primary master disk fail

hi
I recieved an error message saying "PRIMARY MASTER DISK FAILED"
I wanted to format C: using A: but I couldn't because it does not detect A: either..

so help me to fix this problem..
thanks

You need to go into the BIOS and change the boot sequence. Ensure that the Floppy drive boots before the hard disk attempts to boot.

Just install XP off the CD. It will let you format the drive before it loads.