this before step one.)
(3) Delete the partition you created earlier, if still there.

Now, create your partition. Make sure it is a FAT partition. Make sure
it is a Primary partition. If you use BING to do it, you won't have to
FORMAT it. If you use the Windows Startup Diskette to create the
partition with FDISK, then you must reboot & format it. If there is only
one partition, it will be C: after that reboot.

| ms

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR